Following the wind

We celebrated New Years Eve in Denver, Colorado with firework and a few beers.

Afterwards we followed a recommendation of the friendly Park Ranger Doc. We wanted to find out about the Wind Cave in South Dakota so we organized a trip and were really surprised.

Having seen so many different caves during our world trip this was different. The cave system is on three levels and 212 km (132 miles) are mapped. The gusty wind at the entrance gives the caves its name. Really special were the boxwork calcite formations (60 – 100 million years old) and the popcorn, which reminded us on corals.

Afterwards we drove through the Custer Park and where fascinated with the big bison herds in the middle of the street. It was just fantastic to be so close to those great animals. Since the 1970s they have several projects for the bison so the number increased a lot.

Following a scenic route on a windy road we came to Mount Rushmore and the carved presidents looked pretty impressive. Driving through Spearfish Canyon, a mind blowing landscape, we found a beautiful campground on the Sheridan Lake.

The next morning before we continued our trip, we watched the ice fishers digging holes and waiting on the ice for an early morning catch. This wouldn’t be a hobby for me so let’s get back in the warm truck and move on.