I did some investigating into the jewel caves that we were going to explore and found a more kid friendly set of caves right near Mt Rushmore. I did not want to miss this experience, but to drive up and down to see it all did not seem to be in the cards, until I did a little research. The Sitting Bull crystal caverns was on our way and after a call, it seemed more appropriate for kids than my original destination--they had 180 steps to climb and descend instead of over 700 steps--sold!
So, our day started out with a bit of a drive to the caves. But on our way, we came upon thousands of motorcyclists on the road, just after we passed Sturgis, SD. It was crazy! There were cyclists that were going totally slow, some that were driving like a bat out of hell, and all the rest had no organization on the road that it was making me quite cranky! They took over the highway creating chaos wherever I drove. They were like ants at a picnic. I was curious, since we were near Sturgis, if this was some sort of yearly ride. I did ask a passing biker what the deal was and he confirmed it was a Sturgis ride. I arrived at a gas station to fill up, went inside to pay (been using only cash), but could not pay because my station was being used. I looked outside and saw that 2 motorcycles has parked behind my car and were filling up their tanks. After a day of havoc on the road with them, I was pissed! I walked right up to the 2 Harley dudes and asked them what they were doing--that I was trying to pay for gas. They said that the station was not being used, so they took the liberty to get gas. I explained that I was trying to pay for gas when they so rudely took my station. They finished up and left with no words of appology, but the Yokel next to me had words: "I guess you better be quicker next time" he said with a thick drawl and a laugh. I agreed with him. I realized that I challenged 2 bikers from a Sturgis ride, but I was quite cranky at that point.
Anyways, onto our adventure. We arrived at the Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns after about 3.5 hours of driving. There were several accidents that slowed our progress. We entered the center and was shuttled immediately to the tour. We were given the warning regarding the level of difficulty ascending and decending the stairs. We decided to take the challenge. The kids did great! A couple of the staircases we had to decend, going down backwards due to the level of steepness. Once down in the caves, Ian had a hard time containing himself because we were surrounded by crystal formations. He was completely enthralled! Our tour was us and a bunch of motorcyclists--once again they were everywhere! Ian kept asking if he could take a crystal if he found it on the ground--he got his answer!
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