We are so glad that we chose to come to South Dakota! It has already been a very rewarding adventure.
Today started with just enough of a rain shower early to produce a rainbow right over “our” lake. We had a quick drive to Wind Cave National Park, best known for a huge cave system as well as wildlife.So much for seeing the cave system today. We did appreciate it from a map and it is massive. It’s a bummer that we didn’t get to enjoy this primary attraction!We did however, enjoy a couple of trails. The first was a prairie trail near the visitor center, complete with a few kinds of cacti. They only get around 18 inches of precipitation per year.Checking out the accommodations outside of the (closed) visitor centerThe wildlife was amazing… we saw lots of bison, and even a couple of coyote. But these are the friends that we really came to see…We had loved the Prairie Dogs in Theodore Roosevelt National Park last year, and this park is quite similar to it. These friends were everywhere! This completely made my day, this week, and definitely this part of the trip. I know that they are rodents, but they are so cute and entertaining to watch and listen to.
It was Daisy’s first exposure to these great creatures. She clearly was enchanted as we are. I love this video!!Our second trail was the Rankin Ridge trail, which climbs to this highest point in the park.We had incredible views of the Buffalo Gap and Badlands National Park (which we will be visiting in a few days)
In true Stoffiere style, we were done visiting the park around noon. It was purposeful, so that Rick could enjoy the private lake that we are staying on.
I had a great view of the fisherman in action… or in this case, waiting for the fish.Daisy and I paid him a visit every so often when I took a break from stitching. It was a gorgeous afternoon for us to enjoy being outside (and more importantly, not driving)First catch! BassSecond catch, deemed the biggest bluegill he has ever caughtLast catch, bass.
At this point, I lost sight of my favorite fisherman since an old, weary, and unhappy couple pulled into the spot between us and the lake. Let’s just say it killed my vibe listening to him yell at her. We don’t ever want to be that couple, nor do I think that we ever will be. Life is too short, people. If you aren’t having fun doing it, then find something else to do.
Tonight, South Dakota is getting a cold front and over a half inch of rain, or nearly 3% of its annual rainfall. What a great time for a bottle of red wine and a lovely pesto pasta dinner. After all, I haven’t had red wine since Napa 🙂 We look forward to clear skies in the am for our next adventures!
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