It feels like we’ve been sitting in the car for the last week, so today we looked forward to a chance to stretch our legs on a hike. We headed to nearby Custer State Park, and wound our way along the twisty Needles Highway, so named for the tall, spiky rock formations that spring up along the way. We hiked the Cathedral Spires trail, about three miles round-trip, which was about all the kids could manage. (It’s been a series of late nights for them to this point, and they are pretty pooped already.)
From there, we look the Wildlife Loop, an 18-mile drive that lead us straight into a bison jam. It was gridlock for a while as several brazen and slightly standoffish bison casually loitered in the middle of the road. One even developed an intimate relationship with the hood of our car, and we have the slobber marks to prove it. (He kindly spared the finish by being gentle with his horns.)
Moving on, we found a pack of wild burros. The kids got out of the car and fed apples to a few of them, while others swarmed nearby cars and stuck their heads all the way in through the windows, boldly nosing around for treats. (Um, that would be other burros, not other kids.)
Funny story: After leaving the state park, we drove through the town of Custer and happened to pass Keith's brother, Tom, his wife, Jill, and their family in their motor home, going the other way. They are headed back to Indiana from Steamboat Springs, Colo. We knew that they might be in this area right about now and had been keeping our eyes out for them. But at the same time, this is a vast region, with a handful of towns tied up in a tangle of roads and highways, and so we had felt like we had a pretty slim chance of actually seeing them.
For dinner, we headed into Hill City. Some folks we met at the Ingalls Homestead recommended that we eat at the Alpine Inn, but suggested that we arrive early, as the place gets mobbed. Apparently, arriving at 5:15 was not early enough: We were seated at 6:30, and finally got our food 45 minutes after that. It must be the simplicity of the place that keeps the crowds coming. There are only two things on the menu: a 6-oz filet and a 9-oz filet. And hot dogs or Sloppy Joes for the kids. That’s it. Keith and I agreed that our steaks were okay. But probably not worth the 2-hour wait.
Back at the campsite, Keith and I were ditched by our children, who had been invited to watch a movie at the playground with friends from a neighboring site. When I checked in on them later, I found about ten kids huddled up on a blanket next to a bonfire, watching “Fred Claus” on a laptop computer.
The laptop belongs to a couple named B.J. and Missy, who were sitting there at the fire. Their kids, Emmett and Ava, were part of the gaggle watching the film. I spent some time chatting with them and was amazed to hear their family’s story: They are wrapping up Week Five of a six-week cross-country adventure that has taken them from Cincinnati to San Francisco, up the coast to Washington, then to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. From here, they will head to Minneapolis, then Wisconsin Dells, then home to Ohio. Along the way, they are visiting as many national parks, historic sites and monuments and as they can; both B.J. and Missy are elementary school teachers, and because they teach their students about U.S. geography and history, they felt compelled to really get to know it personally. We had fun comparing notes about our travels, and we certainly wish them Godspeed; they will continue on their journey tomorrow morning.
No comments:
Post a Comment