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"Paha Sapa"--the Black Hills. For some Native people, an almost sacred place of renewal and escape, a place for love, a place of peace and protection from blustery Plains winters. This adventure starts in the Black Hills, then moves east and south, to Valentine, NE. We will explore the gorgeous Niabrara River, sprawling buffalo ranches, all places of immense beauty and interest, but known generally only to locals. Then it's west again, to Chadron, NE and its almost mystical buttes, a landscape you'll instantly associate with a hundred cinematic "westerns." Before we return to our starting point, we'll visit historical spots like Wounded Knee and Ft. Thompson and explore the desolate beauty of the Badlands.

Local ranchers, Native Americans, and small town folk will also help us understand the history, landscape and culture of the wide open space of what seems a hidden quarter of the Great Plains--southwest South Dakota and northwest Nebraska. We'll head down dusty roads, drive through towns with no stop lights or fast food places, far off the beaten path. This is an adventure wrapped in history, geological wonders, and local story. It's a journey to a place where what seems like nothing turns out to be really, really something. It's the kind of breathtaking emptiness that brings you to your knees and compels you to "Be still and know that I am God." We invite you to come along!

3:00 PM--Check into the Howard Johnson Express Inn, Rapid City, SD.
4:30 PM--Introductions followed by dinner and orientation. The adventure begins!

We head east to the Rosebud Indian Reservation and visit with Native Americans who tell us about their culture and the challenges Native Americans face. You will enjoy our stop at the historic St. Francis Mission and an evening meal with the small congregation in Lake View, SD. We'll spend the night at the Holiday Inn Express, Valentine, NE.

Today we explore the Nebraska Sandhills and stop at a ranch near Rose, NE which features a straw bale house, organic farming and a buffalo herd. After lunch on the ranch, we'll continue along the Niabrara River and enjoy the wide open spaces of the sandhills. You will have the opportunity to do some hiking too. We'll bunk for a second night at the Holiday Inn Express, Valentine, NE.

Don your boots and chaps as we continue through ranch country. We'll hug the SD/NE border and make stops at the Arthur Bowring Sandhills Ranch, Wounded Knee, and the Fur Trader Museum in Chadron, NE. Late afternoon, the crew will check into quarters at Ft. Robinson, NE.

We'll enjoy the Ft. Robinson activities beginning with a breakfast hayride. The rest of the morning, you can choose to do stage coach rides, hiking, horseback riding, swimming as well as lunch on your own. After an afternoon visit to the Agate Fossil Bed near Harrison, NE, we'll head back for a second night at the fort.

We're off to the desolate but breathtaking Badlands! You will love our stops at Toadstool Park and secluded spots in the Black Hills. Then it's back to where we began, the Howard Johnson in Rapid City, SD. We'll end with a dinner and group reflection time. This will be our final event.

Check out. Contact the Howard Johnson Express Inn at (605) 737-4656 to stay additional nights.

Each day will include a group devotional time and faculty-led commentary on the places we visit. There will be several opportunities to discuss our experiences as a group and reflect jointly on what we've learned. Plan for 6 meals "on your own" that are NOT included in your program fee. Some activities require moderate hiking of more than one mile.