How I Spent My 4th of July Weekend

Since it's been about half a year since I have posted anything here, I figured it was about time!

My 4th weekend started a bit early, when my friend Nancy and her daughter 'Lizbeth (who is 12) persuaded me away from website design work for a day, to go to Angostura Dam for some sun and swimming.

Angostura Dam is a lovely hour's drive south to the southern-most tip of the Black Hills. It is a popular destination for all in the general area for swimming, boating and fishing. The water is a beautiful emerald green from a distance. The color is caused by the minerals from the Hot Springs that bubble up from the small sleepy town of– you guessed it– Hot Springs.

We decided to drive the scenic route through the Black Hills, which took us through Custer State Park as well as Wind Cave National Park. We saw lots of wildlife- antelope playing (well, what did you expect!), lots of buffalo- many chestnut-colored babies deer and prairie dogs.

When we got to Hot Springs we made a side tour to the stream that flows through the town so that Nancy could show 'Lizbeth where she used to play when visiting her Aunt Sandy as a little girl. The spring-heated stream is about the temperature of tepid bath water, the stream bottom soft sand. After paddling around for a few minutes we traveled on to Angostura.

The weather was in the mid-80's, and the lake water just right! After I had paddled around for a few minutes I noticed that my body was extra buoyant, which I attribute to the mineral content of the lake. The water has a slightly milky character which reminds me of bathwater with mineral salts added.

For someone who grew up by the ocean, it is a slightly odd sensation to be swimming with such a lovely hills surrounding the lake. They remind me of the Scottish Highlands, and so that makes me feel right at home!

I was surprised to see sea gulls here, but I guess they have now made their way to all parts of the US, whether sea side or inland. These were not quite the same looking as the herring gulls I was used to in New England. These are a bit smaller and have a different cry as well.

They are just as hungry as the NE gulls, though, as 'Lizabeth found out when she decided to see if they liked crackers! (The feet are Nancy's)