The Last Day of Summer

Today is the first day of fall, which means yesterday was the last day of summer.  I love fall with the cooler temperatures and nature's colorful displays, but I always mourn the passing of summer a bit. 

Yesterday, Chad and I spent the last day of summer taking a little road trip.  Chad is an EMT, and a paramedic friend of his in a little town about an hour away, wants him to work some shifts for the hospital there.  So, off we went to that tiny hospital so Chad could do all of his new employee paperwork and physicals.

When that was all done by around lunchtime, the fun began!  We decided to take our sandwiches and head to Devils Tower to take in some scenic beauty and have a picnic.  The day was glorious with a clear sky and lots of sunshine.  It was the perfect way to spend the last day of summer!

As my cousin, Heather, said on a family trip to the Tower when she was about 5, "When you see the red hill, you're almost there!"

Around the last curve in the road just before the entrance gate, this is the view. Awesome!

The view from the spot where we had our picnic.

The Tower is sacred to Native Americans, and some of the trees along the paths have prayer cloths tied in them.  I thought this one was beautiful.

Even the grasses are getting in on the colorful act.

View of the Belle Fourche River valley below the Tower trail.

Of course no visit to Devils Tower is complete without stopping to say hello to the prairie dogs!