The Buffalo Round Up

The Buffalo Round Up weekend is finally here.  We have moved into the Employee campground in the Park hoping there will be less of a chance of being sucked back into work on Monday.  Also we won't have to get up at 4 a.m. to make the trip into the Park.

The neighbors are pretty quiet

We even get to enjoy a campfire aka old file burning party! 

We drive down the Wild Life Loop to check out the parking for Monday and run into my favorite friends!  This time I bring carrots and apples.  They are a big hit.

Most of the Buffalo have already been herded together in this part of the Park.  Are those buffalo we see in the Distance?

Well, lets use the 30x zoom on my new Sony Camera and see!

Oops might need that digital zoom as well. 

Not bad for a hand held shot with no tripod

We also finally made it up to the Coolidge Look Out

Quite the View!

What's out there in the distance? 

Why Crazy Horse

and George!  I love my new Zoom! 

We went to the Art Show and Auction

These painted Table Top Buffalo as well as 5 life size Buffalo Statues were auctioned off.  The Life Size went from $5,100 to $2,700 and the Table Tops from $900 to $3,000.00 each.  They've sold up to $10,000 each in previous years.

We get up early on Monday and join the line that's forming to the parking areas at 5:30 a.m.  The parking opens at 6:15 a.m and it is only about 10 miles away.  We get to about 2 miles away when we come to a complete stop.

We arrive at the gate about 7 a.m.   About 1/4 mile from the Gate we passed a Van that wasn't moving.  We thought maybe their battery had died or they had run out of gas - as we passed we saw that the driver had fallen asleep!  Hey Guys!  I got up at 3:00 a.m and was only 20th in line!

A view from our viewing area to the North Viewing area.  We were 1 row back from the fence.

A zoom shot over to the Corrals where the Wranglers are getting ready

Finally about 9:45 the round up  begins.  The herd starts down over the ridge by the North Area

They're being herded by Horses and Trucks

Past the North Area

Across Lame Johnny Road and through Fence No. 1 

At 10 a.m. it is already in the 70's and they don't push the herd very hard and rest them every so often it is more of a Stroll than a stampede at times and the Buffalo seem to already know the program and wander calmly into the Corral.

Of Course there are probably 14,000 people who have come to watch so they get the last group to charge in the final stretch 

Here's a video of the final charge.  On the 2nd group that turns back you can see they knock down the fence.  They sheared off a good 10 inch thick wood fence post. 

Safe and Sound in the Corrals

Glad we got the chance to see it.  Of course our employee that works on Friday nights quit because we weren't there to help her - although we were only a phone call away.  Thankfully the only one working Monday showed up!  At least we had our two days off this week and only 2 more weeks to go!

Till Later!

Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n

Melissa & Gary 

2 Days Off

Finally got the schedule worked out so we can have 2 days off together.  We were going to go camping at Bismark Lake but had been invited to get together with a group of people at the Silver Dollar Saloon in Hill City for their Fish Fry.  Our new friends Steve and Sharon are hosts at a campground just down the road from there so we decided to camp there instead.  So we pulled up roots and took our house with us.  A nice small park that backs up to the Mickelson Trail.

We even got to have a campfire after dinner.  Finally broke open that bottle of Chocovine! 

Steve and Sharon invited us on their 6:30 a.m. walk.  When I looked out the window of the RV that morning I said to Gary "Look!" and pointed outside - he asked "What??"  - I said "No Rock Crest Lodge!".  Just a minute after I took this picture of our site at the start of our walk, my phone rang - it was our high school employee calling in sick.  We decided they'd be fine without her or us!

A nice crisp morning for a 4 mile walk. 

Passed these guys eating their breakfast.  We also passed a large flock of Turkeys but some jogger came by the other way and scared them off before I could get a shot.  

After our walk we headed out for a drive to find Horse thief Lake.  Passed these twin cows in the road. 

Drove past George. 

and then found Horse thief Lake.   

they have a nice secluded and quiet campground.  Unfortunately this was their last week open.  Most of the National Forest Service campgrounds close this weekend because it is usually getting cold by now but we've been having temps in the 70's. 

A beautiful wooden boardwalk goes around most of the lake with fishing platforms and benches.  They stock the lake with perch, bass and trout. 

Next we stop in Hill City for lunch at the Slate Creek Grille and had some great burgers.  There was a quilt show in town so we stopped in. 

Our friend Sharon had a quilt in the show. 

Sharon and Steve gave us a late check out so we went back and cooked dinner for them.  Steak Tips with peppers, onions and mushrooms in a Garlic Tuscan sauce.  Some asparagus, cucumbers and tomatoes - a feast!  We headed back home around a little after 6 as we had to go back to work in the morning.  Decided maybe getting off site on our days off should become routine!

Till Later!

Meanwhile we keep on Trek'n

Melissa and Gary