Mounting Rushmore

So, our first, full day of vacation, which was absolutely gorgeous weather-wise (partly cloudy and a very pleasant breeze, high in the mid-80s) was to Mount Rushmore and Rushmore Cave. Mount Rushmore, of course is stunning, where the pictures you see anywhere truly do not do it justice, or provide the proper perspective for what the sculpture truly is. The park has changed significantly since I last saw it with Julie around 1989. There is a very impressive stone walkway up to the park, containing all the state flags, along with their admittance date into the Union.

Probably one of the funnest things about Rushmore is the approach. You can see it from the road driving up to the park, which only helps to build the excitement. It's a bit strange actually to be driving through beautiful, hilly country and suddenly see a massive face sprouting out of the rock.

Being the height of tourist season, Rushmore was packed, but people traffic flowed easily enough. The various pathways and trails that wind in front of the mountain, allowing different looks at the presidents were scenic and fun to take after driving. Plus, these paths also led to various other nifty bits of history surrounding Rushmore, it's sculpting and those behind it.

I decided to have a bit of fun with the kids, and taught them a few little known facts of Abraham Lincoln. I told them that his wife was regarded as one of the world's most beautiful women at the time, and that her first name was 'Baberaham' (babe-ra-ham). I further educated them about the creation of 'Lincoln Logs.' They of course came from the time Lincoln was visiting a hotel and took a huge dump, which was perfectly cylindrical in shape. It was later preserved and petrified, and became the Lincoln Log. We also talked about Mount Rushmore being a hiding spot for a secret government facility.

Somewhat related to that was my own personal fascination with the Hall of Records that was built away from public view behind Lincoln's head.

We went through the Rushmore gift shop, which was at 'fire hazard' levels of capacity. I found a very interesting book about Black Hills ghost towns, but left it on the shelf. Blake, did make the only real find, grabbing a hunk of Fools Gold.

Once we'd gotten our fill of stoned presidents, we decided to head back down the hill to the town of Keystone, which is the last town before reaching Rushmore. It's a tiny, tourist trap of a town, with a pleasant, if not crowded downtown. We walked up a few of the shops, but found nothing that really peaked our interest, save for Julie & the girls watching salt water taffy being made in one store.

We decided to take lunch at the 'Red Garter Saloon' where Blake really wanted to try a Sarsaparilla. We dined on Buffalo burgers, nachos and other salty, fatty foods.

Rested, we went to Rushmore Cave, which is not far from the monument. It's an old tunnel that goes about 150 feet under the surface, and as the tour guide put it, we literally were walking into the Black Hills. The cave very impressive, not only for its history (discovered by bored teens in the 1880s), but also for it's structure.

One of the most impressive parts of the cave was a room known as the Post Office. It was called this because legend has it that the entire town of Hayward, SD eventually made their way into the cave and carved their names on the cave walls. The Post Office of course, is the one place where the entire registry of the town was kept - Thus the name. Many of those names are still visible today, and we saw them. It was neat to wonder how many of those cave rooms were used for teen make-out sessions back them.

I have to confess that I am a bit claustrophobic. I chalk that up to all times my sisters used to cover me with blankets, then jump on top of me. Fun, I know. Anyway, when they first opened the doors to the cave entrance (you enter from the gift shop), and I saw that narrow tunnel, I felt the tight grip of fear in my chest. It was further heightened when Tom, our guide told us that the first 10 minutes of walking would be very tight quarters. I almost thought I wasn't going to make it. Still, you need to face your fears, and I did mine. It was worth it, as the tunnel truly is gorgeous.

The tour of the cave lasted an hour, and it was worth every minute. It really is fascinating and there are stories and history in every room. People have even been recently married inside the cave.

Below are some pictures from both Rushmore and the Cave. I have video as well, but I can't upload it yet, because like an idiot, I forgot the battery charger for the camcorder. I won't be able to upload that stuff until we're safely back in Iowa. So, that's just more motivation for you to come back. :)

Tale of the Tape
We've stuck to the budget pretty good at this point, with no real spontaneous purchases. Camping as a lodging choice is very good, especially with the nice cabin we have. Our supplies from the grocery store have also been very purposeful. The mileage factor is a little better so far because I had just purchased gas on the 19th. Gas is a bit more expensive out here though, averaging about $4.04. I also realized I did my math wrong last entry, so I corrected that.

Miles Traveled So Far: 760
Gas Money: $165
Cost per Mile: $ .22
Food Costs to Date: $141




Here's the video from our Rushmore Journey



And here's the Rushmore Cave stuff. I should apologize for this video though. It's a bit blurry, dark and shaky. Granted we were underground and moving, but it didn't turn out as good as I hoped.