5 days ...

This is a view of the black hills from within Custer State Park. They are very rolling hills as far as the eye can see that appear black from a distance because they are so covered in pine trees. Isn't it beautiful?? I know with Photoshop I could add more color and more wow, but I have to find time to learn a little more on that front. For now, I am just looking at the beauty of the landscape and sighing...I can't wait to go back.
Awww...aren't they cute? They even managed to get along beautifully most all of the trip. The ride home is another story...but suffice it to say, I wasn't real excited to be in the truck at that point either.
Here is a view of Mt. Rushmore from the twisty turvy road through the park that included many scenic overlooks and tunnels! It was way cool. I remembered a lot from our trip 10 years ago and other stuff from before when I was a kid on vacation with my parents. We chose to do a few things that I hadn't remembered ever doing. (I probably did them, just don't remember. Memories can be selective like that. Or is it just mine? Either way...)
The Badlands. They are filled with color and texture and also seem to go on and on and on. Which is how the kids felt. More Badlands?? But they all look the same. How much farther to the Prairie Dog town? Oh, yeah, pretty mom. Why are you taking another picture...And so it went.
Finally, we made it to the Ranch store just outside of the Badlands National Park and Emily and Carter posed with this giant Prairie Dog (I of course did this when I was little). Casey slept. Poor guy really needed it. Sitting in between his sister and brother in the back of the truck the whole trip, he hardly had a chance to take a nap. Emily and Carter got to feed the prairie dogs some peanuts and then we headed out and back toward home. Made it to Al's Oasis in Chamberlain, SD on Lake Francis Case. The campground had a pool and full hook ups who could ask for more??

So have you ever been to the Black Hills? What are your memories? If not, where is your fav vacation destination? What does it make you feel? Let me know...I want to hear...