North Dakota Highpoint

We broke camp early on the 22^nd of July, still filled with memories of the evening ceremony at Mr. Rushmore. First on our schedule was Jewel Cave National Monument, the second-longest cave network in the world. Below the Black Hills West of Custer, South Dakota are over 140 miles of caves. We took the half mile tour, since we didn’t have time for the whole 140 miles, and I couldn’t fit through the Calorie Counter, the 7.5 inch passageway into the great network. But what a wonder of God’s earth, a likely product of the Great Flood of Noah. It makes me marvel to think of the many awesome wonders that came out of that judgment, gleaming and gargantuan monuments to the grace of God.

After the tour we headed north through Deadwood, Spearfish, and Belle Fourche, and wandered out onto the rolling plains of South Dakota, and into North Dakota, passing Bowman and Amidon, and getting back on the dirt roads just past the St. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery, at the white farm house. A few miles down we turned again, and then stopped to drop our ten bucks in the mail box to enter the private land. A bouncing ride across a half mile of track along the fence line brought us to the stopping spot where we left Rene’ and Alex to relax peacefully in the hot wind while we ascended through the mile of white chalky outcroppings, sagebrush, and long grass to the top of White Butte, North Dakota.

At the top we were just about blown into Montana by the prevailing wind. Wow. There was a nice view from there, four hundred feet above everything else, with green rolling grass in every direction. Turner declared this desolate location to be his favorite of the five so far. I’m more inclined toward South Dakota’s Harney Peak, but hey it was my birthday for that one. We strolled back down, jogging here and there, to join the girls and drive on for the night to Hardin, Montana. In the morning we would visit the Little Bighorn battlefield, and drive on to home.