Wind Cave National Park

We showed up at Wind Cave to find that it was National Public Lands Day.   On this day, among a few others throughout the year, all national parks and monuments have free admission.  We have a national parks pass so our admission is always free but there would have been a charge for the cave tour but thanks to Nation Public Lands Day our tour was free!!

The most stunning and notable thing about Wind Cave is its display of boxwork.  Boxwork is a calcite formation.  Wind Cave holds 95% of the worlds boxwork.  If I remember correctly the other 5% is found in the Ukraine and Australia.   Wind Cave is the 6th longest cave in the world with more and more miles being discovered each year.

Boxwork

When we got to the van I looked at Jeff to unlock the car while he was looking at me to unlock the car.  Turns out that neither one of us had the keys, with me being the last to have possession of them.  The keys seemed to have up and vanished.  I searched and searched because I am known for placing the keys, among other things, in places that are the absolute least logical place of all.  For example, the van battery was just dead because I left the keys in the ignition turned part way on or the time the keys were in the hallway closet (that was when we lived in a house with a closet, no closets in the motorhome). 

But the place we found the keys this time was a first; off the side of the wall on preserved land in Wind Cave National Park.  While sitting down on the stone wall that lines the sidewalk of the entry walkway, the keys must have slipped off the edge.  There they were glistening among this beautiful land.  Ranger Andrew was called to the scene where he had to climb up the hill to retrieve our precious keys.  He slipped a few times while he was climbing up but I held in my laugh as he was my lifeline to getting back to the campground.  Thanks Ranger Andrew!  I’m sorry that this once undisturbed land has now been left with a set of footprints.