Grandpa and South Dakota

I'd never been to SD, and was excited to check out the Black Hills/Badlands area, so we decided to take advantage of Rod's long Memorial Day weekend and head up there.  It's only 4 hours away!  And Robert made the journey to do it with us.  (Sorry, 264 photos...)

Upon arrival, C immediately took him to backyard

A yard visitor

Rod's mecca

Also a botanical paradise

Inside a prairie dog town

Touching a ball python

Gator (and croc) show

These guys couldn't get enough of Reed!

C's fave part - petting "Fluffy" - now the name of her molded plastic croc at home...

Giving the parrot a donation

Cotton candy - a real treat

Touching a 108 year old tortoise

Day 2 - Mt. Rushmore and Custer State Park

Watching a Marmot

Trying out a cracker

Pronghorn in Custer - one of about 10 animals we saw all day...

... and here are the rest.

Day 3 - Rapid City (kids' attractions for C)

A chicken had crawled inside the train - Charley went to look in and got a surprise!

Every morning at our hotel Charley plays with this little girl - and she showed up at the farm!

  Day 4 - Badlands National Park

Kid loves to pose now

We drove back home via Wounded Knee Battlefield