Lead, SD-June 13, 2012

We decided to go to Lead to take the Homestake open cut gold mine tour. Wouldn't you know the stupid bus was in the shop getting the a/c repaired? So, we drove around in the interesting little town ourselves. We'll go back another day for the tour. Right behind the office where tickets can be purchased is part of the old open cut gold mine. From the edge you cannot see the bottom. It was breathtaking to see.

Can you believe this is an old open cut gold mine?

Lots of coal is visible, too.

Then we drove to the newly completed Sanford Underground Research Facility. So what are they researching? Dark Matter, also referred to as Dark Energy. Since physics makes my brain want to shut down, let me quote from the brochures. Only 4% of our universe is visible to us. The other 96% is dark matter that emits no light. So, a mile down into an old closed gold mine there will be, in just a few short months, 100 physicists studying dark matter and how to measure it. It is a $300 million project. We saw the entrance and turned around and left. We got nervous just being in the car in the parking lot! These men will be studying particles that are undectable. Does this make sense to you? Well, not to either of us. However, if you need more info, let me know. I'll send you a link or two. Then we left that behind and drove on to Spearfish. It was one of those days where I ran out of adjectives. This countryside is so beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice, so you'll have to take my word for it, or see it for yourself. It's just a blessing to see such beauty. We have decided we need to see more of this area so we are staying another week.

May I share two more pictures?

A golf course along the way to Lead.

Taken from the parking lot where we had lunch.

What a wonderful day!