It was their first long multi-state road trip ever. Why, do I live on an island or something? Why yes, in Hawaii. So, you can understand the enthusiam (and some trepidation). Our flight was from Honolulu to Spokane, Washington. The ultimate goal would be my parents' home in Lincoln, Nebraska. We followed I-90 all the way to Lincoln and back, visiting five National Parks.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Momument was the first of five national parks. The park wasn't a typical battlefield full of statues and cannons, but our Ranger-Led Walk really helped set the stage. I had remembered reading about Custer as either a hero holding off hordes of savages or as villain attacking Indians who just wanted to keep their land. The truth, I learned through the battlefield visit and a book I bought there, lay somewhere in the middle. I was surprised how balanced the presentation was.
Custer wasn't just some headstrong soldier who rashly charged the encampment. Okay, maybe he was. But he wasn't totally recklessly searching for glory. His tactics were trying to duplicate an earlier successful Battle of Was-hi-ta, where he attacked before the Indians had a chance to scatter.
The problem was the village was much much larger than anyone anticipated, especially after Custer has split his forces. A tragic refrain in military history is trying to re-fight your last battle.
A fascinating tidbit on the Indian side: the ranger's Crow ancestors served as scouts for Custer. Were they considered traitors? NO! The Sioux and Crow were bitter enemies and the Sioux took Crow land. The Crow aligned themselves with the US in the hopes of getting their land back. Did it work? Absolutely! The land surrounding the battlefield is still a Crow reservation! History isn't always so black and white.
Anya and Grant earned their first of five Junior Ranger badges.
I see two Grants:
National Park #2 was
Mount Rushmore National Memorial. I had originally thought there wouldn't be much here. After all, there wasn't much more than a mountain with four faces, right? But, WOW, that mountain was impressive! Pictures can't really do it justice.
The obligatory picture of the kids in front of Mt Rushmore. It wasn't the first time I wish I brought a larger lens. But my wife's zoom seemed to capture the telephoto effect of bringing the mountain closer.
We took the Presidential Trail, which went right under the heads.
The're good ole' George. The original plan was to have them fully standing against the mountain, but only Geoge's coat made the cut.
I always wondered why Theodore Roosevelt was on Mt Rushmore. The other three seemed very obvious. "Panama Canal, Trust Buster and National Parks" says the NPS.
One of the guides I read advised us to skip this trail "unless you like looking up the presidents' noses". Then I thought my kids' sense of humor. Oh yeah, we're doing this!
We went to the Visitors Center, which had a neat museum. Their favorite was pressing the plunger to watch different explosions. Hard to believe with all the people working on it with 1930's methods, there were no fatalities.
They both completed their Junior Ranger books, to get badge #2. I like how Anya drew the mustache on Teddy.
And here are the future plans for Mt Rushmore.
Continuing on I-90, we came to the
Badlands National Park. So called, because the land was bad for farming and travelling across. But not bad for the camera.
Our first stop was the Big Badlands Overlook. It kind of jumps on you. You're driving through flat farmland, pass the Entrance, and BAM! There are the Badlands.
Wind and rain eroded these sedimentary formations around 500,000 years ago. The erosion continues and they may be gone in another 500,000 years. Good thing we caught them before it's too late.
It was very very hot, but that didn't prevent the little ones from exploring. Here we're on the Door Trail, which makes a "door" into the Badlands.
Being good and orderly children, they stayed on the boardwalk. HEY! Where'd they go?
The adults stayed on the boardwalk, the kids went out to explore this alien landscape.
They had numbered markers for the trail. Looks like Grant found marker #4.
Go-Go Junior Ranger. Badge #3 earned.
It was hot. I'm sure we can find somewhere nearby with Free Ice Water. Any suggestions? :?
On the way back from Nebraska, we visited
Devils Tower National Monument
Over 1200 feet tall, it sure stands out like a sore thumb in eastern Wyoming.
We had the kids do some initial research on Devils Tower by watching a movie. Everyone now: "Re, Mi, Do, Do, So!"
Devils Tower was an igneous lava intrusion, the softer sedimentary land eroded around it, exposing the tower. I like the Indian version better:
The kids enjoyed watching the prairie dogs pop up from their holes.
Okay, we saw the tower, now what? Get those Junior Ranger books and go on a hike! We followed the Tower Trail, which circumnavigated the tower.
Playing among the scree, the columns that fell off the tower.
The Nazgul are active
There was more to see than the single tower, with great views of the Belle Fourche valley. We call this the heart attack cliff, as Mommy thought they were standing on the edge.
Their grandmother made vests for their five Junior Ranger badges (including Yellowstone above).
Linear Mode
