We headed for our campground at Elk Mountain in Wind Cave National Park to claim our spot then off to one of the world’s oldest and most complicated caves. I thought of the dumb, d--- rules they have in these NPs because the lucky Ladies get to go into 58 degree coolness and I had to stay in an air conditioned Pod on a relaxing Tempurpedic bed with a really good ‘chewy’-------ummmm. On second thought, never mind!
Imagine being an ant trying to explore a sponge and you will begin to get the idea of how convoluted and complicated this 60 million year old sandstone cave really is. So far they have explored and mapped over 126 miles of passageways and it is estimated that represents only 5% of the potential of this cave system. There is a formation here called boxwork that is so unique this cave claims 95% of the world’s known amount.
This cave, the mixed grass prairie, rolling hills and valleys in Wind Cave NP are a worthwhile a trip for anyone planning to vacation in this area. The Park Service reintroduced bison here in 1913 with just 14 animals from the NY Bronx Zoo, (the story of their cross country trip and release is pretty entertaining); today’s herd is nearly 350 strong. The Park became the seventh Park in the NP System in 1903 (Thank you President Teddy Roosevelt!) and continues with a vigorous protection and restoration program of “the region where the prairie and the forest meet in America’s heartland.”
We next went to a campsite we had reserved at Oreville (we did it on line, way back in Nebraska, no less! Ah, technology!) for a four day stay through the Fourth. Cokie had requested that she be able to see Mt. Rushmore National Memorial for her birthday, but Kae and I arranged for her to be at Crazy Horse Monument on her actual birthday with a laser light show and all. Clever aren’t we? If you haven’t ever been here, check out this website and plan a trip, it is awesome!
Crazy Horse Memorial
I know that wasn’t Mt. Rushmore for her birthday, but it was taking a little longer to set up the arrangements for the fireworks for Cokie and we couldn’t get a confirmation for anything on the 1st, so we had to settle for the “Nation’s #1 fireworks display” on the 3rd. Oh, well, we know she enjoyed it. Besides, Kae says the rule is “decade birthdays require a full week’s celebration!”
This National Memorial was quite a surprise to all of us, not just because 20 to 30,000 people showed up to help Cokie celebrate, but because it is so beautifully organized and laid out. We never felt crowded and the historical information was complete, interesting and well presented. We spent part of the 2nd scoping things out then came back on the 3rd for the entire day hanging out in the parking lot and on a grassy knoll with a couple of families of fellow Californians. We had a perfect view of the mountain, its local inhabitants and the fireworks for photography. Cokie took about a hundred pictures of what we agreed was truly the best aerial fireworks we had ever seen. Great time! Check out
Mount Rushmore Memorial
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