Our first vacation to South Dakota & Nebraska - A 2,000-mile road trip through western Nebraska and South Dakota's Black Hills.

After a few hours on the road, the boys needed a break; so, we stopped at this "big choo choo train" in Torrington, Wyoming. This is CamBam.

Brody

Thomas the Train in Hill City, South Dakota brought even more excitement, as you can imagine!

Here's the entrance to Crazy Horse Memorial. Chief Crazy Horse was a Sioux (also called Lakota) Indian chief.

Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948. The Memorial's mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians. Here you can see people standing at chin level of the monument as we were there on the day of the volksmarch. This is the one time of the year that people can actually walk the 6-mile journey to the face of the memorial.

The huge sculpture of the Souix Indian leader, famous for orchestrating the demise of General George Custer at the battle of Little Bighorn, will be the largest in the world upon completion, 563 feet high and 641 feet long.

The boys are into motorcycles right now - they really wanted a picture in front of this Harley low-rider!

Hot Springs is in the Southern Black Hills and is home to many natural springs.

Hot Springs National Cemetery in Hot Springs, SD.

In 1902 a veterans care facility was constructed in the area (which is a beautiful facility), and the cemetery was established to inter veterans who died while residing there. It was transferred to the National Cemetery system in 1973. Hot Springs National Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota is the world’s largest mammoth research facility where you can tour an active paleontological dig site and view Ice Age fossils (26,000 years old) exhibited as they are uncovered.

Imagine a sudden collapse of a 60 foot deep karst sinkhole. Bubbling from the bottom, a warm spring percolates through the layers of limestone, now creating a large steep-sided pond.

Picture thirsty animals venturing down to the water below...then, after drinking, animals unable to gain a foothold to escape. The sinkhole was a deathtrap.

This is the sink hole...the dig site! The fossil bones of Columbian and Woolly mammoths are found scattered throughout the sinkhole.

See the rib cage, skull and tusks of this one?!

Cam and Brody listening to the tour guide

The bones are displayed as they were discovered, in the now dry pond sediments for an "in-situ" exhibit.

Walkways allow visitors a close-up view of the fossils. To date, 55 mammoths have been identified, along with the remains of a giant short-faced bear, camel, llama, prairie dog, wolf, fish, and numerous invertebrates.

This was astonishing to see in person - some of the best ice-age fossils in the world.

Anyone want to take a guess at what you're looking at? It's a mammoth jaw bone and its 2 molars (the size of a foot)!

A leg bone

The head of the African Elephant would sit BELOW the chin of the mammoth (pictured here)!

Replica of a Mammoth Bone Hut, used by clans of the ice age

Cam and Brody inside the Bone Hut - these are jaw bones with molors intact!

In the museum

At 142 miles, Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the world (1st is Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky). It is filled with calcite crystals and other wonders that make up the "jewels" of Jewel Cave National Monument.

In order to sign up for the spelunking, or caving, trip, one must fit through this concrete hole. I stopped at my chest (it wasn't even close)! You have to be skinny to qualify - Polliann barely fit through! The boys were about the right size to crawl through.

Inside Jewel Cave

Cam enjoying his time walking inside the cave

Mom and Brody

This is called popcorn and is all over the walls of the cave.

This was one of the coolest things we saw...it's called cave bacon...look closely up and down on the left of the picture and you will see why.

One of the world's longest and most complex caves and 28,295 acres of mixed-grass prairie, ponderosa pine forest, and associated wildlife are the main features of Wind Cave National Park.

Cam fearlessly jumping off the sign into my arms!

The cave is well known for its outstanding display of boxwork, an unusual cave formation composed of thin calcite fins resembling honeycombs.

The boys playing in some of the mixed-grass prairie. We drove through several National Grasslands on this trip and it looked like this (minus the trees) as far as the eye could see.

Origin of the name "Black Hills"

The "Natural Opening" to the cave is this small hole, which is how Wind Cave was discovered. Supposedly a man on horseback went to retrieve his hat, which had been sucked into the hole as he rode by.

Depending on the pressure outside the cave, wind is either sucked in or blown out. We felt both while we were standing here. As you can see by the leaf, the cave is sucking air in at this moment.

Csuter State Park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after General George Armstrong Custer.

We saw an incredible amount of wildlife here - comparable to (if not more so) than any National Park we've ever visited (including Yellowstone!).

We viewed these bison within yards of this sign.

This bison was right in front of us just observing

Here's a picture without zoom from where we were standing, just a few fet away!

South Dakota is the home of the prairie dog (at least it sure seemed that way!). Check out this cute little guy standing up near us.

This bison is losing his coat for the summer.

Another prairie dog (they really were everywhere, by the thousands)

These pronghorns were RIGHT IN FRONT of us!

Right outside of our window!

Climbing around in the BLACK Black Hills

Brody (left) and Cam holding bison hair

More pronghorns

We even saw wild turkey!

And this was the most interesting character with met...

...the infamous "begging burros" (they'll approach your car, begging for hand-outs)!

Brody was not so sure about this! Look just below the center of the picture and you will see a cheese cracker falling down.

The boys holding hands while they're sleeping...oh so sweet!

Signs, signs everywhere there's signs...Wall Drug signs. The signs are ALL OVER western South Dakota miles away from this place in order to draw people in. It worked and this place is an incredible tourist trap, pretty cool too!

That's my boy!

Here's the quick story: I think I finally saw how we can get all those travelers to come to our store." "And how's that?" I asked. "Well, now what is it that those travelers really want after driving across that hot prairie? They're thirsty. They want water. Ice cold water! Now we've got plenty of ice and water. Why don't we put up signs on the highway telling people to come here for free ice water? Listen, I even made up a few lines for the sign: "Get a soda . . . Get a root beer . . . turn next corner . . . Just as near . . . To Highway 16 & 14. . . Free Ice Water. . . Wall Drug."

A huge bunny with antlers...these things run wild here in South Dakota...okay j/k!

Of course, we had to get our cup of free, cold water!

The boys in a horse and carriage

Wanna take a guess as to what's in this hole?

Yep, it's a prairie dog...we took the boys to a place where they could feed the prairie dogs.

They loved it!

Us trying to lure them out!

We fed them unsalted peanuts. These were the most well-fed prairie dogs in the world!

They're some cute little critters.

Containing the world’s richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds, dating 37-28 million years old, the evolutionary stories of mammals such as the horse and rhinoceros arise from the 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires.

Amazing scenery

Me with Brody (left) and Cam

The family

Mom with Cam (left) and Brody

The boys enjoying a mini-cake snack outside our cabin

A view from our cabin inside the park

The boys chased bunny rabbits, which were everywhere.

Having fun!

The following pictures were taken at sunset. They are from some of most beautiful scenery we have ever laid our eyes on and some of the best pictures we have ever taken! Badlands often have spectacular colour displays that alternate from dark black/blue coal stria to bright clays to red scoria - here you will see it all!

I crept up on these mule deer to get this picture up close

The same mule deer

Here they are taking off...

...into the hills

The sun just about gone

The boys watching a movie in the cabin

Out...with a bag of Whales in his hand!

We awoke at 4:15 a.m. to see the sunrise.

The red glow was beautiful

The sun just about up

Hiking around in the hills. The sediments were VERY soft, making it difficult to hike deep into the hils.

We walked through this tunnel, but would not stand on top of it (fearful that it might cave in)!

Under the boys feet you can see the extremely dry ground cracking.

Brody takin' a break

The love of brothers!

This was a fossil trail, where fossils were enclosed in the areas where they were found.

Cam and me

Brody and me. Bison, bighorn sheep, endangered black-footed ferrets, and swift fox roam one of the largest, protected mixed-grass prairies in the United States. It's amazing to see this grassland sitting right beside the Badlands! It does not appear as if they could coexist.

What? A picture without the kids?!

We saw these green islands out in the middle of the hills and I was determined to get onto one of them. Do you see me?

Yes, I had to go down the canyon areas and climb around the loose sediment to get to it, but it was so cool to be standing on grass out in the middle of what appears to be otherwise lifeless land!

Check out these cool colors in the hills.

"Beware Rattlesnake" signs were everywhere. Fortunately we did not run into one.

More cool scenery

This picture was taken in the scenic Spearfish Canyon in the Northern Black Hills. It was a very cold day!

Mom with Brody (left) and Cam

Spearfish Canyon was formed 30 to 60 million years ago.

Belle Fourche, SD is the geographic center of the U.S.

Here is the huge marker

A close-up shot

The NOAA marker

Deadwood, SD - A must see for the wild-west lover and a fan of the HBO series "Deadwood."

Where Western Legends Were Born!

The entire city of Deadwood is a national historic landmark. Authentic re-creation of turn-of-the-century street lamps light the way through accurately, carefully restored architecture.

In August 1876, Bullock and his business partner Star opened a hardware store in Deadwood. The two purchased a lot and set up shop there as the "Office of Star and Bullock, Auctioneers and Commission Merchants," first in a tent and then a building. Later, Bullock built this hotel in its stead.

Deadwood attracted western characters, both good and bad, such as Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. This is site of the fomer Historic Saloon #10 where Wild Bill Hickok was shot while playing poker, holding what later came to be called the "Deadman's Hand," aces and eights.

Here is the recreated scene in the spot where it happened.

The "Deadman's Hand"

Wild Bill Hickock with the boys just before we watched a live recreation of the scene (this guy played a real character on HBO's Deadwood series!)

After Wild Bill was shot during the recreation

One of the best examples of a "Wild West Town" we've ever seen.

If you're a HBO "Deadwood" fan, you're familiar with "The Gem Saloon," although this is not its original location.

Our little cowboys

Brody and Cam getting deputized in the streets of Deadwood

Polliann in front of the Sturgis, SD Harley Davidson. Sturgis is home to one of the largest annual motorcycle events in the world, which is held annually on the first full week of August. About 500,000 ( in recent years) motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world flock to this usually sleepy town during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

The boys and me in downtown Rapid City, which has presidential statues lining its street corners.

A fun excursion for the boys, we visited Old MacDonald's Petting Farm just outside of Rapid City.

Brody feeding a goat

Cam holding a duck, which he chased and picked up fearlessly!

Same with the chickens; he grabbed them with no fear! I was much more nervous!

Brody with a chick

Billy goats walking a suspended bridge

Cam petting, and trying to pick up, a goat

Doing tricks for food!

Cam ran over to this and stuck his head in on his own!

They took a tractor ride. This is Cam...

...here's Brody.

They loved feeding the big fish.

Brody on a pony ride...

...here's Cam.

Cam in the middle if some sheep with a big smile on his face!

Cam wanted to "take a ride!"

The Black Hills are LOADED with beauty and entertainment. "Why are you going to South Dakota?" We heard that question a few times! The Black Hills are an oasis of pine-clad mountains on the Great Plains. The mountains and forests of the Black Hills include a treasury of six national parks, 101 miles of National Scenic Byways, waterfalls, viewable wildlife, recreational trails, trout fishing , Old West landmarks like Deadwood and Wounded Knee, and much , much more!

This is the town of Keystone, a town which exists only because of its proximity to Mt. Rushmore.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is host to almost three million visitors a year from across the country and around the world.

Mt. Rushmore is an example of what incredible things people can accomplish when they dream big. Over the decades, Mount Rushmore has grown in fame as a symbol of America. It took 14 years to build. Look below the faces - you can see all the granite that was blown away from the mountain to construct the monument. Thse flags are of all the states of the Union.

From left to right, the memorial features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln

The erosion rate is only 1 inch every 10,000 years.

The monument was named after Charles E. Rushmore, a New York City Attorney, who was out here in 1885 on business.

No one died working on the monument.

Cool factoid: There is a cave in the mountain behind the heads on Mount Rushmore called the Hall of Records. Gutzon Borglum and his workers started the drilling in July of 1938 and work was halted in July of 1939. Its purpose was to store important information about Western Civilization!

We met an original Mt. Rushmore worker, Nick Clifford, who was a winchman and driller from 1938-1940! He worked mainly on the carving of Abe Lincoln.

Back through Custer State Park to drive through the Needles Highway.

The Needles Highway is a 14-mile drive through granite outcroppings.

Messing around in the granite rocks

Why did we take a picture of the date you ask?

Because it was FREEZING outside in June and we weren't in Alaska!

The road included some of the coolest tunnels we've ever driven through. As you can see, they were TINY! There were several of these along the way. You had to honk before you enteted to let drivers on the other side know you were coming through!

Brody and me

Check out that little tunnel hole carved into the granite!

The Cathedral Spires (Cam left)

Mountain goats

Very close to us

The State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where we stayed. Just outside were bison!

Doodle Pad heads...they look like TV heads, don't they?!

The other Doodle Pad head

The first Arbor Day took place on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. It was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton (1832-1902), a Nebraska journalist and politician originally from Michigan.

Cam and me

During the 1890s, scientists rediscovered what the Lakota Sioux already knew - bones preserved in one of the most complete Miocene mammal sites in the world. The fossils are NOT in agate, agate is just in the local area, hence the name.

Brody (left) and Cam playin' around in the museum.

Some of the fossils in the museum

I'm not sure who has more fun doing this, the boys or me?!

Walking around one of the fossil trails

A Daemonelix

The same Daemonelix shown in the surrounding sediment

Look on the back of the Nebraska quarter - you'll see Chimney Rock! Chimney Rock has become one of the most famous landmarks in the American West. This unique formation--the most noted on the Oregon Trail--has come to symbolize the greatest voluntary migration in the history of mankind.

Nearly half a million westbound emigrants and other travelers saw Chimney Rock. Many remain nameless; a few left words and pictures describing their trip west. All were part of a great movement of people and ideas that passed by Chimney Rock in the years 1812-1866.

Inside the museum, the boys filled a wagon with goods used by emigrants to survive the Oregon Trail.

Here they are (Cam left) loading a barrel of water.

Brody with a bag of sugar

Here's a list of what the pioneers carried inside the wagon - people did not generally ride - they actually WALKED outside the wagons!

In this display oxen are pulling a wagon (Cam left)

This unique formation - the most noted and recognized landmark on the Oregon Trail - has come to symbolize the greatest voluntary migration in the history of mankind.

Check out the size of that dandelion...a child's dream!

The boys blowing it!

This is as close as we were allowed to get. The spire has lost about 30 feet in the past 150 years. It currently measures 325 feet from tip to base, with the spire measuring 120 feet, according to the Nebraska State Historical Society.

This is Chimney Rock Cemetery. The writing above reads, "During the westward migration through this pass many died as they looked for a better life."

Lots of road miles and still smilin'!

Road warrior #2!

Towering eight hundred feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has been a natural landmark for many peoples, and it served as the path marker for those on the Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express Trails.

A covered wagon just like ones used by the pioneers positioned in the area and direction that the pioneers traveled

Cam and Mom

The Oregon Trail passed through here!

If you look at the road that runs horizontally, below the horizon in the photo, (and move to to right until you hit the bluff), you will see Mitchell Pass, a gap in the bluffs flanked by two large cliffs. After it was discovered, this was the pass that was used by pioneers (rather than them going around the bluff). This saved them 8 miles, or one full day, of travel.

Brody not happy about the preceding water fight!

The cities of Gering and Scottsbluff below

The view of the city of Scottsbluff from the top of Scotts Bluff

One of our little cowboys enjoying the ride home

Long road trips breed creativity. Here Brody has removed the label from the plastic water bottle and placed it on his water bottle!

After 2,000 miles and 10 days, they became little artists as well. Here is the winner of the "Best Overall Drawing" won by Cam. Can you guess what it is? It's a mouse complete with a body, eyes, eyebrows, ears, feet and a tail. Not bad for a 3-year-old, eh?!