Crazy Horse - Mount Rushmore - Badlands South Dakota 6-10-09 / 6-11-09

6-10-09 Crazy Horse
It was raining steady enough to carry an umbrella when outside and keep the wipers flapping as we were driving. We left the picturesque town of Hot Springs South Dakota on Highway 385 through the Black Hills. As we drive, I catch a few of the names of the parks; Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Black Hills National Forest. Buffalos roam in the meadows through rolling hills of short grass fresh from the recent rains. This is open range for miles. Bison own this land.

The terrain changes through the Black Hills National Forest and the open range changes to fences. Out cropping of large boulders dot the steeper hillside. Bright light colored lichen offers a contrast to the dark colored granite. Patches of purple flowers cluster together in the shadows.

It is still raining off and on and clouds hang heavy in the sky. We stop at the gate of Crazy Horse Memorial and decide to pay the $10 per person to see the museum and a video about this memorial to all Native Americans. In the distance we see the mountain with the profile of the face of Crazy Horse.

Korczak Ziolkowski was commissioned in 1947 by Chief Standing Bear to sculpt Crazy Horse from the mountain. Korczak was self-taught in art, architecture and engineering. His talent and skills were first put to work on Mount Rushmore. Crazy Horse became his life’s work. He started in 1949 when he was age 40. He tramped up and down the 750 wooden steps he built on the side of the mountain. Buda, his somewhat inefficient air compressor sat at the bottom of the hill with compressed air lines stretching up to the top of the hill. He used dynamite to blast away parts of the mountain so he could reveal the face deep in the top of the mountain.

It is quite the work in progress and won’t be completed for another 40 years. I’ll be 103 by them. The magnitude of this creation is amazing. Korczak died in 1982. He was a proud Polish American who gave many of his 10 children authentic Polish names. Seven of them and his wife who is now in her eighties still work on the mountain for in the museum. Such dedication to a life’s work is honorable. He was relentless in following his dream with full knowledge that it would not be completed in his life time.

This memorial is all privately funding as they would never take government funding or didn’t want interference or compromise in the plan. They didn’t feel it should be funded from taxpayers funds but from the interested public. Well worth the visit.

The President’s at Mount Rushmore hid the whole day and into the night behind thick fog and rain clouds. We went back up at in the evening so see if they would peek out. We watched a movie and the presentation by the National Park Service Ranger. It was awe inspiring to be reminded of the struggles of our nation and the leaders who brought us to power in the world. The Ranger asked veterans and current active military to come on stage. A Girl Scout Troup retired the colors. Then each veterans and active military put their hand on the flag and stated their name and branch of the service. The stage was filled with dedicated individuals who helped to kept our country free through their service.

6-11-09 Mount Rushmore – Badlands

Finally the Presidents peeked out for a few hours Thursday morning before more rains fell. Seeing them sculpted high on the mountain revealing their distinguished presence brings forth my patriotic spirit.

People filled the granite walkway. Groups of family and couples stopped along the way to snap a picture with the Presidents in the background. This air was chilled to a balmy 45 degrees. Little boys asked their Dad for a snow cone when walking through the near be cafe. I’m sure the cool damp breeze chilled the folks in summer shorts and T-shirts. I’ve had on my jeans, a shirt, sweater and jacket since we left Colorado. Brrrrrr.!.

Glad the weather cleared up long enough for us to see the Presidents. The clouds and fog were just coming in as we drove out of the parking lot about 11 am. It’s a long way to come from Colorado, but worth it when you see the wonder in the mountain.

Badlands – South Dakota
On our way east on I90 we stopped off in Wall South Dakota about 50 miles outside of Rapid City. Many bill boards alert you to the 5 cent cup of coffee and other treasures at Wall Drug. We took their advise and pulled into the ample parking lot, then walk a block to Wall Drug. The place took up the whole block. The building overhang was held up with old knarled tree stumps. The coffee was a nickel. Blackberry pie caught my eye. We sat down at one of the many white marble tables to share a piece. It was pretty good. The room was surrounded with original art on the walls from a large private collection. Pretty nifty décor for a drug store.

There are a million things to buy in this massive shop, from a six shooter gun to wind chimes or T-shirts. I settled for a jar of Huckleberry syrup that I’ll try on pancakes the next time I make them on a Sunday morning.

Down the road from Wall is the entrance to the Badlands National Park. The National Park is free to those over 65 with a Park pass. Stan now has another stamp in his National Park passport book.

This is some of the most interesting place to see the effects of erosion on soil that reveals the beautiful horizontal strata of the exposed earth. Strips of different colors, caused by mineral deposits, create layers of purple, yellow ochre and rustic iron oxide mixed with hues of grey. Plant life wouldn’t thrive to keep the soil in place. Erosion caused this geologist’s paradise.

After the spectacular views through intermittent drizzle we drove miles and miles on I-ninety to spend the night in Mitchell, SD. The rain finally stopped. The GPS finds hotels really easily.

Off to a polka fest in Sioux Falls tomorrow.