Lake Park Campground - Rapid City, SD

Lake Park Campground - Rapid City, SD 

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum designed the sculpture, called Shrine of Democracy, and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son. The sculpture features the 60-foot-tall heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These were chosen to represent the nation's birth, growth, development and preservation, respectively. Mount Rushmore attracts more than two million visitors annually to the memorial park which covers 1,278 acres. 

The sculptor chose Mount Rushmore in part because it faces southeast for maximum sun exposure. The carving was the idea of Doane Robinson, a historian for the state of South Dakota.

Peter Norbeck, U.S. senator from South Dakota, sponsored the project and secured federal funding. Construction began in 1927 and the presidents' faces were completed between 1934 and 1939.

The sculpture at Mount Rushmore is built on land that was illegally taken from the Sioux Nation in the 1870's. The Sioux continue to demand return of their land. In 1980, the US Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians that the taking of the Black Hills required just compensation, and awarded the tribe $102 million. The Sioux have refused the money, which has grown with interest to over a billion dollars, and continue to demand the return of their land. This conflict continues, leading some critics of the monument to refer to it as a "Shrine of Hypocrisy".

The sculpture was originally intended to show the presidents to their waist.  Unfortunately, the money ran out and only Washington was completed below the chin. 

We were unaware dogs were forbidden until after we made the several hour trek there. The rule at most National Parks is dogs are allowed on concrete surfaces. The path leading to the monument is a very wide open concrete walkway. We took turns watching the dog and going in one at a time to see Mount Rushmore. We basically did a solo run into the park, look up at it then hurry back to the other. It did put a damper on our visit there since we were unable to leisurely stroll through the park and enjoy it together.

_____________________

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It will depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization, oversees the project and the funding.

The monument has been in progress since 1948 and is far from completion. If completed as designed, it will become the world's second tallest statue, following the Statue of Unity in India.

The memorial master plan includes the mountain carving monument, a Native American Museum of North America, and a Native American Cultural Center. The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain, on land considered sacred by some Oglala Lakota, between Custer and Hill City, roughly 17 miles from Mount Rushmore.

The sculpture's final dimensions are planned to be 641 feet long and 563 feet high. The outstretched arm will be 263 feet long, the opening under arm 70 feet wide and 100 feet high, and the pointing finger 29 feet 6 inches  long. The face of Crazy Horse, completed in 1998, is 87 feet 6 inches high. For comparison, the heads of the four U.S. Presidents at Mount Rushmore are each 60 feet high.

The sculpture was started in 1948. This picture shows their progress and how it currently looks. The progress has been very slow, tedious and more costly than expected. There is currently no anticipated date of completion.

The  Crazy Horse Museum has a small replica showing how the proposed sculpture will look once completed. The project will require countless more generations of artists contributing to its completion at the current rate.

The wind has done a number on Lisa's hair- she has no idea she is sporting this windblown look and I won't be the one to tell her. I am waiting for Karma to mention it to her. It is not my fault if he neglects to tell her. I think it looks fine.

We were totally amazed by how hot it is up in the Dakotas. I never dreamed they ever got anywhere near 100, much less over 100 in the fall. We had several days here over 100 in October! Ironically, it is cooler back home in TN and MS than it is in the Dakotas.

______________________________________________

Devils Tower (also known as Bear Lodge Butte) is a butte, possibly laccolithic (dome shaped rock formed when magna rises up through the earth's crust), composed of igneous rock in the Bear Lodge Ranger District of the Black Hills, above the Belle, Fourche River. It rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, standing 867 feet from summit to base. The summit is 5,112 feet above sea level.

Devils Tower National Monument was the first designated United States national monument, established in September 1906, by President Theodore Roosevelt. The monument's boundary encloses an area of 1,347 acres. Not all National Monuments end up being designated as National Parks.

I am not sure who these two old folks are. How did they get in our picture?

This sign describes how the geologists believe Devils Tower was formed.  The Native Americans have different beliefs about the butte and its connection to their culture. I personally prefer the Native American legends- they are much more interesting.

 Native Americans have kept their faith, beliefs and history alive within themselves and their culture. A strong bond remains sacred between the Native Americans with their land and the history shared and passed down through the generations. Their elders are held in the highest regard and are greatly respected by those who follow them. Unfortunately, this practice is very uncommon with the vast majority of American families and cultures. Sadly, very little is valued as being sacred and our elders are often considered a burden. We live in a very disposable, nearsighted society where people expect immediate gratification. We value what is easy and least expensive. Many simply walk away from anything that is challenging and requires much effort. Our society no longer values and respects hard work. We feel entitled to get a piece of the pie but we don't want to invest the time, money or effort into  making the pie.

_______________________________________________

Portions of US 16A are known as the Iron Mountain Road, named after the peak it summits.

US 16A is famous for its scenic, one-lane tunnels aligned to frame the faces on Mount Rushmore, its "pigtail bridges", and its sections of divided highway but with single (and narrow) lanes on each roadway.

The route includes most of the tunnels on the South Dakota state highway system, including the only three-lane tunnel in the state, just north of Keystone. Part of the highway is also a boundary of the Black Elk Wilderness. The Iron Mountain portion of the road is not maintained in the winter. The road, like several other scenic roads in the Black Hills, was originally laid out by Governor Peter Norbeck, specifically to create a very scenic, slow-speed road for tourists. The section of US 16A from SD 89 to SD 244 is known as the Peter Norbeck Memorial Byway in honor of the governor. At the highest point of the byway, on the summit of Iron Mountain, there is a small memorial to Governor Norbeck.

The history of the Lakota Lake is still steeped in the culture and beliefs of the Native Americans. Their ancestors live on to this day in their culture and the stories shared generation to generation.

Sylvan Lake remains essentially undisturbed by man. Its beauty is very much the same as it was hundreds or even thousands of years ago. 

I find solace in quietly appreciating the beauty of the gifts the Lord has given us. Some times, a "WOW!" is all I can articulate, but no other words are required. For me, it is a deeply personal and private experience The water, the sounds and the smells of the wilderness bring me a sense of peace and calm as I immerse myself in it. It nurtures my soul.  One of the benefits of nature and its splendor is the lack of human interference with nature. The Native Americans have done a great job in preserving their land as it was many generations ago. Their land is of the utmost value to their culture and their history. We can bask in the many gifts that nature gives us without destroying the integrity of the land. When you respect and experience the gifts nature provides, much of the ugliness in our world now seems far removed and irrelevant.  The ugliness of our world now creates pain and chaos within my soul, but nature helps calm some of the chaos. I feel this gift of calmness most profoundly when we encounter very few sights and sounds of human interference.  The solitude can be priceless as you fully submerse yourself in the gifts our Lord has given us. We are each responsible for finding our own joy. I find so much joy, peace and calmness in a setting like the pictures above. A break from technology (such as our cell phones) frees us from the chaos of our world now. I seem to thrive best in times and places where I feel in sync with the nature surrounding me and less connected to the chaos humans have created. I am not sure I could have fully submersed myself in this gift 20-30 years ago as I can now. I had to earn this gift before I could fully appreciate it. I had to first learn to respect nature, find faith and trust in myself. For so many years, I let other's opinions and  rules dictate my life and my journey. Reclaiming the power over our lives allows us to reclaim our joy.

Custer State Park is a wildlife reserve in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The park is South Dakota's largest and first state park, named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer. The park covers an area of over 71,000 acres of varied terrain including rolling prairie grasslands and rugged mountains.

The park is home to a herd of 1,500 bison. elk, coyotes, mule deer, white tailed deer, mountain goats, prairie dogs, bighorn sheep, river otters, pronghorn, cougars, and feral burros also inhabit the park. The park is known for its scenery, its scenic drives (Needles Highway and the wildlife loop) with views of the bison herds and prairie dog towns.

The area originally started out as sixteen sections, but was later changed into one block of land because of the challenges of the terrain. The park began to grow rapidly in the 1920's and new land was added as it became available. During the 1930's, the Civilian Conservation Corps built miles of roads, laid out parks and campgrounds, and built three dams that set up a future of water recreation at the park. In 1964, an additional 22,900 acres were added to the park.

The bison seem to be telling us something, maybe even a bit defiantly- they were here first and they see themselves as the rightful heirs and occupants of this land. We only travelled a few feet in over an hour- the bison were in charge and were demanding respect. I think the bison were giving us the middle finger.

We came upon this herd of bison as we were traveling through Custer State Park.  This was a 7 mile stretch of road that took us almost 2 hours to travel. The buffalo were pretty oblivious to the cars and the people. They definitely were in no hurry to get away from the human presence. A few were curious, walked around sniffing our car and looked in the windows. The bison roamed this land long before man knew it existed. The laws and desires of man are irrelevant to the buffalo. They decide where and when they go. We did not encounter it anywhere, but this year there have been multiple people attacked by buffalo, elk and moose in the national and state parks.  These animals may seem to be domesticated and friendly but they are wild animals. They are unpredictable. We saw a video of a group of buffalo- one male charged another male and it sent the one buffalo sailing like Raggedy Ann in the air from the hit. It requires some size and strength to make one of these beasts become airborne with one hit. We decided to remain submissive and let the bison dictate the terms and conditions this afternoon.

Loose, feral burro's roam Custer State Park in harmony with the other wildlife. Man is the outsider, the disruptive ones interfering with the laws of the land. The wildlife seem to feel a sense of superiority and are not shy about asserting their dominance.

The panoramic view from Mt Coolidge Fire Tower was definitely worth the short climb. There are so many worse ways to spend a beautiful, sunny day. I try to thank the Lord daily for all the gifts He has given us and apologize for all the times I was too busy and in too much of a hurry to stop and admire His handiwork. 

 The Rock Hound was in search of rocks with her sidekick acting as protector. He is probably lucky she has not yet thought to put his backpack on him to help tote the inevitable load of rocks destined to come home with us. 

We stopped at a Native American museum and visitor center as we traveled from Spearfish to Deadwood via Spearfish Canyon. Lisa decided living in a teepee was unlikely to be in her immediate future. It was the perfect day to be outside and bask in the perfect weather and enjoy some more of these amazing views.

Bridal Veil Falls are the first waterfalls you see as you enter the Canyon from Spearfish.

These mountain goats in Spearfish Canyon were obviously not impressed with the people and cars invading their turf.

There were lots of brook trout running in the river in Spearfish Canyon. Fortunately for them, the fly fishermen were leaving them alone to live another day.

This water from the stream was entering Homestake Mining Co Hydro plant #2 (see below).

We had a nice little hike up to Roughlock Falls. We enjoy waterfalls and lighthouses, so we try to find them along our journeys. We have a growing list of things we seek out- presidential museums, Gratitude Trains (Merci Trains), cemeteries, veteran museums/parks, dog beaches, Chinese buffets, outlet malls... oh yeah.... and rocks!

There is very little that gives me more peace, tranquility and sense of calmness than gentling flowing water and enjoying the solitude. Learning to find and embrace solitude rather than fearing or avoiding it comes with maturity and self awareness. It is a fairly new skill for me but one that brings me immeasurable peace.

This qualifies as a pleasant walk rather than a hike, but there are definitely fewer snakes when you take this route- so that is a plus. The colors were so vivid and crisp, it was the perfect day for a walk to the waterfalls.

Some very ambitious beaver left his mark on this tree. We saw clues the beaver have left indicating their presence, but we never saw any of them.

Once we got to the Badlands, our options for food were pretty limited.  Their menu centered around burgers, pizza and beer but we made it work.

Badlands National Park is located in southwestern South Dakota. The park protects 242,756 acres of sharply eroded buttes and pinnacles, along with the largest undisturbed mixed grass prairie in the United States. The National Park Service manages the park, with the South Unit being co-managed with the Oglala Lakota tribe.

The Badlands Wilderness protects 64,144 acres of the park's North Unit as a designated wilderness area, and is one site where the black-footed ferret, one of the most endangered mammals in the world, was reintroduced to the wild. The South Unit, or Stronghold District, includes sites of 1890s Ghost Dances, and Red Shirt Table, the park's highest point at 3,340 feet.

Authorized as Badlands National Monument in March 1929, it was not established until January 1939. The Badlands was re-designated as a national park in November 1978. Under the Mission 66 plan, the Ben Reifel Visitor Center was constructed for the monument in 1957–58. The park also administers the nearby Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.

This national park land was originally a reservation of the Oglala Sioux Indians and spans the southern unit of the park. The area around Stronghold Table was originally Sioux territory, and is revered as a ceremonial sacred site rather than a place to live.

In 1868, at the Second Treaty of Fort Laramie, the United States assured the Sioux that the Badlands shall forever be the property of the Sioux. In 1889, however, the treaty was broken and the Badlands were confiscated by the United States and unilaterally incorporated into a national park.

At the end of the 19th century, the Sioux Indians used this area as the site of the Ghost Dance, a ceremony to revive the souls of buffalo and the dead. After the last ghost dance in 1890, the United States banned the ritual. It was revived by the Red Power movement, a movement to restore Indian rights that began in the 1960s. In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court awarded compensation to the Sioux for abolishing the 1868 treaty, but the Sioux did not accept the money.

The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site was established in 1999 near Wall, South Dakota to illustrate the history and significance of the Cold War, the arms race, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development. The site preserves the last intact Minuteman II ICBM system in the United States, in a disarmed and demilitarized status. Guided tours are available for the underground Launch Control Center, and a missile silo can be observed from above. Some 450 of the newer Minuteman III missiles are still on active duty at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, Minot AFB, North Dakota, and F. E. Warren AFB, Wyoming.

Notice the shade with a superimposed nuclear ballistic missile submarine on it.  Until the end of the Cold War, they  were used as the 41 for Freedom -named for the 41 submarines used to create a credible, survivable sea based deterrent against the threat of nuclear war in the 1960's.  They typically spent 270 days a year at sea manned by 2 crews. Each crew was on board for 90 days at a time.

_____________________________________________________

Wall Drug Store, often called simply Wall Drug, is a roadside attraction and tourist stop located in the town of Wall, South Dakota, adjacent to the Badlands National Park. Wall Drug consists of a collection of cowboy-themed stores, including a drug store, gift shop, several restaurants, and various other stores, as well as an art gallery and an 80-foot brontosaurus sculpture. Unlike a traditional shopping mall, all the stores at Wall Drug operate under a single entity rather than being run individually. The New York Times described Wall Drug as "a sprawling tourist attraction of international renown that draws some two million annual visitors to a remote town".

The small-town drugstore made its first step towards fame when it was purchased by Ted Hustead in 1931. Hustead was a Nebraska native and pharmacist who was looking for a small town to establish his business. He bought Wall Drug, located in a 231-person town in what he referred to as "the middle of nowhere," and strove to make a living. Business was very slow until his wife, Dorothy, thought of advertising free ice water to thirsty travelers heading to the newly opened Mount Rushmore monument 60 miles to the west. From that time on, business was brisk. To this day, Walls still offers free ice water to their guests. To honor our military, Wall's Drugs began offering free coffee and a donut to each veteran/service member.

______________________________________

Jewel Cave National Monument is currently the fifth longest cave in the world, with 217.32 miles of mapped passageways. It became a national monument in 1908.

Frank and Albert Michaud, two local prospectors, discovered the cave in 1900, when they felt cold air blowing out of a small hole in a canyon. It is unknown whether any previous inhabitants of the area were aware of the natural cave opening, which was not large enough for a person to enter.

After enlarging the cave entrance with dynamite, the Michaud brothers found a cavern lined with calcite crystals, which led them to name it "Jewel Cave". The brothers tried to capitalize on the discovery, widening the opening, building walkways inside, and opening it to tourists. Although their venture was unsuccessful, news of the discovery eventually reached Washington. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Jewel Cave a National Monument in February 1908. The area around the natural entrance to the cave was further developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The National Park Service assumed management of the monument in 1933 and began offering tours in 1939.

As recently as 1959, less than 2 miles of passageway had been discovered. That year, however, Herb and Jan Conn, local rock climbers, began exploring, and within two years had mapped 15 miles. Much of the new discoveries lay outside the boundaries of the monument, under land managed by the United States Forest Service. The two agencies performed a land swap in 1965, establishing the present boundaries of the park, and enabling the development of a new part of the cave. The Park Service sunk a 300 feet elevator shaft to a previously remote cave area, and built concrete walks and metal stairs and platforms along a one-half-mile loop. The "Scenic Tour" was opened in 1972. Most modern-day visitors tour that part of the cave.

By 1979, Herb and Jan Conn had discovered, named, and mapped more than 64 miles of passages. Although they largely retired from caving by the early 1980s, exploration has continued unabated. Because the areas being explored take many hours to reach, explorers now sometimes camp in the cave during expeditions of as long as four days. The cave is mapped by traditional survey techniques, using compass, clinometer and today with lasers instead of tape measures.

Its 217 miles of mapped passageway make Jewel Cave the fifth longest cave in the world.

Jewel Cave is a "breathing cave",  which means air enters or exits the cave with changes in atmospheric pressure from day to night or due to changes in the weather. This was first explained by Herb Conn in 1966.

The discovered areas in the cave account for only about 3 to 5% of the estimated total air volume of the cave. The cave volume is estimated by measuring the amount of air that the cave "exhales" when the outside air pressure drops and "inhales" when the outside air pressure rises.

This is nicknamed Bacon Quartz for a very obvious reason. I must have been pretty hungry because I immediately got the urge for a BLT. 

"There really isn't any difference between 'caves' and 'caverns' beyond someone's choice of names," concurs William White, Professor Emeritus in geochemistry at Penn State University. "'Cavern' seems to be preferred by show cave operators, maybe because it makes their cave seem more impressive. Thus, we have 'Luray Caverns' and 'Endless Caverns' in Virginia. But the longest cave in the world is just called 'Mammoth Cave.'

This cave system was pretty amazing, but it pales in comparison to Carlsbad Caverns. Folks should definitely see Jewel Cavern prior to visiting Carlsbad Cavern to avoid disappointment and an unfavorable comparison of the two.

Let's see where our journey takes us next!