Black Hills 2018 : Day 1- Wind Cave & Custer State Park

Our first night we stayed at the State Game Lodge inside the Park. It was a really beautiful place to stay. We wandered around nearby to blow the car stink off us. The main visitor center was neat, loved the architecture. But the Peter Norbeck Education Center was amazing! The kids loved all the hands on displays. We stayed there for about over an hour. My favorite was watching the bird feeder and identifying the birds coming into to get a bite to eat; River and Skyler liked building a course for a rolling ball; And Robin happily played in the sandbox.

Image Via

The Next Day we got up and out the door and headed to Wind Cave National Park, a "hidden world beneath the prairie".  We did a walking tour where we entered through the natural entrance. It was really neat inside and the kids liked it, especially River. We learned about "box work" and "popcorn" formations. Robin liked saying "popcorn" and "echo". It was really kid friendly, but by the end, Robin was done. She just wanted to run around and touch everything. River earned his Junior Ranger badge and took the oath.  

After wards we drove the Wildlife loop in Custer State Park and visited the old death march- I mean hike, I took Skyler on the first time we visited 5 years ago. We didn't do the whole trail Just wandered in a little and stretched out legs.

Best part was venturing out on an unpaved road all by ourselves through fields of flowers and bison.  We unbuckled the kids and let them ride free with the window down. (Robin sat on sky's lap, remember riding around with no seatbelts as a little kid? those were the days". Sky and River explored the ponds and found all kids of stuff - turtles and Water snakes to name a few. At the top there was a Prairie Dog Village  with tons of the cute little critters. 

Santa Fe : Part 5 - Bandelier National Monument

River kinda likes his dad :)

Best View of the Hike, 

On our last day we visited Bandelier National Monument, just outside of Santa Fe. It was a fun place to explore. River and Skyler especially loved it because of the more difficult and adventurous pathes, where you inch between Rocks, navigate narrow paths with drop offs, and climb ladders into old Rock dwellings and caves. I was holding my breath at some points worried about River, but Skyler had so much confidence in his son and his abilities and was right there to back him up if he needed. The best was when he got into one of the caves, River took it as an opportunity fro his own personal rock concert and was singing the Geronimo song at the top of his lungs. I took the opportunity and climbed up there too with Robin strapped to my chest. It was very interesting to see how the Native People their constructed their home using the cliff walls. It was quite ingenious.

Don't you just love that last picture?? It's my favorite!! Of course it's of my favorite people too!!

Santa Fe : Part 3 - Ranger River

They had an awesome Junior Ranger Program at the park, and River LOVED it! You go into the visitor center and check out a backpack filled with all sorts of goodies, like a stopwatch, tape measurer, binocular, anemometer, compass, flashlight, magnifying glass, info cards, and best of all a giant magnet. They also give you a list of questions and a clipboard with paper to go out, observe, record, and report. All in hopes of becoming a Junior Ranger. 

River was so excited, even though the back pack hung down to his ankles. He loved all the tools, especially the magnet. The first day he ran around the dunes, digging it into the sand and seeing how much magnetite he could draw out and it was surprisingly a lot. The second day he was all about the stop watch and playing in the water.

After each day I sat down with him and asked him questions about his day and what he saw and then he'd draw something. 

AND he became a Junior Ranger, official badge and all. He is now referred to as Ranger River.  

Santa Fe : Part 2 - Grand Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, CO - Day 2

The next morning we came back for more, and we discovered a completely different world from the day before. The sun appeared, burning off the morning cloud cover and heating up the sand. It became too hot to walk around without shoes on. River was so tired from the day before he just laid down and made a "sand angel". The water was calling to him, so we waded into the cool mountain run off and found relief. 

Water must be River's element because it restored his energy and he was off running and splashing again. Him and Skyler chased each other and Robin squealed joyfully as she bounced around in the pack. I loved soaking my feet in the cool water. Eventually I pulled Baby Girl out of the pack so she could get in on the action too. At first she wasn't too sure, but then I think the Hawaii memories came back and she loved the water again. Smiling and splashing her feet, getting us both wet. 

River is a true explorer. He never backs down to the new challenges out travels present. Sometimes he gets nervous, but as long as his daddy is near, he charges forward with out fear. Sometimes this gets him into a little trouble, but luckily he bounces right back and keeps going, and we all laugh along the way.

The magic of the Sand Dunes danced in our heads and the phantom current lulled our bodies as we drove the lonely, isolated, beautiful road to Santa Fe, and the kids slept the most of the way. Ok River did, and Robin was entranced with Barney, Baby Bop and Friends.