quiet is the muse: in the pod - Custer State Park, SD

Custer State Park, South Dakota

There are so many pockets of wondrous beauty in this country. We are continually amazed by what we are seeing and chancing upon. We have been wondrously lucky - in our routes: weather wise, in our camp spots, and in what we have seen.

As we left Keyhole State Park in Wyoming an extremely large raptor emerged from a roadside ditch, flew up and ahead of the van - around 2’ from the front window, stared back at us and then flew off. It was a golden eagle (!!!) with a wing span of at least 6’ (look it up!). Oh, to have a picture of that bird!

It was stunning and threatening at the same time!!

We shared a moment. Brilliant!

In terms of animals - we have encountered so many bison (buffalo) that it seems second nature to see them. (Forgive me…), bald eagles (I stopped counting at 12), elk, wild mustangs, mountain goats, prairie dogs, deer (of all varieties), pronghorn (never even knew about them), bighorn sheep, muskrats, wolves, wild turkey, pheasants…..

I’m still looking for bears.

Bison calf and family

Custer State Park, SD

The last two days we have been traveling in the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota. Custer State Park, SD - our home for the past three nights - is jewel of a park at 71,000 acres with lakes, trails and multiple campgrounds. We have traversed a lot of it - althou the rain has kept us inside the POD more than we would have liked.

Deadwood, SD - oh yes.. so in love with the old HBO series that I had to visit. The town itself is quite cheesy and filled (now) with gaming establishments (kind of a bummer). However, the Adams Museum was a perfect introduction to the area’s history. Filled with primary source documents - photos, letters, claim certificates, ledgers, maps (oh yeah)

- it really brought Deadwood to life.

And, yes, all those characters on the series were real! The Gem Saloon? It's still there … but now with Budweiser and slots. Oh, Al how I miss you………

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway - A 20 mile gorge between Spearfish and Cheyenne Crossing, where many of the scenes in "Dances With Wolves" were filmed.

It is remarkably beautiful.

Mount Rushmore was fascinating from the idea/process/get it done/completion point of view. Kind of a crazy idea all in all but … South Dakota wanted a tourist industry and sculptor Gutzon Borglum gave them one! It is magnificent to behold and the museum helped explain how it was accomplished as well as the vision of the sculptor and the changes he was forced (by nature) to make.