Custer and the Badlands

The final loop of our trip at Custer was a nice, relaxing change from the pace of our travels.  We could actually go back to our cabin for a hot lunch, and even if it was just frozen pizza and hot dogs it tasted really good.  The weather was uncharacteristically cold so we were thankful for a providential meal of homemade soup, too.  I have to mention where we stayed: Shady Rest Motel, because the owners were so gracious and helpful.  It was off the beaten path, incredibly quiet, and we had a clean, roomy cabin at a great rate.  Trip Advisor is also a great way to find affordable motel rooms that are really nice!

Needles Highway...you can see where it gets its name.

Our van is going to squeeze through that?

Needles is another beautiful area.

The rocks were spectacular but can't be removed from the area.  It was tempting, and with the mica much of it just breaks off!

Hideout!

Micah gave me some comforting thoughts about an earthquake while he stood here...

I am just rather fond of these three children!  Can we bring them home?

This was the most terrifying part for me, up a road with no guard rails, big enough to be one lane but it was not, so if you met a car going around a corner...well, now you see my fear.  Still, we could see Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore, Needles Highway, an airforce base, and all the way to the Badlands.

The Wildlife Loop of Custer State Park was a hit with the kids.  We saw pronghorn sheep, deer...and these friendly "wild" burros.  The kids loved feeding them carrots.  Josiah's favorite animal is a mule.  Can you see the joy on his face?

 Rachel is just an all around animal lover.  The funniest thing about these burros is that they will stick their entire face in your car window if you try feeding them from inside.  We watched several walk along the road like this, following a moving vehicle.

Hundreds of buffalo.  Through this entire trip, I was humming "Home on the Range."

 The Badlands were amazing.  It doesn't take much of an eye to link them to erosion, which causes much pondering about how it all happened.

 This sign cracked me up...we don't see anything like this in Illinois!  Seems like in the west, there are plenty of animals to beware of.  I'm surprised we made it home alive!

 We made a startling discovery about the true origin of these strange land features!

And the kids look like they are far higher than they truly are!

The Badlands were our last scenic stop, then two very long days home in the van. Our kids were great travelers and at such perfect ages to take a trip like this. I know the memories will last a lifetime, and the books they read about the west will have new meaning as they call to mind the wild vistas of Wyoming and South Dakota.

Rachel's first reader, Om-Kas-Toe, and the main character was in Yellowstone at the end of the book!