Panning for Gold

8/18/09





Custer State Park has a panning for gold demonstration daily at 1:00 for free. After the demo, they hand out pans and let everyone try their hand at finding gold. I told Joe I wanted to go and pan for gold.





Heading to the stream for the demo.

They handed out the pans after the demo. The demonstator told us that if we found any gold we had to give it to her, as all gold found in the park stays in the park. There were not enough pans to go around, so I had to wait.

See that bridge? That is where I took pictures of buffalo last week. Some buffalo were in this stream last week. " Hurry up kids, I want a turn." Joe asked if I would be disappointed if time ran out and I didn't get a turn. I thought ( just kidding- need to say this just in case someone thinks I'm being serious) those kids are young, they have all their lives to get to do this! My life is half over, and I wasn't a spoiled child who got to do everything when I was kid. I'm just getting to do this at 54.

Finally it's my turn.

Some kids finally got bored with it and some parents got bored watching and said, Come on Tommy and Betty it's time to go.

It took about 7 minutes of being bent over, doing the fill, swirl and pour out action, before I got a stomach ache and called it quits. Joe timed me. Oh well, if I found gold, I just have to give it back anyway. What fun is that.

Sylvan lake.

After panning for gold, we drove to Sylvan Lake to walk on one of their trails. We have been site seeing so much in the car, that we haven't gotten much exercise lately and my pants are getting tight.

As we walk on the trail around the lake I noticed the two rock on top large rocks formations. I sure don't want to be under foothills when those little rock decide to come down.

On the trail we had to walk under the boulders that a stuck between the other two rock formations. I ran through.

Peak a boo. I told you I'm a nana. I have done and do this a lot. Get use to it.
( can you see me in the hole in the wall- you may have to double click on the picture)

Half way around the lake, we found a sign for the trail that said it was a 3 mile hike and it was moderate to strenuous, and would take 2-3 hour depending on each person. We admit it, we are out of shape and said forget it. We found the short path that took us around the lake and went that way.

When we got to the other side of the small lake, we climbed on this rock to take this picture. There was another route on a much higher rock above this one. A lot of younger people were up there, and I wanted to go up, but then I remember the stair climb I took in the Badlands and how I messed up my leg for 5 days. I said to Joe," I don't think I will go up that one, because I don't know if I could get back down." He said, " Good choice."

As we fheaded the rest of the way back to our car, Joe said," I just figured out when you know you are getting old. When you see other younger people doing something and you question yourself if you have the ability to do it."

We finish the walk around the short path around the lake and called it a day. We got maybe 30 to 40 minutes in. That's good for out of shape people like us. You need to know your limitations, so you don't hurt yourself.

That night we said good bye to a neat couple we met, from Sioux City, Iowa. They came to the Broken Arrow Campground about the same day as we did, and are leaving a day before us. They have a tree farm in Sioux City and a winter home in Arkansas. Their 2 children are taking over their tree farm business, so they can so south for the winter.

Sue and Dusty her horse.

Sue and Dusty again.

Terry, Sue, and Joe

Thanks Terry for sharing your movies with Joe this last week. He was going stir crazy without cable. And Thanks Terry and Sue for the great fires you provided. We really enjoyed your company.