Black Hills No. 2

An eye of a needle on the Needles Highway.

Some people take their lawn chairs to a soccer game; these men took them to the top of a needle!!!

There are tunnels through the rock!  One lane of traffic!  Blow your horn before you go!

Even a tour bus can get through the tunnel - barely!

Custer State Park has many buffalo - families just walk down the road!

We crossed off another Monument.
Very narrow, 753 step hike through
one part of the cave.

We are now heading to Yellowstone National Park
with Chris and Shahela in their motor home!

Black Hills 2010

We arrived at Heartland Campground and within an hour, this arrived at our front door!

Behind our campground, there was a small haying operation.  Yes, we are in the heartland of America!

Lori had been to the dermatologist, Shahela had a terrible allergy so the need for sunglasses!!!

A tradition for Shahela and Chris:  head to the Hermosa Fairgrounds just before dark and set off ALL the fireworks in the box!!!

How many men does it take to light a firecracker???

McKayla and Britney invited Shahela to go to the Water Slides!!

This is Shahela's neighbor, McKayla and below is her sister, Britney.

We drove the Needles Highway through Custer State Park to Hill City. 

It was the first time we'd ever been on this magnificent road.

More on the Needles Highway and Custer State Park in the next blog.

Rafting down the Yellowstone River eight miles!

Two days later, Shahela, Chris and I went down 18 miles of the river, through Yankee Jim canyon, where hostages were stolen from each boat, the water gun was also stolen several times, and water fights abounded!!!

Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota

Pipestone quarries have been an important and sacred place to many American Indian people.  Pipes made from the soft red pipestone are used in ceremonial and spiritual practices of the American Indian.  Families own portions of the quarry; some are quarriers, some are pipemakers, some are both.  They work years to get down to the soft pipestone layer.

Axes and picks are just left for the family's next digging expedition!  There were pickers there but out of respect to them and this sacred place, no photos were taken.

Thank you for sharing your pipestone quarries with us.  It was a beautiful and amazing day for us!