Out West Trip: Day 34 (Devil’s Tower, WY to Custer State Park, SD)

Today’s highlights:
Standing in the World’s Largest Log Chair. Visiting Mount Rushmore. Driving the Iron Mountain Road. camping with friends at Custer State Park.

log chair - 24 jun 2011

We woke up slowly and started to pack up. We decided to eat breakfast at the KOA cafe, but it ended up being quite expensive for a very mediocre meal and terrible coffee. We finally headed out a bit after 10 and made our way to the highway and then into South Dakota. We stopped at the grocery store in Spearfish. We stocked up on fruit, which was all eaten before me made it to Mount Rushmore. On the way through the Black Hills, we stopped at the World’s Largest Log Chair. Mount Rushmore was very crowded. We looked at the mountain, then walked down to the sculptor’s studio before watching the short film.

mount rushmore - 24 jun 2011

We went back down to Keystone, where Rob and the girls road the chairlift up to the top of a mountain and then rode the slide down to the bottom. Chloe went too slow and wanted to go again, so she and Rob went back up and rode back down together.

alpine slide - 24 jun 2011

We then drove a crazy, twisty road over to Custer State Park and found our campsite. Before too long, our friends arrived. Everyone quickly got to know each other (again) and we all had kebabs for dinner, then the kids made s’mores over the fire. A little later, the girls played various games before heading to bed.

custer state park - 24 jun 2011

Trip Stats:
Roadside Attractions: World’s Largest Log Chair. (Total: 27)
States: Wyoming. South Dakota. (Total: 15 – GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, UT, CO, CA, NV, WY, ID, MT, SD)
State Plates Spotted: None. (Total: 51 – includes DC)
Miles: 154 (Total: 7798)
Gallons of gas bought: None. (Total: 452.1)
Poptops Spotted: 2 (Total: 52)
National Park Stamps: Mount Rushmore (Total: 16)
Miles walked: 2 (Total: 75)
Dollars saved with NP pass: None. (Total: 205)
Continental Divide Crossings: None.Total: 8)
Time Zone Changes: None. (Total: 9 – EDT, CDT, MST, MDT, CDT, MDT, MST, PDT, MST, PDT, MST, MDT)
Security checkpoints: None. (Total: Border. Petrified Forest. Agriculture. Dam Security. WY Hwy Patrol.)

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