planning Minden trip

[catrinka]

Since its still winter here and we can't work on the trailer yet, I've spent the day planning the trip to Minden. Because of the way Bob's days off fall, we'll be making the trip down in 2 days. They are going to be very long days, total of 1800 miles. But once we are down there, we will have two weeks before we have to be home again. So...we are going to wander around South Dakota and Wyoming. Any suggestions for places that we shouldn't miss? I've been down to Yellowstone and the Black Hills before, Bob has never been down there. Looking forward to meeting everyone at Minden.

[Guest]

Mt. Rushmore.

[catrinka]

Got that on the list.

Thanks Dean

I've also got Crazy Horse, Wall Drug, Deadwood, Spearfish Passion Play, Devils Tower, Thermopolis and Yelowstone.

[Guest]

If you stop in Rapid City, you coud look up my oldest brother and give 'em a swift kick in the ass for me!

[catrinka]

I could.....but that's not really my style

[Guest]

Alright.... I guess that wouldn't be very nice.
It's been... A long long time since I was there, but somewhere near Rapid City there was a pretty cool reptile garden. It had a rimmed restuarant at the messine level and the tables were like dry aqauriums with live rattle snakes inside the table.

[catrinka]

Not sure if I could eat at a table that had a snake inside it.

[Guest]

Well...They also had a chicken that would peck a song on a piano for you.

(OK, Strike Three...I'm Out)

[catrinka]

Now that is funny

[Guest]

(The song was, "Mary Had A Little Lamb")

[Guest]

Found it.
http://www.reptile-gardens.com

The Sky Dome is where the the restaurant and the chicken were, (In the upper ringed messine area)
http://www.reptile-gardens.com/main%20page/skydome.html

Looks like the place is still in operation.

[catrinka]

Is this a friend of yours?
http://www.reptile-gardens.com/reptile/komodos.html



Sorry if it seems I'm picking on you, Bob has been up north for 4 weeks now, I'm going a little crazy here

[Guest]

Nope,
But... I sometimes feel like he looks before my first cup of coffee in the morning.

I hope Bob gets back soon for you.

[JunkMan]

What kind of things do you like to do, Hike, Museums, Art, caves? We have a great variety of activities in the Black Hills. Let me know what you like to do, and I can give you some specifics.

Custer State Park is nice. The wildlife loop is fun, you usually see buffalo, deer, turkeys, sometimes bighorn sheep, and others. There is some great hiking around Sylvan Lake and the Needles. Trails go from an easy one mile trail around Sylvan lake to a 3-4 mile hike to Harney Peak, the highest peak in South Dakota, as well as several others.

[catrinka]

Probably mostly sightsee. Some easy hikes would be okay. Might try to get in a game of golf somewhere along the way. I've been into the touristy websites for South Dakota and got most of that info. I just wondered if there were some other sites to see that wouldn't be on the websites.

I'm thinking that we could camp by Hill City somewhere for a couple of days and see that area and then move over by Deadwood-Spearfish area and explore that area.