June 30th Mt.Rushmore, Black Hills, Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop Road, Crazy Horse, and Needles Road

Today we started out bright and early, we were going to breakfast before 7:30.  Then we headed to Mt. Rushmore.  What a sight!  We saw the Presidents, and the only person who is still alive that actually carved on the presidents. Lori had her picture taken with him.  We took lots of pictures and a walk around up to it.  Lots of stairs.  We saw a family of mountain goats. 

Then off to what we thought was going to be Crazy Horse, but it ended up in the Black Hills and Custer State Park.  We fed chipmunks out of our hands!  Lori and Nina said this was their favorite part of the day. There were about 7 of them.  You could tell this had been done lots as there were tons of sunflower shells all over.

I truly couldn't get over just admiring all of God's fantastic handy work! I loved looking at the needles and the eye hole on Needles Rd. 

During our Wildlife Loop, we saw elk, one buffalo, deer, and lots of prairie dogs.  Again marveling at the Beauty of the area of the world I am in now. 

Off to Crazy Horse.  Oh my the size of it and the complex carving is off the charts!  It is not government funded so it has taken over 60 years to get it this far.  I am wondering if it will be done in my life time.  The movie was very good. 

Back to Mt. Rushmore to see that lit up. 

 

Summer Vacation Trip to Mt. Rushmore June 29th

What a drive from Sioux Falls to Keystone.  We had a beautiful 4 hour detour to Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead in DeSmet, South Dakota.  We got to ride in a covered wagon to the school and see a Lutheran (AELC) Church.  My sister, Lori even got to drive the horse on the wagon ride.  We made Corn Cob Dolls, braided rope, ground wheat seeds, they petted a baby pony that was so adorable, went to school, checked out a "dug out" house and a shanty house.  (I prefer the dugout one because it was cooler inside.) Then we went around the town. 

I didn't know that Mt. Rushmore was in mountain time so was disappointed in the time it took to get here.  It started out flat, and the around the Missouri River it was very hilly and beautiful.  I missed the scenic outlook, we will have to hit that on the was home.  The bad lands were very cool.  We just stayed on the highway 90 but we will hit that on the way home!

Our windshield was full of splatted creatures God didn't want on the earth!  It was getting hard to see so we had to get a my car washed.