Friday, October 5, 2007
Allen Ranch RV Park, Hot Springs, SD - Sept 17-19
Okay, let's be frank here -- "Hot Springs" when the ground-water is 85 degrees F? On the other hand, who would go somewhere called "Tepid Springs"? The local rivers also have the slightly warm water, and it is reputed to have curative effects. Hot Springs is interesting for its sandstone architecture, modeled after the Evans Hotel, which was built using pink sandstone from a local quarry. The RV park where we stayed has two levels: the upper level is full-hookup with no trees, costs more, and is within eye- and earshot of the highway. The lower level was shaded beside a gently-flowing river. We never saw anyone camped above.
Our first day we visited Wind Cave NP, our nation's seventh national park (1903). When the Rocky Mtns were formed 60 million years ago, the solid-granite Black Hills pushed up through numerous layers of rock, including limestone formed 320 million years ago. This formed a limestone ring around the Black Hills, which has partially dissolved away, forming vast caves such as Jewel & Wind Caves. Wind Cave was discovered in 1881, also by two brothers who found a hole with air coming out of it. Their approach was different, however -- they came back the next day with a friend small enough to fit through the hole. Thus, the original entrance is still preserved (but not used). Wind Cave is most famous for its boxwork and frostwork formations, and at over 108 miles, is currently the world's 4th-longest cave. The park also serves as a wildlife & prairie preserve.
Our next day we first visited Mammoth Site, an active dig inside a museum & visitor center. The Mammoth Site was discovered in 1975 when a developer was clearing a hill for a housing development and unearthed some large bones. Thankfully, he had the wherewithal to realize the importance of his discovery. A non-profit co-op was formed, and he donated the land. One of the world's largest collections of undisturbed mammoth bones, Mammoth Site was formed 26 thousand years ago when an underground limestone cave collapsed, creating a steep-sided sinkhole and natural trap for mammoth & other large mammals. Digging is done in July with volunteers from Earth Watch and elder hostels. They get enough items from that short time to keep the researchers busy for the rest of the year. So far they have unearthed hundreds of skeletons. It is extremely interesting to visit and see all the bones lying as they have been found.
The next day we drove back to Rapid for an ACBL-wide bridge tournament, but first we stopped at the Museum of Geology at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid -- everyone raves about it, including AAA who calls it a gem. And it's free! It was smaller than we expected, but still contains an amazing display of rocks & fossils, including a fossilized oreodont (pig-like animal) with unborn twin fetuses (feti?). We still had time, so we walked around historic downtown Rapid City. They are in the process of placing life-sized bronzes of all the presidents on their downtown street corners, four each year, and are currently up to 28, so of course we had to see all of them. The visitor center has a map, and it is a nice walking tour of historic downtown RC. 
As for the bridge tournament, everyone was in agreement that those were some of the most boring hands they had ever played, and besides we didn't earn any points (sour grapes?).# posted by Doug and Willie @ 4:03 PM 
