Definitely a day of natural wonder (and mankind’s manipulation of nature). Morning started with a drive by Devil’s Tower (literally rising from the middle of nowhere), then to see a few things I’ve seen before. Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. I had a very different memory of what these looked like than what I saw yesterday. Crazy Horse is on its way to be the largest monument in the world (larger than the Pyramids and taller than the Washington Monument). It is run by a nonprofit organization following the vision of the original sculptor – a very neat combination. Mount Rushmore was never finished (I didn’t know that) and was originally designed with a vault to hold precious American documents. A swing through Rapid City to see the bronze presidential statues “walking down the streets” was a great stopping point. And the Badlands were breathtaking, and confusing. I was driving through prairies, lots of them, and then *bam* there are canyons and cliffs and Badlands. I sat for a while at watched the prairie dogs — they are confusing creatures as well, they dance and shriek. Maybe I am part prairie dog?
Then the long drive across South Dakota to Sioux Falls….I’m on my way to go see what the falls actually look like today.
Posted by rvoorhees 
