Nearing the weekend

Thursday, June 2, 2011

First full day in the Mt. Rushmore/Blackhills area.  We had some paperwork items to take care of at the park office and then drove the car to Mt Rushmore late morning.  Only about 5 miles away, but it took a little longer due to road construction.

We opted for the audio tour (we usually do) and it worked well.  We moved at our own pace around the Presidential Trail which passes below the monument, through the studios, the museum, etc.  Kyle and I were most interested in the methods and equipment used in the actual stonecutting – interesting hardware and stories.  In looking at the progress photos, you realize that they blasted away many yards of weathered, unsuitable granite before getting to sound rock suitable for carving.

the "profile view" of the mountain

There were several major concepts and models developed as the project unfolded, most only included three presidents – Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, in totally different poses than the final version.

one of many concepts, this one is the one he settled on

The park is well organized and maintained, everything flowed well.  The scenery is beautiful in every direction.  It was relaxing just to sit on the benches in the wooded areas of the Presidential Trail and look at the surroundings.

We left the Monument and went three miles east down the mountain to Keystone, a tourist town.  Nothing to recommend there.

Ate dinner at the outdoor snack bar back at the KOA – good wings, good chicken. 

Went back to Rushmore for the evening light program.  It was nice but it seemed repetitious after the time spent there earlier.

The monument at night

The KOA has good Wi-Fi service throughout, but the entire region is without decent cell coverage, apparently because the land is controlled by the National Forest Service or Custer State Park.

Friday, June 3, 2011


Today we went to Custer State Park, the best and largest South Dakota state park.  We drove down Iron Mountain Road, the Wildlife Loop, and Needles Highway. (these are all within the park mind you) Iron Mountain is most noted for what they call "pigtail turns", this is where the road goes up the mountain and doubles back on itself in a corkscrew, usually over a bridge. It is also noted for the very tight tunnels that go through big rock formations. 

entering one of the tunnels

The wildlife loop is...kind of self explanatory, lots of wildlife, including buffalo, burros, elk, mule deer, grizzly bears, prong-horn antelope, and all sorts of wild cats. We however, only saw a lot of buffalo, some "begging burros" and a few prong-horned antelope. 

antelope



Buffalo with a calf

Above Hole in the Wall picnic area, Needles Highway.



The Needles Highway runs through more of those tight tunnels, between huge grantie spires, toward the main attraction, the "Needle's eye" near the end of it.  They don't use many guardrails out here.  These roads are famous with the bikers; steep, curvy, narrow -- fun to drive, nice surface, and awesome scenery around every turn. 

Kyle below the Needle's Eye

Sylvan Lake

After all this we were going to go see the Crazy Horse monument, but we decided on just looking at it from a distance. We did however go and see the National Museum of Woodcarving. Let's just say that when you look at most of this work, you'll stop and say "wow...is that really made out of wood?" (well...i did anyway >_>) In all seriousness tho, there are some really impressive works there, about 30 of them are made by a guy named Dr. Niblack, most of which actually move. Three of these works were originally displayed in the Smithsonian. Because of this impressive work, he was asked by Walt Disney to come and help animate some of the attractions at Disneyland in the 1950's. 

Niblack's most famous carving, the farm scene, featuring over 15 moving figures