Mount Rushmore

After rain on the first two nights that we made it to Custer, we finally got to do more then drive past Mount Rushmore. As we pulled into the parking lot, the lightning start and we got a few drops which prompted the comment from Laura "this place hates us..." We made it though and it didn't downpour on us! We were able to go for the night ceremonies which were very cool and we also had some guests meet up with us! Luke was out visiting his mom and her husband so they made the trek over to see us, oh, and Mount Rushmore! :)

Wrinkled Rock

Wrinkled Rock was an area right next to Mount Rushmore that we decided to stop at after Bear Country... It was a great place for the kids to run, play, climb rocks and have fun while Reg did his thing grilling up some hot dogs for supper! It also gave some of the boys a chance to practice cutting sticks with their new pocket knives that they got at Bear Country! Laura took the older kids on the higher paths while I took Zoe and Braxton to climb around on the safer paths... They had a great time - Laura and I honestly believe that we all had more fun at the free, spur of the moment things that we did then the other things we had planned.

Bear Country USA

One of the favorite stops on the tour was Bear Country. It was amazing how close the animals got and that they just wander across the road even with the trail of cars coming. Braxton was absolutely fascinated and freaking out the whole time. My neck got a little sore from him grabbing my head to show me the different animals and we were all giggling about his "ober dere, ober dere" that he was constantly shouting as we drove through. He was slightly excited! Seriously, what am I talking about... Josh locked the windows so that the kids wouldn't roll them down during the drive through and I kept trying to get him to unlock them so that I could get a "better" picture! It was way cool! The drive was only part of it though and we got to get in on face painting, free tattoos and of course the gift shop... 2 out of my 3 boys are now proud owners of Bear Country USA pocket knives - yikes! It was a little spendy but definitely worth the trip!