And a long drive it was! The day started with a rejuvenating early morning run for Susannah amongst the pine trees and along a lake while the kids slept in. When we finally hit the road, Chester had to navigate the serpentine turns and elevation changes of the Black Hills, so we made slow progress. We were rewarded, however, with an up-close and personal buffalo sighting – many signs warned us they were dangerous, but this photo was taken safely from inside Chester.

A mid-day visit to Fort Robinson Nebraska went unrecorded on film but provided a much needed (air conditioned) stop and showcased artifacts related to US interactions with Native Americans.

We crossed the Oregon Trail at Scotts Bluff NE. This impressive stone outcrop was an important milestone for the westward travelers. Our journey was nowhere near as harrowing as that of the emigrants in the wagon trains, but the combination of strong winds across the plains and undulating hills certainly taxed Chester and the drivers.

After traversing most of Nebraska from north to south, we turned west and crossed into Wyoming – our third state of the day! We finally rolled into our KOA campground just past 8 PM, after fighting headwinds for most of the day (daily average speed maybe 40 mph). This is our first KOA experience – as the kids remarked, “It may not be scenic, but the amenities are great!” They are both curled up with wifi on their iPods and may play mini golf tomorrow. Nick and Susannah are enjoying the breeze on the gravel pavement outside Chester – daylight photos coming tomorrow…

Day 13: Custer State Park (Center Lake Campground) to Cheyenne WY – roughly 300 miles.