Holiday USA and beyond - 2013

		Day 5 : Wind caves & a drive through Bison country.
		Saturday 27th July 2013

Wind Caves National park is the home to Wind Caves & Jewel Caves. We opted for a gentle down hill stroll via the natural cave entrance, as opposed to the daily 4 hour crawl thru tour!

The massive cave system is thought to be only 5% discovered, so far 140 miles of tunnel over 3 levels have been mapped! The entire site is only about a mile square!!

Our annoyingly chipper Ranger tour guide April , led our expedition..
She told how in the 1850's, hunters discovered a natural hole through which a great wind could be felt.. Later came 16 yr old Alvin McDonald who set out to map the caves, Armed with no more than a candle & a ball of string , which he let out to guide his way home, Alvin in his short life mapped 7-9 miles of the caves.
Alvin died of Typhoid at the young age of 20.

Seems those pesky Meer cat / Prairie dogs are photo bombing innocent book shop visitors!

Upon Aprils advice we headed offroad in search of Elks.. But we soon stumbled into a herd of Bison.

This year marks the 100th anniversary , of the re-introduction of Bison on the Black Hills prairie.

After the scorching heat the mid west has endured over the past weeks, we have arrived to unseasonably chilly temperatures.
Instead of the pool we explored Custers trendy shops !

This is our cabin.

And from the drinks menu tonight, we bring you "Buffalow Sweat",,,hmm

Dinner at the Cattlemans Cafe..a big success..Ian says his Pepper corn & gorgonzola steak was the BEST ever!!!

Back at Chez cabin we have put the heating on . We contemplate leaving Custer tomorrow & heading North to Deadwood. We have missed the Sturges Motorcycle rally by 1 week, but the town is gearing up for its annual influx of hairy bikers & their husbands ..

Goodnight happy reader. xxx

Suitcase update, we can now up load the position of Ians suitcase remotely ,as all the shaking about has activated Ians GPS gadget, It left Rekyavic at 10am & is due to land in Toronto 2pm local time..Its almost within our grasp, I will be glad to get my underwear back!

Comments:

"Read dad your blog so far, he was in hysterics. I hope the suitcase turns up, although the thought of Ian in frilly pink knickers amuses me :) xxx" - Liz

"Bye Eck your suitcase is well travelled! Should have its own passport!" - Sharron

"Doggie update, Marmite and co have heard all about your antics and are all extremely jealous!! Ernie still here, lady reall wanted a sable, didn't like her anyway, very dipsy!!! So Marmite still has his partner in crime!! They are rollicking merrily in the raised rockery as I speak!!! so sorry if he is a bit, 'the other way inclined' when you return! He, and gang say 'woof woof' anyway, I say, 'loadsa luv!!!'" - Jo

"On this night in the UK P7 dialled home - We suspect sabotage! Every year Ian, every year!" - PJ

"To PJ. I was in a cave. Photos are timestamped. Ticket receipts. Every angle covered." - Ian