Blogs from Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota, United States, North America - page 5

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Here are some photos from the Mt. Rushmore Area.... read more
George Washington
Our Family


We took a beautiful old highway (44 west) through the Badlands and Buffalo Prairie on our way to Mt. Rushmore.... read more
Badlands
DSCF3606
Wildflowers


On Sunday we went around the Black Hills area. We did two hikes, both Griswald style and then went to the SD Air and Space Museum and a Cowboy dinner and show. Then we spent the night in the RV with a thunderstorm watching National Treasure 2.... read more
Hike #1
Hike #1
Hike #2


Road trip. While in Memphis we realised that were travelling across America faster than we had intended. We were also feeling frustrated with being limited only to the cities that the Greyhound buses visited and then being restricted by poor public transport. It was time to get a car and go on a road trip. One of the places we had both wanted to see in America was Mount Rushmore. We consulted our map and decided we should go to Dallas and set out from there. Luckily the bus we got was fairly quiet as the journey from Memphis was 8 hours. After a night in a motel, we took a cab to the car rental office and picked up our Chevvy HHR. Not the prettiest looking car but it was economic which was important as ... read more
Why did the Bison cross the road.....
Mount Scott
Red Rock Canyon


Obfuscator writes: We awoke after a fairly restless night at Ayres Natural Bridges, and took the opportunity to once again survey the park. We were hoping to find some better pictures given better lighting conditions, but we found that the morning's lighting was about as unfavorable as the evening's had been, just on the other side. Still, we met a nice old couple from Iowa who were visiting, and we got to walk around the Old Power Station which had a staggering number of broken windows. We drove quite a bit after that, detouring to see what was marked on our map as Teapot Dome. As some of you may recall from your history courses, or whatever, Teapot Dome was the site of a big scandal early in the 20th Century. We must have passed Teapot ... read more
The Natural Bridge in the Morning
Sun on the Creek
Tree Spikes


Hello! We had our 1st real leisurely morning as Mass at Rose of Lima is only at 10 am. It was a pretty all wood church and had a very nice liturgy. We drove the short distance to Mt. Rushmore Natl Monument. It is quite spectacular with facial features and considerable detail. No dogs allowed so Timmy stayed in the motorhome and slept as he has been prone do doing. He loves traveling, but the last few days hasn't been able to digest his food. Picnicked roadside and went back into Hill City (a town much like Truckee). Our new mirror fell off,but didn't break. We stopped at the hardware store for some super, super glue. Keep your fingers crossed. We think of what's going on back home: Jeff's last performance as One Eyed Dick then ... read more


After Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Shazza and I headed north through the Big Horn Mountains, which were covered in the smoke haze from the ongoing forest fires. We took a detour west to visit the Battle of Little Bighorn National Memorial, better known as "Custer's Last Stand". It was where up to 2000 Sioux warriors defeated the U.S. 7th Cavalry and killed close to 300 soldiers and Crow scouts as they tried to force the Sioux Indians back into the reservations. It would be the last victory for the Plains Indians, led by Sitting Bull and the legendary Crazy Horse. The native ranger gave a passionate presentation of the events leading up to and including the battle, incorporating quotes from those present on both sides. One description upon seeing the Sioux's 20,000 strong herd ... read more
Polar Bear
Battle of Little Bighorn
Storm chasing


We had quite a light show during the night. The lightning lit up the night sky from all directions most of the night. The thunder was only severe for a short period and it rained periodically - enough to get every thing soaked including our sleeping bag. Our campsite there was very scenic. We drove through the west end of the Badlands National Park and saw some wildlife inclusing two buffalos. We stopped at several very scenic overlooks and each one was very picturesque. We went to Wall, SD but did not go into Wall's Drug. We did laundry, ate lunch and grocery shopping. Approaching Mt Rushmore there was a lot of hazy smoke in the air. We later learned the smoke is from the wildfires out in WY, MT and ID - just where we ... read more
Bad Boy in Bad Lands
Prairie Dogs
Campsite in Badlands


The journey out of North Dakota to Rapid City was L-O-N-G! Unlike North Dakota and Montana there is not much variation in the scenery and the landscape is very boring. A lot of scrub grass, the occasional herd of cows and scattered groups of deer. Approaching Rapid City however, I started to climb and the scenery started to change, lots more trees—lots more! Upon arrival here at Shadows of Rushmore Resort I browsed their brochures and saw one for a narrated bus trip to Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse Monument. The trip included an all you can eat breakfast and a barbecue supper with a western show thrown in. So I decided to sign up for it. The tour company sent a car to pick me up at 8 a.m. on Thursday ... read more
The Monument
Close
Lyn at Mt. Rushmore


An action packed day! All three sights are close to Sturgis and Rapid City (where we stayed, yet again, with a kind and generous relative). The Mount Rushmore carvings were begun in 1927 and finished in 1941, and represent four of America’s most famous presidents - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln (the jury is out as to whether current president George Bush will be added at a later date). The statues were originally planned to be full portraits, but funding ran out and so the finished sculptures are head and shoulders only. Mount Rushmore is controversial with Native Americans because the area was seized from them after the Black Hills War in 1876-7. In 1948 work was begun on a sculpture of the war Chief Crazy Horse, at the request of Native ... read more
Crazy Horse memorial
Needles Highway




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