Devil's Tower

We left Rapid City in the rain. So far the only rainy days we've had have been travel days. Which is a good thing. It's a lot better than wasting sightseeing days in the rain.

Devil's Tower is our first dry camping experience except for WalMart parking lots. WalMart is free. Devil's Tower is $12. but only six with my  National Parks geezer pass.

Best $6.00 we've spent so far.

Best description.

The trail around the tower is described as, "a steep ascent for the first 150'. Then an up and down hike around the base of the tower."

We did the "steep ascent" three times. The first two, as soon as we hit the top of the incline it started to rain. So we went back to the visitor's center. The third time we decided to walk in the light rain.


So we got to see different sides in totally different weather.

Overcast.

Partly cloudy.

 

 And beautiful blue skies. When Carol took this picture, we were standing in the rain.

 

It is a very popular climbing site.

This has been a sacred site for hundreds of years. So prayer scarves tied to trees seems entirely appropriate. We'd need much more than this before we tried climbing the tower.

 

 We sat on a bench and took a moment to thank God for all our incredible Blessings, to pray for the safety and well being of our families and in special appreciation for all the wonders of nature we had already seen and hoped to see.

A few minutes later, a truly, "I know this was You, God" moment.

Carol said, "Oh look. A deer. Oh my, she has one ---- no TWO fawns." Then she got this picture of them nursing.

It really does just get better and better.

Near the campground was a sculpture depicting smoke from a peace pipe. The Lakota's story of Devil's Tower says this is the place where a Spirit gave them the sacred peace pipe.

 WOW. Who woulda thunk it. A campground with NO services, but they have WIFI !!

 AH, no.

They have an outdoor amphitheater.

I'm sure there have been times when I felt more stupid. But I can't recall one.




 Mountain Bluebirds ?

 Prairie dogs everywhere.

 And they aren't afraid of people.

Even a bunny rabbit.

 Some of you know, Carol's "art" for her Honey Bears class consisted mostly of painting their hands and feet and making prints. Somebody did it for a lion cub.

We had hooked up in the rain in Rapid City, driven through rain most of the way to Devil's Tower. Then we got set up at Devil's Tower and hiked around it. It made for a long day and we were in bed before dark. I told Carol when I woke up in the middle of the night, if it was clear that I would wake her for her very first view of a sky with no light pollution. She grumbled. At 2:00 AM I woke her and said, "Please just come look out the window. If you still want to stay in bed, I won't argue.  She dragged herself to the door, took one look up and went to get dressed. So many firsts for her on this trip. Add, "She saw the Milky way" to the list. Poor city girl had never seen it clearly. I tried to take a picture but I don't have a tripod and without a LONG exposure all I could get was black sky. There is simply no way to describe a night sky away from civilization.

So many Blessings in one day.
God is good.
Every day.