Friday, September 4, 2009

My week in South Dakota *Day 4 - End of my Adventure*

Friday we drove to Spearfish Canyon




After we went to Spearfish we went to Deadwood and walked around. We had some ice cream cones then we went to the Deadwood Museum which was cool to see.

Things about Deadwood I learned was that Wild Bill Hickok got shot there, it was a founded during the Goldrush.

City of Deadwood
Deadwood Information & History
Deadwood History
Deadwood S.D. Revealed
Adams Museum







After Deadwood we went to the Bear Country U.S.A.









After the Bear Country we went back to the hotel and I went swimming again. When I was swimming I met a girl at the pool. She was a 13 yr old girl from Alabama but me and her have a bunch of stuff in common. We are both Homeschooled, she hates spiders & needles, and is afraid of heights - just like me, and we both want our first cars to be Mustangs.

My week in South Dakota *Day 3*

Thursday we drove to Mount Rushmore.

I learned that the guy who carved the Presidents into the mountain died before he put add President Lincoln's ear.
Carving History
Gutzon Borglum: Biography








Then we drove the Iron Mountain Road which is a road going up the side of the mountain that was a little high up plus the road had a lot of curves in it.
After we drove the Iron Mountain Road we drove the Needles Road this had a lot of curves and tunnels. Here are some of the photos from driving..







When we where on are way back to rapid city me and my grandma did the go-carts on laps 1 through 3 my grandma was in the lead on the 4 lap I was about 2 ta 3 inchs away from bumping her and we came to a left turn to go over a bridge and my grandma went left after the left turn so I went right and passed her. When we got back to the hotel I went swimming agian.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

My week in South Dakota *Day 2*

On Wednesday my grandma and I drove to Rapid City, then we drove 50 miles to Hot Springs to go to the Mammoth Site. The Mammoth Site was a really cool place to see because inside the building they have 55 Mammoths there. There is one in there that has no skull. It's cool there. Then we drove to Custer State Park we saw a lot of animals there. Then we went to the Reptile Gardens which was sweet. Then we went back to the hotel and I went swimming, meeting a couple of boys from Milwaukee, WI.

The Mammoth Site:

Check out their SITE ... I learned that all the Mammoths that they have found there are males, they can tell by the shape of their hip bone. They also found a Short-Nosed Bear which I found interesting. My favorite part about the Mammoth Site was the tour because they took us through the dig spot. The tour guide told us a story on how they were drilling a hole (about the size of a donut hole) .. and the drill bit broke, so they pulled it out and if it hadn't have broken they would have ended up drilling a hole through the top of a Mammoth Skull. The size of the skulls are amazing.
Mammoth Information
Woolly Mammoth

I would be interested in learning more about fossils and possibly participating in a dig site that you can help with. (You could do so there, but it had to be set up ahead of time)

Mammoth Site





This is the museum part... Here I am with a "real-size" Mammoth replica. The elephants now could walk under his chin and never touch him.

Me with a Mammoth
Grandma with the Mammoth
Here is the Short-Faced Bear

This is


At Custer we saw a ton of trees and animals, it was really cool because the animals would come right up to the cars and stuff. We had a Donkey that came up to us. The pictures, the donkey first goes to the car ahead of us, and then to us. He came over to my side of the car.

Custer State Park







At the Reptile Garden we watched three movies: Birds, Snakes, and then Crocs & Alligators.

I learned that my Grandma doesn't like snakes (ha ha ha). I have always watched a lot of animal plant (Steve Erwin is one of my Heros) and I didn't really learn anything new, but I saw a bunch of Cobras (my favorite snake) and thought that was cool. I got to touch baby crocodiles, Grandma was to scared to touch the snakes so I missed my chance.

Reptile Garden (their site)




I think they said the Tortoise was 128 years old.