photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment
Steve, Katherine, and Norah | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> South Dakota and Nebraska 2014 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

South Dakota and Nebraska 2014

My 20th high school reunion (*gulp*) was the catalyst for Norah and I to make a trip to Nebraska in July 2014. Norah had only been to Nebraska as a baby, so it was high time for her to fully experience the high plains. My parents met us in Rapid City, SD and we spent three days in the Black Hills (nowhere near enough time for everything we wanted to do). We visited Reptile Gardens, Mt. Rushmore, the Mammoth Site, Sylvan Lake, and the Cosmos before heading to Gordon. A highlight in Gordon was fishing with Grandpa at Shell Lake. Norah's fishing pole was on fire and she had a grand time! We also enjoyed seeing School House Rock at the Fort Robinson Playhouse, fair and rodeo activities (carnival, rodeo, and parade), and catching up with friends. I also had some nice opportunities to take pictures of where I grew up. I'm not sure of the exact quote, but it's something to the effect of "The mountains and oceans shout their beauty, the plains whisper". It was very beautiful indeed in its peacefulness and feeling of immense space. Overall, we very much enjoyed our trip and hope it is not as long before our return visit!
Talking parrot at Reptile Gardens
Talking parrot at Reptile Gardens
Norah enjoying the bird show
Norah enjoying the bird show
A cool owl
A cool owl
Polly wants a dollar
Polly wants a dollar
Smart way to get donations!
Smart way to get donations!
A bale of turtles (had to look that one up)
A bale of turtles (had to look that one up)
Funhouse mirrors
Funhouse mirrors
Huge sea turtle skeleton
Huge sea turtle skeleton
Looking sly
Looking sly
Reptile Gardens playground
Reptile Gardens playground
Reptile Gardens playground
Reptile Gardens playground
Snake show
Snake show
Gotta keep these guys far away from the snake exhibit
Gotta keep these guys far away from the snake exhibit
One of three tortoises
One of three tortoises
Tortoise exhibit
Tortoise exhibit
Running through the fountains in Rapid City
Running through the fountains in Rapid City
Dinner with friends
Dinner with friends
John Adams makes an appearance
John Adams makes an appearance
Coffee bean roasting lesson
Coffee bean roasting lesson
Norah and her beans
Norah and her beans
The Cosmos
The Cosmos
The ball rolls the wrong way!
The ball rolls the wrong way!
And so does the water
And so does the water
Wacky gravity
Wacky gravity
Norah giving it a go
Norah giving it a go
Mt. Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore
Mt. Rushmore
Being sworn in as a junior ranger
Being sworn in as a junior ranger
Newly minted junior ranger
Newly minted junior ranger
Grizzly print
Grizzly print
Ice cream came only in one size - too big for even Norah to finish!
Ice cream came only in one size - too big for even Norah to finish!
Washington in profile
Washington in profile
Stopping for a bit of fishing at Sylvan Lake
Stopping for a bit of fishing at Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake
Rock corridor
Rock corridor
Prairie dogs
Prairie dogs
Pronghorn
Pronghorn
Mammoth Site tour
Mammoth Site tour
Heavy jawbone
Heavy jawbone
Mammoth site workers
Mammoth site workers
Model bone hut
Model bone hut
Checking out an old bear skull
Checking out an old bear skull
Mammoth exhibit
Mammoth exhibit
It's bigger than her!
It's bigger than her!
Getting ready for the junior dig
Getting ready for the junior dig
Digging in
Digging in
Found something!
Found something!
Mammoth Site junior dig
Mammoth Site junior dig
Norah working on her bone
Norah working on her bone
Exposed!
Exposed!
They were told they could take the rocks they found. Norah stuffed her pockets.
They were told they could take the rocks they found. Norah stuffed her pockets.
Junior Paleontologist
Junior Paleontologist
Sunrise on the prairie
Sunrise on the prairie
Abandoned school house
Abandoned school house
Solitude
Solitude
Prairie sunrise
Prairie sunrise
Heading to Shell Lake
Heading to Shell Lake
Tree spotting
Tree spotting
Fishing boat ready to go
Fishing boat ready to go
Hey there
Hey there
Early morning at Shell Lake
Early morning at Shell Lake
Shy
Shy
Norah ready to fish
Norah ready to fish
Master anglers Grandpa and NOrah
Master anglers Grandpa and NOrah
Shell Lake
Shell Lake
Norah helping drive
Norah helping drive
Searching for fish
Searching for fish
Norah's first fish
Norah's first fish
Action shot
Action shot
Another turtle
Another turtle
Worms Norah picked out - purple of course!
Worms Norah picked out - purple of course!
Nabbed a bass
Nabbed a bass
Got a big one!
Got a big one!
Norah and her big bass
Norah and her big bass
Norah was fascinated by barb wire when she was younger
Norah was fascinated by barb wire when she was younger
Beautiful evening on the prairie
Beautiful evening on the prairie
Wide open spaces
Wide open spaces
Country road sunset
Country road sunset
Bookish lunch
Bookish lunch
Gordon Main Street
Gordon Main Street
Grain elevators - calling card of small towns on the plains
Grain elevators - calling card of small towns on the plains
Enjoying the carnival
Enjoying the carnival
A little rodeo action
A little rodeo action
More fun at the carnival
More fun at the carnival
Big grins
Big grins
Norah braving the big ride
Norah braving the big ride
She did it!
She did it!
Kicking off our Class of '94 reunion
Kicking off our Class of '94 reunion
GHS Class of 1994
GHS Class of 1994
Childhood artifacts
Childhood artifacts
Charm necklace and Garbage Pail Kids!
Charm necklace and Garbage Pail Kids!
GHS Broncs
GHS Broncs
Ready for the parade
Ready for the parade
The girls up to something
The girls up to something
Next generation of trouble
Next generation of trouble
Norah and a buddy
Norah and a buddy
Miami style
Miami style
Family picture - good times!
Family picture - good times!