the wandering chick
...our reunion in South Dakota

Hey! Did anyone realize this was our 10-year anniversary reunion?! Yay, us!

We had a grand time in South Dakota, seeing the major highlights such as Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park. We stayed at the Coyote Blues Village B&B outside Hill City.

As we always do, we found the best restaurants, and enjoyed the evenings sitting on the inviting patio at the B&B. We were disappointed that we didn't get to see as much of Evelyn Anderson as we thought we would since she had not been feeling well and wasn't able to make it out to any gatherings.

The reunion was unofficially extended a day when Evelyn's daughter Juanita and her husband Ben took the group on a day tour of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, known for the Wounded Knee Massacre of the late 1800s.

As always, we made the best of our time together. It was good seeing everyone again and we look forward to next year.

Enjoy the photos!

June 14 -17, 2016
at the B&B
at the B&B
at the B&B
at the B&B
So, here's how we typically start our mornings. We stand around, kinda waiting for each other, or for someone to make the first move toward the cars. Then, we change positions, and stand around some more. Finally, someone gets out a map (usually Linda) and plans our attack for the day.
at Mt. Rushmore
Here is most of the group that attended this year. We're just starting to visit Crazy Horse.
at the norbeck overview
norbeck overlook
at the norbeck overlook
lunch
Lunch was at the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park where a few among us ate buffalo meat for the first time. The lodge was built in 1920 and was visited by former presidents Calvin Coolidge and Dwight Eisenhower. During the Coolidge administration it was considered the "Summer White House." It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
lunch
after lunch
watching the buffalo
viewing the presidents
I'd say they're impressed with the view of the presidents at Rushmore. How could anyone not be?
Mt. Rushmore
Washington
Roosevelt and Lincoln
jefferson
dale
leaving rushmore
at rushmore
annie and al
linda
rushmore fromo the norbeck overlook
A different perspective of Mt. Rushmore, from the Norbeck Overlook on Highway 16A.
diane, sandy, ann
dale and al
After lunch, we drove through the park in hopes of seeing the bison that roam there. We saw 'em, alright!!
I think this is the shot I got just before John nearly closed the window on my head!! I think he was getting a little nervous and meant to close HIS window!
bison head-on
bison crossing road
closeup, ann with camera
baby bison
landscape, Custer SP
on the Needles Highway
The beautiful landscape of Custer State Park
Our next stop was the Needles Highway known for a particular rock formation that appears to form a needle's eye.
mountain goat on the loose
rock the needle's eye
Most of us were more excited about the mountain goat on the loose than we were the Needle's Eye!
mountain goat
back to the cars
Thanks to John and Linda for supplying us with cold water on those two sweltering days.
on the B&B patio
the group at Crazy Horse
And when it was all said and done, and the touring of the day was over, we just wanted to be on the patio at the Coyote Blues B&B.
Crazy Horse Mtn
lunch
Lunch on Thursday after Crazy Horse was at the Bumpiin' Buffalo in Hill City. Yummmm!!
sandy, ann and pam at crazy horse
lunch
inside crazy horse museum
leaving the bumpin' buffalo
Leaving the Bumpin' Buffalo after a full meal and a day not as strenuous as the previous. Back to the B&B we go.

To view some of the previous reunions, please return to the reunion home page.

Or, you may enjoy viewing the old (but not ancient!!) pictures taken when we were all in Vilseck.