We wake to another glorious day. The sun is shining in a sapphire sky, and the temperature is headed toward 75. After a piping hot breakfast - a scramble of eggs, sausage, potatoes, and cheese in the crock pot - we pack our coolers for lunch and head out for the Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival.
The grandeur of the yesterday's buffalo safari is still on everyone's mind, so we listen to the 'Dances With Wolves' soundtrack as we drive. Discussion is all about the buffalo, South Dakota, the west, and our passion for these topics. We couldn't have assembled a better group for this western adventure. It speaks to our souls, and touches us on a primal level somehow. Growing up with John Wayne, Louis L'Amour, the Cartwrights, and Tell Sacket as our heroes, we have imprinted on that lifestyle like a baby animal imprints on its mother.
We've seen a lot of wildlife here in Custer: buffalo, pronghorn, mule and whitetail deer, turkeys, prairie dogs, mustangs, rabbits, and ground squirrels; this morning we add another to our list - a Bighorn Sheep is grazing by the side of the road. We are also starting to see more people here in the park since the roundup takes place tomorrow. I guess we don't have the park all to ourselves any more!
The Arts Festival is just getting underway when we arrive. It is held in a meadow full of buffalo chips - this is obviously a favorite grazing area for them when it's not filled with EZ-Ups and tents. Artisans and craftsmen display their wares, many with Native American or western themes. Strolling through the booths, I pick up a pair of buffalo tooth earrings. Everyone shops at different rates, so we split off into smaller groups. Like most arts and craft shows, there is a mix of the exquisite and the mundane. Deb and I make our rounds, contemplating some potential purchases, and take a seat in the main tent to wait for rest of our group.
 |
| Art Festival Purchases |
A text comes in from Dawn, "We are checking to see if the Torpedo has a hitch. Gin found a buffalo head!" What?! We assemble under the tent and discuss the possilities. No, the Torpedo (the HildeVan's alter ego) doesn't have a hitch, but somehow, we'll get it home. Before we leave the vendor's booth, not only do we have to make room for a mounted buffalo head, but we also have to fit in 3 buffalo skulls and an elk horn! Maybe this is one of the reasons we're the Crazy Owl tribe!
After all the shopping drama, we relax and watch a presentation about Black Hills raptors. The most exciting bird is the Ferruginous Hawk. These hawks are from the open prairie where trees are scarce, which means they build nests on the ground so are susceptible to predators. Therefore, they have evolved a survival strategy of attack first and ask questions later. Known as one of the most aggressive and dangerous raptors in the world, they have been known to knock cowboys off their horses by attacking from behind with their powerful talons. Ferruginous Hawks are the badasses of the raptor world!
After winning blue ribbons in the Buffalo Chip Flip (yes, that is exactly what it sounds like!), we eat a picnic lunch before loading our buffalo head and skulls into the Torpedo and heading back to Blue Bell. Everyone crashes into bed for a power nap. It's not a long one, because we need to make dinner before our nighttime activities. Tonight we have time for a campfire meal - Hawaiian brats and beans. Why does everything taste so much better when it's cooked and eaten outdoors?
Dusk finds us at Crazy Horse Monument. None of us had any idea that it consists of much more than a carving on a mountain. The complex contains an Indian Museum, an Indian University and Medical Training Center, and a Native American Cultural Center. The beautiful museum houses a vast array of Native American artifacts, arts, and crafts. A short film telling the story of the monument leaves us in awe of the power of one man's dedication. Korczak Ziolkowski
began carving the mountain single-handedly, a sculpture destined to be the largest in the world. Although it will be years before it is finished, the Indian people will have a lasting memorial that tells the world their message: "We would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes, too." After dark, a laser light show plays onto the surface of the carved mountain, bringing the story of Crazy Horse and Ziolkowski to life. The finale, a laser outline of the finished piece overlying over the existing carving, is stunning.Back at Blue Bell, we hurriedly pack a cooler for the roundup tomorrow and lay out our clothes. A weary bunch tumbles into beds, with alarms set for 3:30 am. Crazy Owl tribe says goodnight!
No comments:
Post a Comment