Buffalo or Bison?

Sleep in day!  We got up at 6AM, J grabbed coffee and snacks so that we could go drive the wildlife loop.  We were beginning to wonder about seeing anything other than random white tail deer and antelope until we found the burrow and in the far distance a buffalo heard.  Nearby was a wildlife center but sadly it is closed due to COVID.  Side note: Don’t think I’ve mentioned CoVID before now on this trip.  It changes things quite a bit.  Very short "run in" stops when we need and we are discovering it saves a pretty good amount of money.  It’s just so strange to walk into any place or walk down the sidewalk in a town with a mask on and seeing so many masks around us.  We wear masks everywhere we are around people not because we are afraid of the virus but for two reasons:  We have a child going to college and don’t want him to miss his first days because he’s sick and because we don’t want to potential bring it to these small towns that don’t have very many cases, etc.  The travel is ingraining new routine in us anytime we enter a public place.  On a fun note, GraceLin woke up to a visitor on her hammock this morning - she named him Sneaky the Squirrel.

 

Beyond the wildlife center we turned off on dirt and shortly found a heard of buffalo.  There were  two males blowing, pawing the ground and grunting.  There were many mamas with adorable calves.  We had lots of discussion about whether they were buffalo or bison and if ther is a difference.  I’m not sure we came to a conclusion.  John was on alert as the males came closer to one another not far from us.   A few hundred yards away two pronghorn (antelope) running and playing.  The female would run away and wait for the male to follow.  He would stop near her and she would take off again.  Finally, they began a chase that just continued at a decent pace but then she kicked up the speed and they ran incredibly fast, crossed the street and over a ridge.  When we turned at the next dirt road, we found the pronghorn drinking at a nearby pond. 

                                   

    

Back to the camp for yummy griddle breakfast of sausage and very tasty eggs, we brough along hot sauce just for these.  We all did a few camp chores then John and I went into town.  He dropped me at the Lost Sock laundromat – they were amazing family owned business who did full service laundry but sadly didn’t have time to get to ours that day.  Still, they stopped to help me get acquainted with the machines and checked on me regularly.   John went to the grocery for supplies then came back to help fold.  Around 3, we drove to Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore.  Back home in camp, with firewood from church (donation) to build a fire, we cooked corn on the cob, chicken over the fire, played frizbee and roasted marshmallows.  Lots of great connection with kids.  

  Loving these long days filled with fun!~~