Custer State Park fun

Hi all.......

Well........summer is rushing past and the daylight is waning. This has been such a fun, different kind of season for us. The large variety of animals here continues to remind us of God's plan for His wonderful Earth. There is a place and time for all things.......and we're seeing some of them.

This adorable burro is part and parcel of a small herd of them that have been released into the park. They originally carried miners and their supplies to the top of Harney Peak here. These burros now roam the park at will, delighting tourists with their antics of poking their noses into cars, looking for treats. They will readily eat from your hand or your bag, seemingly without a care in the world.

We came across this coyote, who was ever so slowly sneaking up on a prairie dog. The
entire praire dog town was up on alert at their holes, looking around and on the watch for predators. The coyote was ignoring us, as he closed in on his anticipated meal. But alas, the meal was not to be as at the last minute, the praire dog disappeared into his hole. Real praire drama.

We took a morning to go horseback riding here in the park. Bluebell Lodge has a large stable here for the visitors in the park. What a glorious morning to be out on horseback....we so enjoyed it. We went down into a valley, where a beautiful creek was running over rocks. The only sounds were of the creek, the birds singing, the grasshoppers, and the clop clop of our horses hooves. We hated to see the ride end. We'll for sure do that again soon.

We have another month here in the park. I'm doing better at the front desk now...this old brain is finally accepting the new computer system. What I enjoy most is interacting with
the wide variety of people that come thru here. They're from all over the world....Germany, Spain, France, and all of the states here. It's wonderful to hear their stories and see the anticipation on their faces as they ask questions about this wonderful park, and what to do next.

We're blessed and happy to have our health and each other. We don't know yet what's down the road, but we hope to see you there.

Love........Kathie

1880's train and Sturgis Bike Rally

Hello all.........

Wow......what a week going on here. The Sturgis Bike rally is everywhere........not just Sturgis. They are everywhere....in every town in the Black Hills. You see lots of black leather going on........and every kind of bike imagineable. They're beautiful.... from custom made jobs to trikes with gorgeous paint jobs. From my job at the front desk of the lodge here, the bikers I've talked with have been fun, polite, and interesting to talk with. We love the hustle bustle of this week......there are vendors everywhere, catering to the bikers. Cookouts, bands, concerts and traffic jams.........and I'm talking bike traffice jams.

Yesterday on our day off, we took the 1880 train from Keystone to Hill City. This is a 2 hour, 20 mile round trip thru the Black Hills of South Dakota on a historic, breathtakingly scenic and relaxing vintage steam train. The train follows the original route of the CB&O Railroad laid down in the late 1880's to service the mines and mills between Hill City and
Keystone. This train affords spectacular mountain scenery, including vistas of Harney Peak, the highest point between the Swiss Alps and the Rocky Mountains. The Black Hills Central Railroad operates three Baldwin steam locomotives and two diesel locomotives throughout the season. We sat in an open air car, enjoying the passing scenery, while the cool breezes of this beautiful day ruffled our hair. As we crossed different roads, people waved and took photos. It seems everyone here loves these old trains.

On Tues, another day off, we went to a wild horse sanctuary, up on a ranch in the Black Hills here. This ranch, if you can imagine, consists of 11,000 acres.......rolling hills, lush valleys, and the Cheyenne River runs thru it. Besides having corrals of quarter horses, and some paints for sale, along with some of their foals, there is a 500 wild herd of horses out on the range. These horses started with an original herd of 300 horses which the owner had bought out in California. At that time, the horses were near death........emaciated from too little food and poor care. They were nourished back to good
health and turned out on the range, forever more having the Black Hills to run and roam. Their foals now run free, as does the entire herd. We took a 2 hour guided bus tour out on the range to see them.......what a sight! There were stallions chasing each other, mares suckling their colts, and horses running everywhere, tails and manes flying. They were a sight to see.........horses free, as they were meant to be. We enjoyed seeing them so much...... I hated to leave them.

We love the Black Hills.........they grow on you. They're covered with Ponderosa Pines on their ridges. There is so much land here, it seems to get into your blood. The air is fresh and clean.....the winters very mild. They get around 14" of snow in their winter season. And the sky........ blue as can be........I find myself gazing up at the passing clouds as they pass over the mountains......I'm always wondering what's on the other side! That must be why we're out here.......always wondering what's on down the road. We'll see you there.

Love.......Kathie