From Sunrise to Sunset, Nebraska

Sunrise Nebraska 7.44 am
Wounded Knee Memorial

American Indian Grave

Sunset Nebraska 8pm

In order to fit in all we had planned for today, we got up early enough to catch the sunrise in Valentine, Nebraska. Sadly cloud obscured the lower third of the horizon, but it was beautiful just the same. As we drove through the state we saw many herds of cattle, field after field of sunflower & corn crops as well as deer and two wonderful specimens of antelope. They were standing in a field beside the road, and unlike deer who run skittishly, the antelopes stood their ground. We were so busy admiring them as we drove past, and surprised that they didn't bolt, that I never got to take a photo of them.

Two hours after leaving Valentine we entered the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. We found the Memorial to the Lakota Sioux killed in the massacre at Wounded Knee that occurred on 29 December 1890. The graveyard sits above a hill just outside the town of Wounded Knee and can be accessed via several dirt roads. Two local American Indian males stood at the entrance to the graveyard and offered locally crafted dreamcatchers for sale - we didn't buy one but made a donation instead. At the base of the hill was the Wounded Knee Visitors Center & Memorial, but it looked deserted so we headed south and back to Nebraska.

It was a very hot afternoon and we were grateful to have effective airconditioning in our RV. After checking into our campground in Alliance, Nebraska, we laid low until after dinner and the temperatures had cooled somewhat. We took a walk up the street and almost 12 hours after taking the sunrise photo this morning, I took a sunset photo to finish off the day.

We have just learnt that Patrick Swayze lost his 20 month battle with cancer. May he RIP.