Roadschooling - days 3-5

We are finishing up our 3rd day in the Black Hills, so even though I know Blogger will let me change the date on a post and I could do all 3 days separately, I'm going to write them all together since this is the first time I've had internet access since my last post. (All the campground manager had to do was reboot the DHCP server; I wish he would have tried that Saturday night.)

Day 3
Our morning in Scott's Bluff, Nebraska was rainy. We enjoyed the visitor's center at the National Monument, however the view from the top was practically nonexistent. Now we know what it's like to be inside a cloud (just like fog on the ground, really).

Both AAA and our GPS recommended going through Wyoming to get to Custer, SD, so we took that route. I drove that leg, and activities in the back of the RV included reading about the Pony Express, playing a game about the Pony Express with Daddy, and DS1 doing his new 100 piece (2-sided) jigsaw puzzle. We missed the last tour inside Jewel Cave, but the guys walked the Roof Trail in the drizzle anyway. I stayed inside and looked at the exhibits. DS1 recognized that the blackened tree trunks on the ground meant that there had been a fire. The Jasper Fire was in 2000, and the damage was still very evident. We discussed wild fires and "prescribed burns", one of which likely saved the Jewel Cave National Monument Visitor's Center.

The day ended by finding our campground, a campsite, and the playground. It was very muddy, but they boys had a great time anyway (of course)!

Day 4
Using a rental car, we were able to drive Needles Highway to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. In Custer State Park we saw a herd of big horn sheep. Admission to Mt. Rushmore is free, however you have to pay to park in the garage. We saw a "remote parking" area on a map, however I didn't see any signage on how to get there as we arrived, and I don't know whether it is free or for a fee also. First we had lunch at the cafeteria, then we took the Presidential Trail which goes quite close to the base of the mountain. We left without spending time in the gift shop, due to thinking that the Crazy Horse Memorial would be closing early. It was open until 7, but it probably was a good thing to avoid a gift shop. At Crazy Horse we took a van ride to the base of the mountain and learned a little bit more about how it is being constructed. DH and I were there in 1995. At that time Crazy Horse's face was not complete. The guide said that in 5 years (or so) the general shape of the horse's head would be recognizable. DS2 seemed most excited by Crazy Horse and DS1 really liked Mt. Rushmore. It's really great to see them excited about seeing these places in person after having watched videos and read about them at home!

Day 5
Once again we missed the time for our planned cave tour. The trouble with computers, and in this particular case, a GPS, is that they only do exactly what you tell them to do. We put in "Wind Cave National Park" as our destination this morning, and that's where it took us. However, what we really wanted was the south entrance/visitor's center. So we took the scenic route, which turned about to be great for seeing wildlife, but it got us there past the first tour start time. So in exchange for seeing marmot, wild turkey, deer, bison, pronghorn, and prairie dogs, we got to change the order of the day's adventures.

After buying our Wind Cave tour tickets, we headed to Hot Springs and visited The Mammoth Site. I had packed food for a picnic lunch, but since I forgot the bread we opted for lunch at a local burger joint instead. Next we went to Evans Plunge, the world's largest indoor pool filled by natural warm springs. The springs were originally used by the Lakota Souix, then the pool was built over the springs in 1890 by Fred Evans. It was an expensive hour of swimming, but we only had to share the entire place with 2 other family groups. Ahh, the joys of "vacationing" when most people under 18 are in school! DS2 and I went down the water slide together. Even with a life jacket and practicing "going under", we both still came up coughing and sputtering. It didn't help that we started to lose our mat near the end, so I was more concerned with helping him back to the surface quickly than with keeping water out of my nose and mouth. DH got him up and out before he went down a 2nd time, but it was still more than he liked and he cried for a while. Ever resilient, he was ready to play and go down the kiddie slide just a few minutes later. Finally we returned to Wind Cave for the Garden of Eden tour. DS2 was particularly fidgety during the standing/listening/waiting part of the tour. Our guide let both boys lead the way a couple of times, and he also let them turn on/off the lights when we were in one of the rooms.

Dinner was back "at home" in the RV, then School House Rock DVD, and the last Milly-Molly-Mandy story for bedtime. Tomorrow we break camp and head south.