We had a tourist filled Mother's Day. We started out this morning with a gold mine tour - what can I say, it was right by our hotel! I thought it would be hokey, but it was just us on the tour and we had a good time with Matt, our personal tour guide. After the tour, we got to pan for gold. You are guaranteed to find gold. They set you up with your first pan and lace it with some gold flakes. Well, I evidently dumped mine, then even Matt couldn't find the gold either! Eldon has 2 flakes worth 75 cents. Then we drove 1/2 hour to the Crazy Horse Memorial. It was started in 1948 and is still a work in progress. It will be a whole lot bigger than Mount Rushmore when finished. It is being built by a non-profit foundation funded by donations (no government funding). They don't have a finish date proposed, but by the looks it will be another 50 or so years. We both thought it was pretty neat. Then we drove another 1/2 hour and arrived at Wind Cave National Park. Wind Cave is the 4th longest cave in the world. We got there in time for the last cave tour of the day. Enjoyed that too! (Brenda, remember when Grandma Hess took us to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky in about 1964? Mammoth was better than Wind Cave because of all the stalactites and stalagmites). We are spending the night in Hot Springs, SD. Eldon wants to go see the Wild Horse Reserve tomorrow. Then on to the Badlands.

Comments from Eldon: I enjoyed the day - I think panning gold was my favorite. I panned for about an hour and made 75 cents. A new retirement job at this rate would pay $6.00 per day...hmmmm

Comments from Larry: Another boring day watching Eldon & Cindy get in the car, get out of the car, get in the car, get out of the car....... then they wonder why I'm in a bad mood. Rested, but in a bad mood. One highlight of the day though - I saw more prairie dogs. I love them little critters. Saw a buffalo peeing too. Wow, they pee a lloooooonnnnngggg time!