Devils Tower, Deadwood and Mt. Rushmore

We spent the morning visiting Devils Tower a little closer up :)  I didn't walk all the way around but the boys did.  It is a very interesting place.  Didn't see anyone climbing today though. 

After the tower we headed towards Mt. Rushmore with a stop for lunch in Deadwood.  Mustang Sally's was pretty good and the boys got fabulous looking milkshakes.  We didn't spend very much time there. 

After lunch we headed to Mt. Rushmore.  The boys were coerced into doing the Junior Ranger program again since they are much older than the last time we were here.  The older kid book was way more in-depth.  They had to write something about the monument to earn a badge.  David sat and composed poems with them.

We stayed at a very cool little hotel.  There was a fireplace in the bedroom area! 

Long day of driving.....

Today was mostly driving.  But along the way we saw signs for Little Bighorn National Monument so we stopped and the boys got junior ranger badges.  I don't think we gave this park a good visit so we will study this more once we are home. 

We ended up in Huette WY.  Very close to Devils Tower.  We saw it from a distance tonight as the sun was going down and will see it up closer again tomorrow.  We have already visited here a couple of years ago but it was so awesome that we wanted to go back! 

The little town of Huette looked interesting but being Labor Day and we got in late we couldn't even find anywhere to eat or buy food.  Luckily we keep our cooler stocked!  The buildings looked like something out of the old west.  I really wish we could have explored it a little.  It has been nice this trip to be able to send the boys to the pool by themselves. 

 

Yellowstone

We got to Yellowstone Friday around late morning.  We came in from Gardiner in the North.  WE saw the original stone entrance but they are redoing the roads and it will not go under the arch anymore.   We got to the hotel about 5 and I went to check in.  When I gave them my name the lady said..."oh, you have a package."  It seems that David and our neighbor Kelley conspired to get me my favorite pie from Missy's that I thought they didn't make anymore!!!  It was very tasty!!!  David use to make me a version of this pie (oatmeal choc. chip) for my birthday every year.  Our first big trip he was very worried about me not getting that pie.  So he secretly contacted a bakery in West Yellowstone and had them make it using his recipe!  I thought he was joking around this time when he started talking about it! 

The crowds on Friday weren't to bad but Saturday and Sunday it was soooo crowded.  We didn't get to see very much because it was taking forever to get anywhere and there were long lines even at the port o potties :(  I love being there on my birthday because Yellowstone usually makes me so happy but I will never book us there on a holiday again!!! 

We did see Old Faithful and a couple of smaller hot springs and things we hadn't seen before.  And LOTS of Buffalo. 

The hotel room was pretty cool.  We stayed at Three Bear Lodge again.    Since it was a holiday all the normal rooms were booked up so we had to get the upgraded room.  It was very nice! 

 

Montana Grizzly Encounter.

We stopped to see Brutus the bear while heading toward Yellowstone.  Last time we were here we missed seeing Brutus.  We did see the baby Lucy last time.  She died a few months after we visited.  They have a new orphan baby named Bella.  We got to see her and Brutus this time.  Bella is full of energy!  I took lots of pictures :)  The same guy we talked to last time was there again.  They have added a new gift shop and now have goats....they are NOT bear food ;) 

       Bella Grace (Grace because when she was very little she fell down and ran into things a lot :)

                                                                       Posing with Bill!!!