Day SEVEN | Sunday Funday!

A lone Ponderosa growing atop the second tallest peak in South Dakota.

            Today was the Savanna Studio’s first free day. It happened to be our first full day in the beautiful Black Hills, and we had the whole day to roam the campgrounds. We woke to a blanket of fog surrounding the campsite as well as the usual 40-degree temperatures we have become accustomed to. After discussing our optional activities for the day, we went in different directions, scattering to the four winds you could almost say. One group of students went to Mount Rushmore and drove the Wilderness Loop with Gary.  Others chose a more active alternative, when they chose to hike around the campsite and nearby babbling brook instead. Others went to Rapid City for a more practical free day (to the chiropractor!). The majority of people however went on a hike to Harney Peak, the tallest point in South Dakota

Life is good at Harney Peak... good enough to nap for some!

            Ryano: The group that went to Harney Peak drove for about 30 minutes along a windy road and tunnels with three inches of clearance on either side.  The morning trip was worthwhile. Just as we had parked at the trailhead, we were showered in sunlight and heat. This inspired many of the students to disrobe numerous articles of clothing.  Once the sweaters, long sleeved t-shirts, and even a good number of t-shirts were shed and packed away, the hike began at a brisk pace. As we stretched into a long chain of sun loving student hikers, we quickly realized the inverse relation of elevation, and cardiovascular stamina. Even out of breath, all of the students were inspired to make it all the way up to the Harney Peak, by the occasional glimpse of the hollowed out fort located atop the peak.  In addition to the view of the peak, the hike was full of stunning vistas from rock outcroppings and breathtaking views looking over cliffs from which many sketched, others had lunch, and one especially exhausted student slept.  Although there was an unfortunate misadventure later on in the day when a couple students got lost, most all other hikers have decided that it was a great day.

A couple of particularily ominous tunnels

Paige: I however did not enjoy any of these activities, but instead my parents came to visit me! They came all the way from Colorado to enjoy the sunny Sunday with me. I was woken up abruptly at 7:15 by the sound of my mom’s voice through my tent. Quite loudly I might add. We quickly set off to breakfast at the lodge and then started on our jaunt up the Needles highway. The aptly named road took us through beautifully scenic rock formations. The rocks were stretched tall almost as if they were laffy taffy. The road wound back and forth with several heart stopping one-lane tunnels. Almost all of them had a blind curve so we had to honk to make sure that no one was coming from the other direction, and more than once we had to back out to let another vehicle pass. We quickly came upon the Mount Rushmore area approaching from the backside. As we rounded a corner we could suddenly see the side of George’s face. We did not stop and go into the park but instead did a drive-by due to limited visit time. My parents soon dropped me off at the campsite and I spent the rest of the day leisurely studying and sleeping, but not eating, since I accidentally left all of my food in the vans, which were otherwise occupied (see above activities)

One of the many blind corners of Custer National Park

Overall, we students enjoyed our free day a great deal.  In fact Paige and I have decided that the most appropriate title for the collective outing is Sunday Funday--more than that, it has been the best day of the trip yet.