Black Hills, South Dakota 2012

 Our second Week of our road trip...see the Pictures of our first week in Yellowstone here:
http://yourphotoworld-bysabine.blogspot.com/2012/06/yellowstone-national-park-june-2012.html

 Black Hills South Dakota

It took us a whole day to get from Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore. Our RV got tested on that trip because we went through a lot of Mountains. We were glad when we made it to the Campground near Mount Rushmore.

On our first day we went to the town Keystone. We went through some Gift shops. Ate a Buffalo burger. Then we watched how the 1880 train rolled into the train station and made our reservation to go on a ride the next day on fathers day. So on Sunday we took the train to Hill City and back. The kids had fun doing that.

We saw Mount Rushmore in the distance.

Then on Monday we went and looked at Mount Rushmore Monument. We saw the heads on Saturday from the distance when we drove on a scenic road that went through some small tunnels. We were now excited to see it close. I really did not think that it would impress me that much..after Yellowstone I thought nothing will impress me any more. But Mount Rushmore was more interesting then I thought. The Faces were unbelievable carved into the top of that Mountain. It was not like very very big but very Beautiful made. also the entry to it was nice. With a Stone way and flag poles that led to the terrasse. There was a stage down below with Benches going up to that over look that we stood. We decided to walk a little on the president trail that lead us closer to the faces. I took different pictures of the changing views. It was very cool to see it that close. Impressive to see all the rocks that fell from the carving work. to be able to carve a Mountain you need dynamite. They exploded first the big stuff away first and then made the fine stuff in the end. But the thing that we noticed, this monument was not finished. you can see it on Abraham Lincoln. And we learned later in the day that they planned to get the Heads and the torso of the four men...but when the artist died...they stopped the project. But finished or not...it still is incredible. we did not stay long. the kids were very difficult that day so we went on our way again. I only took some more pictures of the glittering rocks that were all over the aria. They looked very shiny! One of the rangers told us that
 this kind of rock is the source of the glitter that is used in make up and other stuff that needs glitter. Oz and I grinded some of the smaller rocks with standing on it. And when we looked at it it was really glitter. That was cool!

before we went to look at Mount Rushmore, we made a stop at a weird Place. You take a Tour in a House that totally plays with your head. I even got a dizzy in there.    The tour guide made it all sound like it's all some kind of a cosmic force. It was very funny! Oz loved it!

This artist went on later and started Crazy Horse Monument

next on our list to see was Crazy Horse. I did saw some pictures of it when we got ready for our vacation. I've never heard about it and I did not really know what it was. So we went to visit it. It was an other Monument but that one was of a Indian hero named Crazy Horse. This one is still being build. and that for many years now. The Indians asked a artist if he would make them a monument to show that they as well had a hero. So that man totally alone got on that mountain and started to work on it. that story is just amazing! We watched a movie there about the whole thing. that artist was there until he died. he fathered 10 kids were 7 of them with his wife are still working on the whole project. The artist knew it would take longer then a life time to complete Crazy horse. so he made a lot of smaller statures of his creation and plans with all the data on it that the future builders would need to complete it. This whole thing is still a family project. It is totally build with the money that comes in with the tourist. we payed $10.- per person to get in and go in to the Indian museum that they had there. and the whole building was huge! all the money that is made there with their gift shoppes and donations is going to Crazy horse. the artist turned the government down two times when they offered Money. He believed that Crazy horse must be a project of the people. and only the people and not become an other thing that is financed by taxes. Just the whole story of this man. how he started this thing. many ears alone then continued with his family and then grew from there. all the people there still go on with his believe on finish it. his family is still working hard... his sons up on the mountain and doing the unbelievable work. that monument..if it's complete one day, will be the biggest statue in the world. not even the pyramids will be this big. the aria will have many things. All for the benefit for the Indians.
I'm still impressed by the termination on finish this thing. And I'm surprised that I've never heard of it before! I hope that the people that read this and ever want to go to Mount Rushmore, that they stop also at Crazy horse too. pay their $10.- entry and be a part of this fantastic thing! I tried to capture this Mountain. it's going to be big! the presidents monument of Mount Rushmore is the size of crazy horses head! that's how big that stature is going to be!
Anyways...it was time to go back the our Campground.

The next day we stayed at the Campground. let the kids play and just rested. as good as we were able to with our two Boys.
Our last day we decided we wanted to see Bear Country USA. It's a kind of Zoo where you can drive through it and see the animals. The bears were great and at the end of this thing we were able to park our car and walk and look at other animals. specially the Bear cubs were great! Odin and Oz laughed while watching those cute little bears playing...running and cuddle with each other. It was very cute!!!

My two Wolfs!!!!

 We had a fantastic Vacation! We enjoyed seeing all the Beautiful things! We enjoyed learning more of the history of those places and we met some new friends on our way! What more would you want? It was great! My Heart was heavy when I left Yellowstone. That was my favorite place...and also has become something very special to me. I've always wanted to go somewhere that Cold and Hot come together. I've always wanted to go to Ice Land because of this. So far never was able to. But in Yellowstone I found what I was looking for. Nature...pure Nature...Not only Nature from the top of the world but also from deep down. You just feel the power, the Wonder the Beauty of it all.
Someday we go back to those wonderful Places :-)

Anyways...like I said we made new friends on our Road trip! It was very cool meeting them and we always spend our evenings in Mount Rushmore together around a Campfire.

We learned that the Boys had their Birthday on the same day :-) Both were Born on October 12!