Day 7

We packed up and got out of Estes Park at a decent time. The kids went to the Ranger station while I handled the trailer wastes and got another Junior Ranger badge. This time the park rangers made a big announcement at the visitor center and pinned the badge on the kids. They were ecstatic. We headed out of the mountains to meet up with the I25 corridor and headed up to Wyoming. Soon after crossing into Wyoming we exited the interstate and traveled some back highways on the way to South Dakota. The drive traverses rolling plains with plateaus in the backdrop. It is difficult not to imagine the long ago plains Indians chasing buffalo across this landscape that is now criss-crossed with barbed wire. Several hours into the drive the route takes you near Fort Laramie national historic site. This is the old fort made famous in Western history as a cavalry outpost, and a trading center for Pioneers and Indians. It is a great museum site to visit if given the chance. Many of the old buildings still stand, and many of the park rangers are dressed up in character telling tales of life on the old frontier. They even have an old saloon where you can by birch beer, or sarsaparilla. We cooked hot dogs in the RV and had lunch at the picnic area on the grounds. We packed up and headed on our way. We finally crossed into South Dakota and the rolling prairie gave way to the black granite, pine forested hilly landscape of the black hills. We arrived at the campsite with the sun setting at our backs. I set up the trailer, while Amy cooked, and Amy’s mom took the children to the playground. We relaxed and breathed in the pine scented air and went to sleep.