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Friday,
August 15
Today
was our big day. We took the
Attraction Tours package and need to meet up with the tour bus at Reptile
Gardens at 8:30am. We received
our wake up call promptly at 6:30 and were out the door around 7:45.
Derek has discovered the pleasure of a shower, and for a while I
didn’t think we would make it because I couldn’t get him out of it.
We
met up with our tour and received our receipt and tickets from the bus
driver/tour guide Brent. We then
proceeded into Reptile Gardens. Derek
and I walked around in the dome area and viewed the alligators, crocodiles,
snakes, lizards, and even Komodo Dragons!
We then headed for the snake show where the handler, Clint, brought out
a variety of snakes. He even had
a cobra, but it was in a box because it was too dangerous to handle.
Right after the snake show was the crocodile show.
Derek and I took the long way around and met a Galapagos Tortoise.
Derek kept putting the tortoise to sleep by scratching his neck. We then headed off to Prairie Dog Town. Here we were able to pretend we were prairie dogs by sticking
our heads up right in the middle of their village. We made it to the crocodile
show just as Clint was getting ready to pull a crocodile out of the moat and
jump on his back. He also
had the crocs beg and jump for food just like trained dogs. As
we boarded the bus, we were given a small souvenir by our tour guide. We found
that after our stops, we received a small souvenir each time.
It was now time for Bear Country, U.S.A.
This is a privately owned drive through wildlife park.
Here we saw elk, wolves, buffalo, mountain lions, and lots of bears.
The bighorn sheep were hiding on us today.
At the end of the drive through, we parked in one of the baby animal
areas and were given marshmallows to feed the baby bears!
This was just for our tour. The
bears were only a few months old, but had learned to beg already. Our
lunch was provided for at Bear Country, U.S.A.
Derek had a hot dog, chips and soda, while I had a famous Buffalo
Burger. It was delicious.
We were joined at our table by an older couple also on our tour who
couldn’t compliment Derek enough on his good manners.
They had been watching him all morning and were very impressed.
Moving
onward, our next stop was Crazy Horse. Right
when we entered they were starting a viewing of “The Making of Crazy Horse.” We were then let out into the enclosed viewing area of Crazy
Horse itself. We walked around the
museum and looked at all the Native American artifacts and pictures.
This part of the tour impressed Derek the most.
He was also able to see some Lakota dancing on the veranda.
He was very disappointed when we had to board the bus again and asked if
we could come again when it was finished. For
several days after, he needed to consult his “spirit” before making any
decisions.
Our
next part of the tour was Needles Highway in Custer State Park.
After the first part of the highway, I decided I would not be driving
this myself with all the close quarters and steep cliffs just a foot from the
road. We stopped at the “Eye of
the Needle” where trucks, and our tour bus, had little more than an inch to
spare. We also stopped at the
Cathedral where I picked up another child.
Jarod and Derek became fast friends and spent the drive through Needles
Highway playing on the bus together.
We
were now on our way to Mount Rushmore. What
a spectacular site. It was
incredible to think of how they were able to carve the faces in the mountain.
It was very moving. Derek
and I walked around the area, but spent most of the time looking at Mount
Rushmore.
Our
last stop of the day was at the Flying T where we had a cowboy supper of BBQ
beef, baked beans, hot dogs, biscuits, and spice cake served on tin plates.
After the supper, the cowboys put on a musical comedy show. The Flying T
was located right next to Reptile Gardens so Derek and I walked back to the car
and headed back to the Golden Spike. It
was a long day, but a very fun and exciting one. |
