Izzy Goes to the Rodeo

 

Our next stop for a few days found us in one of the rodeo centers of South Dakota, but before I tell you about Izzy going to a rodeo I need to fill you in on our journey to Pierre.



We left Custer South Dakota on Tuesday September 17^th with the intention of spending a week in the Badlands. Our drive was uneventful but talk about BAD, BAD to the Bone! The Badlands National Park is truly one-of-a-kind.  Not that the Badlands wouldn’t have been a cool place to hang out for a while but the temperatures were in the 90’s and no shade at the camp. So being the free spirited people that we are we simply looked around and then hit the road to Pierre.

Transition



A Unique Formation

As we did stop and take in the Badlands we were impressed with the formations and that vegetation could actually grow there. When you look closely it appears that any rain would simply drain away. It truly has a beauty all its own.

 

The View

Color contrast

The Hoodoos Start to Form

Frosting in the middle

To The Point

Fading Away

 The Tippy Top

Rugged

 

The Home on Wheels

Just Starting to Change

The Hat Formation

Variety is the spice of the Badlands

It Just Keeps Going

 

 

Now to Pierre, pronounced like peer which isn’t how we were taught in school to say the capitol of South Dakota. We stayed the first 3 nights at the Farm Island Recreation Area which is a state campground. Our spot was right on the water so you know what that means. Yes Izzy was in heaven and since it is off season she could pretty much go swimming on a whim.

The View From our Trailer

 

 

The day after we arrived we headed to town to check out what Pierre is all about. We went to the visitor center and discovered this school house. I am pretty sure it would be overcrowded today!

Pierre and Fort Pierre are very proud of two things, well more, but I am telling you about two, the rodeo and Lewis and Clark expedition. Our first stop was to the Casey Gibbs Rodeo Center which is a museum that was built in honor of the late Casey Gibbs. It is a historical museum devoted to the legendary sport of South Dakota Rodeo and has much more than items from Gibbs’ championships. By the way he was a 9-time World Champion Saddle Bronc Rider.

Casey Tibbs Statue

 

The museum also gave Steve a chance to show off to me his great bronc riding skills. Seeing how his one ankle doesn’t bend I was pretty happy when the bronc decided it was time for a hay break.

Mama Don't Let Your Boys Grow Up to Be Cowboys

 

The museum provides an opportunity to learn about women in the rodeo which was pretty cool. My aunt was a trick rider for years so reading about Mattie Goff Newcombe reminded me of her. We also discovered they were going to have a Ranch Rodeo on Saturday that was a benefit for families dealing with or that had dealt with cancer. Guess who’s going to the rodeo?

 

Mattie Goff Newcombe Statue

 

Mattie's Story

Outside and up the hill from the museum you discover where they placed a marker remembering the Lewis and Clark expedition. There is also a marker and the actual tablet (under glass and in a stone) that marks the discovery and claiming of the region for France by the Verendryes. Who knew!

Pierre

The Story Behind the Verendrye Exploration

 

 

Lewis and Clark Historical Marker

 

The Situation Defused

Steve Thinking He Might Have Wanted to Take the Trail

 

Next on the agenda was to see what their capitol looked like. We were pretty impressed and they completely restored it in the mid-2000’s. Upon exiting the capitol building through the front doors you discover they have a “V” where the “U” should be in South. Steve, being just like Curious George, had to know why so he asked someone walking by if they worked in the building. She said not in that building but answered the question. What she has been told is that the architect used the Roman Numeral V for the U as it fits in the numerical Roman table for the alphabet. We don’t know so we’ll stick with that story but I think back in the early 1900’s they wanted some sophistication so used the V!

Colors at the Capitol

Inside the Dome

The "V"

 

We also visited the National Guard Museum which was a wealth of history. Some of the items outside brought back fond memories for Steve, well at least the airplane did since it was the kind that was on the aircraft carrier he served on while he was in the Navy.

I'm Glad it isn't Loaded

Good Thing They Took The Keys

Remembering his Navy Days

Friday we left Farm Island and moved to Oahe Recreation Area which is about 10 miles from where we were. Oahe is the name of the dam that is at Pierre on the Missouri River. This particular spot is called Lake Oahe (pronounced o-wa-he). It pretty much didn’t matter to Izzy since our new spot was by the water too. As soon as we opened her door guess where she headed?

 

Can I Go In?

From the campground

Close to our Trailer

 

The wind blew the entire time we were in Pierre so fishing wasn’t proving to be advantageous. Well the fish probably thought it was since we hadn’t caught any yet. He thought he should get the gear together so we could try one more time.

Getting Ready with Supervision

 

 

Steve checked things out at the local tackle and bait shop and found a guide that was available for hire. We wanted to try and catch some Walleye so we set up a date for Sunday. Oh no not the alarm clock again!

Saturday was the rodeo. We decided to quit fishing around 4:00 and get ready to go to the big event. We even put Izzy’s rodeo bandana on so she would feel right at home. We got to the arena and had a quick bite to eat and then found a place to sit. We had left Izzy in the truck but saw a couple of other dogs in the stands so Steve busted her out of prison.

She got to the stands just in time to see some of the mutton busting. She was watching things pretty intently. I think it’s because she has border collie in her and she wanted to go gather the sheep!

The First Rider Who Was the Winner Too!

He's Having Fun

 

Steve and Izzy Watching the Activity

Just Couldn't Hang On

The next event had horses in the arena. She told us which one was her favorite with a bark. She liked the palomino!

The other event they did was branding a calf, well pretending to brand a calf. The rider had to rope one and then drag it out of the corral for the other two ranch hands to hold it and the 4^th ranch hand would then brand it. Izzy said she didn’t like this event much since the rope reminded her of her leash.

The Roper

The Mock Branding

Watching the Other Action (Picture Taking)

 

We left before the last event started since we had a fishing date in the morning. I think it was best anyway since Izzy was pretty tired after her fun day of swimming, fishing, and going to the rodeo.

A Long Day

 

We met our guide, Mike, and headed to the water. The wind was up again blowing around 20 mph so we headed up towards Farm Island area to try there first. Funny how the fish seem to know when we are around and they go someplace else.

Since we didn’t have any luck there we loaded the boat and headed to Lake Oahe and fished toward the dam. That proved a little better as Steve caught a trout and a walleye. The walleye was too short to keep and he threw the trout back. I can’t let him have all the fun can I. We continued to fish a bit more and then all of the sudden my pull was bent over and the line went tight. Fish on! Yahoo I got one finally. I shouldn’t really brag since it was even shorter than Steve’s!

Windy Fishing

 

We pulled up the levelers on the trailer and hit the road September 23 to continue our journey. We are traveling through South Dakota along the Missouri river so more to come about what it all means!

 

The World According to Izzy

Hi there. I asked my Mom if I could do the next blog of our adventure and she said yes. Yippee!

First, my name is Izzy (short for Isabella Bailey Henderson) and Steve and Tory are my Dad and Mom.

I think I am the luckiest dog in the world as I get to go on this great adventure with them.  Although they are not necessarily picking places just for dogs, I usually have a pretty good time anyway. This week we have been hanging out in Custer South Dakota.

The day after we got here we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial. I was hoping I could get out and go sniff everything but Mom and Dad decided I should stay in the truck. I actually don’t mind since I can still see when they are coming back, sleep, play with my ball, and stick my head out the window.

They told me all about the statue and that it will most likely be years before it is completed as it is being sculpted through donations and the entrance fee we had to pay to come to this part.

Crazy Horse being created

 

What the Sculpture will become

 

The Crazy Person (not really)

 

I guess it takes many steps to create something this big but I wonder if they might be interested in making a sculpture of me??!!  I know the commands sit and stay!

We left Crazy Horse and headed to Mount Rushmore. I love the ride since I can put my head out the window, let my ears blow in the wind along with my tongue. Nothing like wind and fresh air on my face. I keep looking at the artwork on the side of the door I create from sticking my tongue out! Maybe Mom will take a picture of that sometime and show all of you!

I didn’t get a chance to go with them at this park either but they parked in a covered garage so I had plenty of shade and quiet. I fell asleep right away.

Mom and Dad got to walk around the visitor center for quite a while and even on the trail that goes fairly close to the sculpture and to the sculptor’s studio. They said they got see the original idea of what the sculptor wanted to create but in the end he only did headshots!

 

The view from the visitor center

Room for more presidents?

The Presidents

 

George Washington from the trail

Steve wondering how Roosevelt cleans his glasses?

 

Mom and Dad went back to the Crazy Horse Memorial that evening to see the Legends in Light show they show on the sculpted rock. This is set to music and is a cool laser light show. I guess I have to take their word for it since I stayed home and watched TV.

We headed to Hot Springs South Dakota so Mom and Dad could play some golf. I so wish they would let dogs go along on golf courses as I know we would never get tired of sniffing and chasing the golf ball! We did get to see bison on the way and no I didn’t get to go play with them either.

Bison near Wind Cave National Park

The view from the course at Hot Springs SD

 

I asked them since I was good and didn’t complain could we stop at the Fall River before we go back to Custer.

Oh boy they said I could go swimming!

 

Guess what? We did and Dad even got in the river with me so that meant Mom had to throw the sticks for me! That’s okay since she doesn’t throw like a girl!

Hot Springs is a pretty cool looking town too as it has a ton of historical buildings and their courthouse built in 1891 looks like a castle. I could have fun in a place like that!

Wind Cave National Park was on the list of places to go so we were able to get there on Saturday. The ride was short but nice and I got to see prairie dogs again.

We got there just in time for Mom and Dad to take the main cave tour so I got my afternoon nap in. I love naps, don’t you?

The tour guide was great from what Mom told me and the cave formation is one of a kind. I wish I could have gone in there since there are over 100 miles of passageways and I know I would have had a blast.

Don showing the original entrance to the cave and the wind

I guess I understand why I can’t go since the most prominent feature of Wind Cave is the box-work – thin, honeycomb-shaped structures of calcite that protrude from the walls and ceilings. Oh yeah, there is even cave popcorn. Wonder if I could eat it?

Almost looks like leaves mulching

Box-work on the ceiling

Cave Popcorn

Colors in the cave

Bleached Swiss Cheese

Good thing the path didn't go here

Are there any creatures down there?

 

I got to go swimming almost every day while we were here but the one thing that I might even love more than swimming is running. I know that Mom and Dad can’t run (it's a long story) but I can and when I get to I start out at 25-30 miles per hour. I love it!

 

On your mark, get set

 

Go!

I have to tell you that going to different places is a lot of fun for me as I can always count on new smells and animals. At this RV park there are many rabbits which seem to elude me no matter how hard I try and catch them. Every morning when Mom takes me for a walk I go to all their hiding places and stick my head in the hole or crack in the rocks but they are never there. Oh well I love just taking a walk anyway.

A Cute Bunny

Guarding the Carrot 

 

It is time to end this so Mom can get it posted. I am pretty tired anyway since it is time for my afternoon nap. Until next time, bye-bye for now.

Izzy