Road Trip

I am so behind on my blog. I finally got our South Dakota vacation posts done. Of course since it was a month ago, I didn't write it as detailed as I would have liked. So there are four days of vacation. We had such a great time. We love taking road trips, we had no idea there were so many things to do in South Dakota. We will probably go back some day and do the other things that were on our list that we didn't get to do. There are a lot of cool caves that we didn't get to visit.

Devil's Tower, Deadwood, Cedar Rapids

The kids ready to go in the Broken Boot Mine

Day 1

We began our vacation on May 28th. We drove to Moorcroft, WY and spent the night. We were really shocked at how different North East Wyoming was. It was green and pretty. We are used to sage brush Wyoming. On the morning of the 29th, we woke up and drove to Devil's Tower. When I was a kid, Close Encounters of the Third Kind was one of my favorite movies, so it was fun to go there. It is huge and impressive. There is a paved walking trail around the base, it's a little over a mile long. It was a beautiful walk and the perfect day to be there.

After Devil's Tower, we drove into South Dakota. The Black Hills are so beautiful. I had no idea that it would be like a little slice of Heaven. Ryan and I were in awe of the scenery. We went to Deadwood on our way to Cedar Rapids, which was home base for the evening. Deadwood was okay. I guess it's nice to say that you've been somewhere. I guess we weren't too impressed with Deadwood because we aren't gamblers. Emma did commit her first crime though. We were walking up the street and I noticed that she had a pair of sunglasses in her hands, she had taken them from a gift shop and we walked right out of the store without anyone noticing. Ryan brought them back and the clerk seemed surprised that he did. When in Deadwood, I guess.

We also toured the Broken Boot Mine. Which was a gold mine, but not a very successful one. The kids looked so cute in their hard hats. It was a fun tour because we met a lot of neat people on the tour. A couple from Italy and one from Texas. The couple from Italy were traveling for the whole summer. They started in Chicago and would end their trip in August in Vancouver. I wish we had the same sort of vacation days as Europeans.

We ended the day in Cedar Rapids with a yummy dinner and swimming at the pool. While at the pool I met a girl who grew up in Kaysville and her sister, Emily, went to high school with Ryan. Emily is the mother of one of Braxton's good friends from Kaysville, Jacob. It's such a small world.

Emma ready to go

Devil's Tower, it's cool how it's just out in the middle of nowhere by itself

There were rock climbers all over when we were there. It was fun to watch them.

Braxton at the base of Devil's Tower

Us on top of a rock

The site of Devil's Tower is a very sacred place for Native Americans. Here is a picture of some prayer clothes hanging on a tree. There were prayer and clothes and prayer bags all around.

Ryan and Braxton at Deadwood

Deadwood

Tired girl

The mine we toured

Braxton inside the mine

Cedar Rapids, SD

Day 2:

After a great night's sleep in Cedar Rapids, we decided to explore the local area. We started with a chuck wagon breakfast at Fort Hayes, which is just outside of Cedar Rapids. It's also the site where they filmed parts of Dances With Wolves. Part of the set is there. While we ate our breakfast, since it was Sunday, they had some country gospel artist at the restaurant to entertain us. She was only 15 years old and quite talented. After breakfast we walked around Fort Hayes.

This is Braxton standing in the room where Kevin Costner got his orders. Braxton is standing on an "X" on the floor which was a mark for Kevin Costner to stand on.

Braxton learning how to make a rope. The man who taught him how to make it was very entertaining and had a lot of stories to tell.

Finishing the rope. Doesn't Braxton look excited. :)

Braxton with his finished product.

After Fort Hayes, we drove down the street the Reptile Gardens, which was the highlight of the day. We went to the Gator Show, the Snake Show and played with Giant Tortoises.

Gator wrestling

Snake in a tree

Braxton petting the baby gator

Emma not petting the gator. She enjoyed the snakes show a lot more than the gators

Braxton and one of the giant tortoises. They love to be scratched on their necks.

Braxton and the prairie dogs. They were everywhere.

Prairie dogs

After Reptile Gardens, we went to Cosmos. I can't really explain what Cosmos is, the gravity there is all messed up. The pictures do not do it justice. It's a strange place that needs to be experienced. We had a blast. I don't know if you can tell in the pictures, since I wasn't able to stand up straight, but everyone is slanted. Very weird, but very fun to watch your kids try to walk. ( www.cosmosmysteryarea.com)

We drove down to Hot Springs, SD and spent the night. The kids were excited that they had their own room with bunk beds.

But of course, they fell asleep in our bed while watching a movie, so Ryan slept on the bottom bed and I squeezed in with the kids.

Mammoth and Rushmore

Day 3:

We started the day in Hot Springs, SD at the Mammoth Site (http://www.mammothsite.com). It is the world largest mammoth dig site and research center. It was pretty impressive. They have uncovered mammoth bones and fossils. We had a great time there and learned a lot. The mammoths always make me think of The Flintstones.

Ryan and Braxton with some mammoth bones

Braxton and Emma in front of the mammoth bone tent

Mammoth Bones

After the Mammoth Site, we went to Evan's Plunge which is an indoor swimming pool where the water comes from a natural hot spring. The water is always 87 degrees. I forgot to bring my camera in, so I have no pictures. They did have a water slide there that Braxton said was the best water slide he has ever been on. It was pretty fun. www.evansplunge.com

We left Hot Springs, SD and made our way to Keystone, SD, home of Mount Rushmore. We checked into our hotel and then had dinner at a local restaurant that served Buffalo roast. It was Memorial Day and we had heard that they do a small program there in the evening. So, we decided to wait until later in the day to go.

Us in front of the Avenue of Flags

Emma enjoying a stroll

I still don't really understand why President Roosevelt is on there

At dusk

They had a flag ceremony and had all the veterans and current service men and women come down to the stage. It was very touching. Made my husband proud to be an American and me proud to be married to one. Actually made me proud to call America my adopted home.

Service men and women,

Crazy Horse and Trip Home

The last day of our vacation was the icing on the cake. It was a great trip, but Tuesday was by far our favorite day. We spent the morning at the Crazy Horse Memorial. It is a work in progress, it will probably not be completed in my lifetime, but there is hope that maybe Braxton and Emma will see it completed with their children and grandchildren. It took 50 years for the face to be completed. The whole memorial is funded by donations and it is amazing. Dyno Nobel (where Ryan works) is helping with the blasting of the monument, so we were able to get a special tour. They only let the general public on the monument once a year which is usually Father's Day weekend, but we were able to walk out on Crazy Horse's arm and see his face up close. When we first walked out in the arm. All I can say is beginning that close to the face was almost overwhelming, I can't really describe it, but it was incredible.

View from the van

Us in front the model

Those little people are Ryan and the kids

Us

If you ever take a trip to South Dakota, be sure and see Mount Rushmore before you Crazy Horse. Mount Rushmore is impressive, but just to give you an idea of how huge Crazy Horse is, all four faces of Mount Rushmore can fit in Crazy Horse's head. If was another successful Brophy Family Road Trip. We still haven't planned where we will be going next year. Since it's an odd year, we may be heading to the beach.