Mt Rushmore, SD

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After a cold night's sleep in the van (at a KOA, not Wal mart...yay, showers!) we woke up to frost on the inside of our windows. A hot shower felt great! We left for our next destination: Mt Rushmore.

On our way we made an impromptu stop at a veteran's cemetery with fields of white tombstones that could be seen from the road. The pristine green grass and the manner in which the two men working in outside stopped their work and removed their hats as a funeral procession drove increased our sense of respect for those who served our country in this way. After walking up and down a few rows a man who was a Vietnam veteran stepped out of his car to pay his respects to friends and acquaintances. He shared with me some of his experiences as sheriff in that area after the war, then he showed me the m-16 he still carried in the back of his truck. That was an unexpected experience.

We continued on our way to Mt Rushmore in the Black Hills. What an interesting thing to see, this hillside sculpture somewhat frozen in time as it remains unfinished. Once again, Junior Rangers really increased the learning experience for all of us, as we carefully read about each of the 4 presidents and the artist and the background and process to making Mt Rushmore.

From the maps of South Dakota we learned that there are several Native American reservations. This juxtaposed with the monument commemorating early American presidents as well as our stop to see the graves of veterans of several wars has given us such insight into the history of our nation.

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