Summer Trip - 2010 - Part 4

We went to Crazy Horse Monument which is only about 2 hours from Rapid City, South Dakota.
No government money accepted. This is a private enterprise sponsored by the Indians and start in 1948. Korczak Ziolkowski who also worked on Mount Rushmore was asked to start work on the Monument. Later he met and married Ruth. They had nine children who all helped on the monument. After Korczak died, the monument is still being built by a number of the children.
This statue is a minature of what the monument plans to looklike. Crazy Horse is a lot larger than Mt. Rushmore with full size Amber, Emma and Wilma
I think the head of Crazy Horse is about the size of Mt. Rushmore.

Here is a marked up version of how it is suppose to turn out.

We also went to the Badlands where Emma is posing.

Amber and Emma in the Badlands.

Amber is sworn in as a jr. ranger for Badlands National Park.

We drove through Wind Cave National Monument, but it was so crowded that we decided to just look for wildlife. Our first Buffalo sighting. We actually learned that Buffalo is not the correct name - no buffalo in United States, they are Bison.

Prairie Dos - Millions of them.

Bison heard.

Wild Doneys.

We also visited a Minuteman Missle Site east of Rapid City, SD just north of the Badlands.

We went in groups - only 6 people at a time allowed into the site. Wink taking this picture of the Ranger, two people in our group and Emma, Amber and Wilma.

The blast door is 3 feet thick and is decorated by the airmen who worked on the site.
Just 4 miles away is the action Missle site preserved for mankind to know what the cold war was about. The girls earned another Jr. Ranger Badge at the Minuteman Missle Site.
We also went to Wall Drug where Emma was our action model.

Emma riding a Bucking Bronco. She was great, never fell off.

Emma enjoys a snuggle of a Bison.

Wink, Emma and Amber pet the mechanical Bison. Wall Drug was too commerical for us.

Summer Trip - 2010 - Part 3

We arrived at our friends Pat and Pat who live in Kansas City, Missouri on Lake Lotawana late in the afternoon on Friday, July 2nd.

Amber took a photo of us having dinner at their home. From left: Emma, Ms. Pat, Mr. Pat, Wink and Wilma.

Wink and Amber getting the luggage from the car.

We took a dip in the lake in the afternoon. Emma was being a motor for Wilma, pushing her around from pier to pier.

On the 4th of July, Grandma Wilma demonstrated water-skiing for Amber and Emma. Both girls tried, but Emma was able to ski for a short while. The fireworks for Lake Lotawanna was right in front of The Pats home. We had a great time.

Thank you, Pat & Pat for a great Independence Day Weekend.

From Kansas City, MO we head toward Sioux City, Iowa. We have plans for staying at the Stoney Creek Inn. Here is a photo of the lobby. It was a fantastic visit. Our youngest granddaughter - Emma loved the western motif and we all loved the rest of the amenities.

We had an extremely large suite with a King Size Bed (for Grandma and Grandpa) and a Queen Size Pull out Sofa Bed (for Amber and Emma). The suite came with a kitchenette, eating bar, fireplace, in room Jacuzzi, large TV, and all the stuffed (real animals) you can think of. We also enjoyed the pool which was both indoor and outdoor combination. A coy pond and large property. Amber and Emma pose at the bar. Grandma went to the grocery store and came back with Chicken Pot Pies for dinner.

On our way from Sioux City, Iowas to Rapid City, South Dakota - we stopped at the 1880 Town to stretch our legs. Amber and Emma posed for their picture on an old swing. On our way into Rapid City, we drove through part of the Badlands. It was beautiful and pictures are available shortly. We stayed in Rapid City at the Ameri-Inn (it was awful and that's the nicest thing I can say about it.)

We went to Mt. Rushmore National Park where Amber and Emma started a great adventure in the Junior Ranger Program earning their first Jr. Ranger Badge.