Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller, Jacque Miller, Matt Miller, Holly Miller, Shane Miller
Expedition Date: July 11, 2003
We camped at the Mt. Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch (rated the #1 KOA in the USA) not far from Mt. Rushmore National Historic Site where the KOA served a delicious pancake breakfast and had their own horse stable on site. I reserved six horses & at 8am we hopped on our horses and several cowboys led us and eight other adults for a 90-minute horseback ride up a steep, wooded trail (Photo#4) to the top of a nearby mountain in Black Hills National Forest. The cowboys built an aspen-wood campfire and using big dutch oven skillets cooked pancakes, French toast and sausage the old western chuckwagon chow line way (Photo#5). The food was delicious. After a short hike, we enjoyed the great views of the valley & hills. Holly had a crush on one of the cowboys. The cowboy could run up & hop onto his horse without using his stirrups which really impressed her. The highest point in South Dakota is the peak on the top right of photo#6. We descended the rugged, scenic trail and back to the campground. Our adopted western names were: Dead Eye Dad, Wild Bill Matt, Fast Trigger Shane, Calamity Jacque, Annie Oakley Holly and Kissing Kate Rosie.
