Vacation in South Dakota - Part 2

Okay, here are photos from Wind Cave National Park (6th longest cave system in the world), Homestake Mine/Sanford Lab in Lead (the richest gold mine in the history of the USA, now owned by the government and converted into an underground laboratory for studying sub-atomic particles without the interference of solar radiation), Minuteman National Monument (the last of the de-commissioned ICBM control center/missile silos in SD, now open for tours), Badlands National Park and the city of Wall (including Wall Drug Store, the Number 1 road-side attraction in America).  It's a wide-range of images - hope you enjoy them!

Sunrise from Terry Peak above Lead.

Spooky view inside Wind Cave.

Wind Cave is famous for its boxwork formations.

A cheerful tour guide :)

Coneflower and guest.

The view from Rankin Ridge Trail in Wind Cave NP.

Tour guide at the Homestake Mine, showing us the winch equipment
that operates the elevator system to the Lab.

Some gallows humor on the door to the underground Control Center
at Minuteman National Monument.

That's a very thick door!

Inside the Control Center - a little claustrophobic, don't you think?

Panorama of Badlands National Park.

I saw quite a few Mennonite tourists during my vacation.  These girls were pretty brave
to go so far out for a photo op.

A vigilant prairie dog on the look out.

Big horn sheep (except they're a female and baby, so
their horns aren't so big).

Yellow Mounds turnout.

The famous Wall Drug Store which started as a small store in the middle of nowhere,
but grew famous by offering free ice water and then posting advertising signs along highways all
over the world.

Here's the ice water - I had a couple of cups!

Mr. T-Rex woke up every 15 minutes and scared the kiddies :)