10/20/12

Day 6: Mt Rushmore + the seventh state


Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse Memorials, SD: 73°
Mocksville, NC: 64°
Fairbanks, AK: 16°

Badlands National Park, SD to Buffalo, WY: 315 miles

I was so excited to visit Mount Rushmore. It is something that I likely never would have experienced had it not been for our cross-country move/roadtrip. After leaving Wall Drug, we noticed the gradual change of scenery from Badlands to vast open plains to mountains once again.

Driving up the steep, pine-covered mountains and suddenly catching glimpse of Mt. Rushmore is something I'll never forget. It just takes you by surprise. I wasn't even paying attention to what was ahead until Sam said, "Look! There it is!" It was breathtaking; I have never seen anything like this. Unfortunately dogs weren't allowed in the park, so our Rushmore visit was a quick one. Although it's the off season, it was still soooo busy and crowded. After driving through desolate Iowa and SD for days, it was sort of strange seeing that many people in one place again. Haha. We noticed that many of the tourists were from other countries. We got to see an awesome profile view of ol' George after leaving the park.

After Rushmore, we hit the road for another 25 or so miles toward the Crazy Horse Memorial in Custer, SD. The drive here was among the Black Hills Forest - it was beautiful! The Crazy Horse Memorial was started in 1993 and is still incomplete. The smaller white statue/"blueprint" is 1/34th the size of what the mountain carving will be eventually.

I feel so lucky to have seen something as amazing as Mount Rushmore. We are having an awesome time seeing so much of the country en route to our new home.

We ended our day by finally entering Wyoming. Before arriving in Buffalo, WY, we witnessed another amazing sunset on I-90. These will never get old! Wyoming is beautiful. The landscape was noticeably different than South Dakota. Buffalo is at the base of the Big Horn Mountains, which we weren't able to see due to a storm rolling in.

Next we are heading toward Yellowstone!!!

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