PixxieHobbits

After leaving Wall Drug, we drove through the South Dakota Badlands. I don't believe I've ever been through there before. It's a very beautiful place with lots of amazing scenery. South Dakota Badlands Like Melting Sand Layers of Hues I loved the different hues in the rocks. The layering is incredible. There were a lot of people out in the Badlands when we drove through, despite the fact that it wasn't even noon yet and already well on its way to ninety degrees Fahrenheit. The mountain goats didn't seem to mind the heat, though, as they were out in full force. Mountain Goats Grazing Grass Guzzlers These two groups were grazing by the roadside. Then we got to see the iconic mountain goat pose.  Majestic King of the Mountain This guy was way, way up on the very top of a Badlands hill. I'm quite impressed with my camera's zoom. So Far to "Goat" All of the landscape was gorgeous and would make amazing doll p...

Just after SilverStar-Burst got sick with the cold that wouldn't end, we took some of our dolls outside for a couple photo stories: Field Trip to Jurassic World and Intrepid Explorers to be exact. Both of which caused my sister to complain about Marcus, "his face gets lost because it has no color!" which is very true. I bought Marcus last year when it was cold outside, he arrived in November and he had no face-up. And still he sits with a blank head. In about a week we're taking a trip to visit my grandparents and Silver and I wanted to bring some of our dolls along so late Monday night I started thinking that Marcus might be able to get a nice face-up before we left... Silver and I have several dolls that need face-ups, so some time ago we bought a face-up book. The first thing the lady in the book tells you to do is wash the doll's head in warm soapy water. Tuesday morning I stole Marcus' head and washed it. Since Marcus didn't have a face-u...

The second night we stayed in Wall, South Dakota. Then, the next morning, we got up and went about exploring Wall Drug: the place with the free ice water. On getting out of our car we were greeted by this face. Not a Morning Person Clearly he's not a morning person. Or possibly a people person. He sure wanted to hang around, but he really didn't want to be pet. Must've been waiting for a free handout. Wall Drug is a pretty interesting place. We've stopped there a few times to look around and enjoy what there is to see. It's kind of like a huge drug store, with many shops all connected into one big souvenir mall. They have a few other things to look at and do too, and they also have food. We stopped in a café and ordered breakfast. While we were waiting for it to arrive, Aidan climbed out of his bag to study the map and history of Wall Drug. Avid Historian As you can see, there was a lot of western art in the room. Some were statues and there were pai...

One of the things we saw at Sylvan Lake, something that can be seen from the road, is a huge rock rising up from the lake itself.  Great Big Rock a.k.a. Filming Location No, this isn't just any big rock. Actually, this rock on this lake is where they filmed some of National Treasure: Book of Secrets . That part where they are looking for the noble bird, pouring water all over the rock? And then Ben Gates sticks his hand into the rocky crevice and screams like he's in unimaginable pain? This is that rock where that scene took place, right here in Black Hills, South Dakota. Pretty cool, huh? ~SilverStar-Burst

After we left the Mammoth Site, we drove through the Black Hills. Along the road we saw some breath-taking scenery and a couple of our national monuments. Including Chief Crazy Horse. Chief Crazy Horse National Monument This monument has been a work-in-not-so-much-progress for quite some time now. In fact, we were through the Black Hills two or three years ago and this monument hasn't changed much since then, if at all. So some day, in the very far off, distant future they might finish this Indian chief monument, but I wonder if it will be in my lifetime? Rock Formation at Sylvan Lake Next we stopped at Sylvan Lake. My dad wanted to hike all the way around, but I still wasn't feeling very good, so my family went without me and I waited in the suffocating heat of the car for them to come back. Can't be positive, but we might've picked the hottest week of the year to do all of this. My sister took the camera and got lots of good shots so that I could look th...

Remember the short-faced bear I mentioned yesterday as part of the dig site? Well, the full sized replica of the bear's skeleton is the first thing you see when you enter the next room, the display area of the museum. Short-Faced Bear Skeleton Across from that there's a "tent" made of replica bones and an animal skin roof. You can go inside this exhibit and take a look, but it was awfully dark in there.  Tent of Bones But I have to say the most dominating feature of the room is the life sized replica of a Columbian mammoth. It's pretty impressive. The people in the bottom of that picture are random strangers, but there were too many people to get a shot without someone in the photo. Life-Sized Mammoth Display Behind the big mammoth there's a replica of the pygmy mammoth. To my surprise, this guy wasn't much taller than I am. If they still existed today, I could ride one into battle comfortably, you know, if it came down to that. He wa...

One of the places we wanted to visit was the Mammoth Site in South Dakota Hot Springs. We were there once before about 20 years ago when my sister and I were little, but not too little to remember it somewhat. Going again was a fun trip down memory lane. The first thing you see when you walk through the doors of this museum/working dig site is a huge mammoth skeleton replica. Mammoth Skeleton in the Entryway It was easily twice as tall as my sister, not that hard a thing to do. We don't call ourselves the Pixxie Hobbits for no reason. Anyway, we got to the museum early, the first car to drive into the parking lot that day. Instead of letting you go right in and look around, you have to wait for the next tour. Once the tour is over, you can wander about all you like, but they want to give you some background on the site before giving you free run of the place. While we waited, we explored the gift shop--my sister and I each found a necklace to take home--and I got a snapsho...