Hello All
Today we decided to rent a car for our stay, the roads and hills around here do not make good driving in an RV.
We headed our this morning to Crazy Horse. It is amazing what a man can do when he sets his mind to it. The blasting the sculptor did on the mountain way back in 1948 with very little tools is outstanding. I am wishful that it will be finished in my life time. Ellie was intriqued by all the indian artifacts that some of the tribes were making on site. Very expensive.
On our way back we decided to take a drive through Custer State Park. Thinking this would not take very long we headed in, it took us a half an hour just to drive to the park, which no one at the first gate bothers to tell you. Poor Ellie is watching out the window looking for all the wild animals that were suppose to be around and there are none. After finally going throught the gate to the park it took a while but we came upon a pack of wild donkeys on the side of the road. They were very cute. One of them was standing right in the middle of the road so everyone had to go around him, he was not about to move. There were other donkeys along the way, one mom and a baby that were really cute. The funniest one was at a pull off site where you can get out of your car and take picuters, there was a white one that people were petting and feeding carrots to. Ellie got out and got some really good pictures. We saw a few deer, gazelles(?) and one buffalo. Ellie had been waiting the whole car ride for a head of buffalo's and she only got to see one.
On the road to The Needles Eye, (which is a rock formation that is standing up straight and tall, and at the top of the rock there is a slit in it just like in a needle) she did get to see a deer that came over to the car window, very excited. The last animal we saw were chipmunks, there was an area on the road to needles eye that we pulled over to, there must have been a dozen chipmunks on this one rock, they would come right up to you, looking for food. Ellie wanted them to come over to her and when they did she would freak out, Paul and I were laughing so hard.
The road to The Needles Eye was so cool, very windy and lots of hairpin turns, also the tunnels we had to go through were very small, there was one I didn't think we were going to make it. I was glad we had gotten the car because the RV would never had made this road.
We were going to go to Mount Rushmore tonight to see the lighting of the mountain but a storm blew in with thunder and lighting, so we will go tomorrow. It is nice to have one more day here, lots to see. Ellie wants to go pan for gold tomorrow and then to a reptile garden, lots of snakes, alligators and other reptiles (yuck).
Things are going very good. It is a very exciting trip for Ellie, thank god she is feeling ok.
Until tomorrow
Good night all
Pattie, Paul and Ellie
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Niagara to Mount Rushmore
Hello From Mount Rushmore
We made it, acutally a day early. We were suppose to spend two nights on the road, but made it in less time. Thank goodness the campground here was able to let us come a night early.
The ride here was pretty cool. Some of the hills and valleys reminded us of Vermont, until we came to the bad lands. Ellie was in awe of the landscapes in front of her. We were able to get out and actually walk on some of the formations, it was amazing. We are seeing things that we never expected. Tomorrow we will go to Mount Rushmore, Custard State Park, and a gold mine. Ellie wants to pan for gold, hope she makes us rich (ha ha).
There are a few other things that Ellie wants to do, having an extra day here will come in handy. We do not leave here until Saturday.
We made it, acutally a day early. We were suppose to spend two nights on the road, but made it in less time. Thank goodness the campground here was able to let us come a night early.
The ride here was pretty cool. Some of the hills and valleys reminded us of Vermont, until we came to the bad lands. Ellie was in awe of the landscapes in front of her. We were able to get out and actually walk on some of the formations, it was amazing. We are seeing things that we never expected. Tomorrow we will go to Mount Rushmore, Custard State Park, and a gold mine. Ellie wants to pan for gold, hope she makes us rich (ha ha).
There are a few other things that Ellie wants to do, having an extra day here will come in handy. We do not leave here until Saturday.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 2 at Niagara Falls
Hi All
This has been one very busy day. We left the campground via a tour of the whole American side of the falls. Our first destination was Whirlpool Falls. What an amazing site, the water was the prettiest shade of green, the green you usaually only see out at sea. When we arrived here there was a TV station camera crew, we found out that two teenagers had snuck into the river up above this portion of the falls last night and were now missing. Why do kids do the things they do, they all think they are indistructable. I hope they are found soon.
After leaving this area we made our way to the Cave of the Winds, another amazing site. We were given these all so beautiful sandals, and yellow ponchos, of course the ponchos barely covered your fanny, so no matter what you knew you were in for a soaking. We took and elevator 175 feet down to the caves, then walking out on boadwalks and steps going up and down all over going right next to the falls. You could reach out and touch them they were so close. There was one area called Hurricane Deck, standing there it felt like you were in a hurricane, Ellie loved this area.
When we left the caves we wondered around the other portions of the falls, Horse Shoe Falls, Bridal Falls, and Luna Falls. This was the area we were at last night for the fireworks. Our last stop on the trip was to a boat ride called Maid of the Mist. We took another elevator down 270 feet to board the boat, first getting these lovely blue ponchos. These were longer then the yellow ones so of course we thought we were going to stay dry, yea right. The first part of the ride was nice, you could take great pictures of the falls and the breeze was nice, then all of sudden you are right next to Horse Shoe falls and all you see is mist. Paul and Ellie were on the top part of the boat, I stayed down on the lower deck to take pictures without ruining my camera. When they came down they were soaked from head to toe. So much for those lovely ponchos. Paul said that you could not open your eyes for very long up there the mist was so bad, and the wind was awful. Of course Ellie loved this part too. It was a very hot day so getting wet had it's benefits today. We are sad that we did not have enough time to go to the Canadian side. Some day we will come back.
We finished they day off with a very nice dinner at outback.
Tomorrow we head out very early for Mount Rushmore. It is 1500 miles from here to there, tomorrow will be a very long day, but the destination will be so worth it.
Until Mount Rushmore
Good night All
This has been one very busy day. We left the campground via a tour of the whole American side of the falls. Our first destination was Whirlpool Falls. What an amazing site, the water was the prettiest shade of green, the green you usaually only see out at sea. When we arrived here there was a TV station camera crew, we found out that two teenagers had snuck into the river up above this portion of the falls last night and were now missing. Why do kids do the things they do, they all think they are indistructable. I hope they are found soon.
After leaving this area we made our way to the Cave of the Winds, another amazing site. We were given these all so beautiful sandals, and yellow ponchos, of course the ponchos barely covered your fanny, so no matter what you knew you were in for a soaking. We took and elevator 175 feet down to the caves, then walking out on boadwalks and steps going up and down all over going right next to the falls. You could reach out and touch them they were so close. There was one area called Hurricane Deck, standing there it felt like you were in a hurricane, Ellie loved this area.
When we left the caves we wondered around the other portions of the falls, Horse Shoe Falls, Bridal Falls, and Luna Falls. This was the area we were at last night for the fireworks. Our last stop on the trip was to a boat ride called Maid of the Mist. We took another elevator down 270 feet to board the boat, first getting these lovely blue ponchos. These were longer then the yellow ones so of course we thought we were going to stay dry, yea right. The first part of the ride was nice, you could take great pictures of the falls and the breeze was nice, then all of sudden you are right next to Horse Shoe falls and all you see is mist. Paul and Ellie were on the top part of the boat, I stayed down on the lower deck to take pictures without ruining my camera. When they came down they were soaked from head to toe. So much for those lovely ponchos. Paul said that you could not open your eyes for very long up there the mist was so bad, and the wind was awful. Of course Ellie loved this part too. It was a very hot day so getting wet had it's benefits today. We are sad that we did not have enough time to go to the Canadian side. Some day we will come back.
We finished they day off with a very nice dinner at outback.
Tomorrow we head out very early for Mount Rushmore. It is 1500 miles from here to there, tomorrow will be a very long day, but the destination will be so worth it.
Until Mount Rushmore
Good night All
Sunday, June 26, 2011
End of First Day
Hi All
We have had a marvelous first day.
We just got back from the American side of the falls, we took a taxi there for dinner. The resturant we went to was not the one we were told it was, so no spinnig floor. That one is on the Canadian side, we will go there tomorrow.
We are also going on a 4 hour tour tomorrow which I am told entails getting very wet, that should be fun. I hope it's warm like today.
Our campground is small but nice, Ellie didn't waste any time jumping in the pool, she was hoping it would be heated, but it was not.
Good night everyone
More tomorrow from Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls
Hello Everyone
We have reached our fist destination Niagara Falls. We have set the camper up and are headed over to the falls for dinner at the Top of the Falls Resturant, suppose to be great views and the whole resturant spins, hopefully not too much.
I will write more when we get back tonight.
I hope everyone can access this.
We have reached our fist destination Niagara Falls. We have set the camper up and are headed over to the falls for dinner at the Top of the Falls Resturant, suppose to be great views and the whole resturant spins, hopefully not too much.
I will write more when we get back tonight.
I hope everyone can access this.
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