Scotts Bluff, NE to Rapid City, SD

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Where the antelope play. . . . .

Awoke this AM in Scotts Bluff, NE (pop 3,456) to fog! First clouds I'd seen since leaving VC so I asked one of the locals -- why fog -- and they said because they were close to the river -- later saw the "river", it is about 10' wide and don't understand the fog.
In any case, unlike Santa Barbara fog, it dissipated in about an hour and I then headed North along state road 71 towards Custer, SD. Beautiful road, 60mph, clear - - - REALLY clear. In 75 miles, I saw zero towns, 12 vehicles (all going south) 8 of which were pick-up trucks, 12 pronghorn antelope, 1000 black angus and about a dozen ranches or farm houses. That's it. All grassland, rolling hills, no trees execpt around the farm houses, no rivers, creeks or ponds -- as far as the eye could see.
Arrived at the Mammoth Site (http://www.mammothsite.com/) outside Hot Springs, SD -- not really know what to expect. But, come to find out, it is one of the largest fossil sites to be foud in the past 50 years. The majority of fossils found at the Mammoth Site are from the North American Columbian mammoth. Evidence of three woolly mammoths have also been discovered here, making this "east meets west mammoth gathering" the first time both species have been found together. Fossils of other Ice Age animals have also been discovered: camel, llama, giant short-faced bear, wolf, coyote and prairie dog to name a few. Imprint fossils of bird feathers, complete fish skeletons, and thousands of mollusk shells have also been recovered from this now-dry 26,000 year old sinkhole Really cool stuff. Actually, since all the bones (fossils) are in-situ there is still about 60 feet of undiscovered treasures beneath the exposed bones. As they say, more to come.
Leaving the bones behind, I started north again throughWind Cave Nat'l Park and Custer State Park -- again beautiful grasslands but now pines are addedin the mix. Wild flowers are still covering the grasslands in blues, yellows and white. Finally saw the buffalo roaming and the wild burros begging while in Custer State Park.
Arrived in Rapid City, SD (pop 67,789) about 4:00 and looking forward to tomorrow and the "Presidents".

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Photos

Mammoth tusk
26,000 years old (1 of about 16 so far)

Wild Burros begging
Custer State Park