It's Official!

Yesterday was a busy day!  First we went to DMV to get our South Dakota driver's licenses!  They are obviously use to RV'ers coming in to become residents.  To qualify for a license you have to spend one night in South Dakota so right away they asked for our campground information for proof that we spent the night!

From there we went to breakfast at Flying J.  I was ready for my "sweet cream pancakes"!  Much to my dismay, they didn't have them :( and I found out that a lot (if not all) the "Country Market Restaurants" that are in some of the Flying J's, are being bought out by someone else.  I think this means I may not be able to get the pancakes again (unless I make them myself)!   Sad news indeed!

On a happier note, Mount Rushmore is still there standing tall and wonderful!  There is nothing like it!

We ventured in to the gift shop, oh my, we love the black hills gold jewelry!  Teddy lost his head and got me a pretty black hills gold ring that matches my earrings and neclace, and a South Dakota quarter neclace!  They are so beautiful!

Next we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  It is a work in progress.  Korczak Ziolkowski started the worlds largest artistic undertaking carved in the round (when completed). Chief Standing Bear had the dream and he and other Lakota (Sioux) chiefs saw Mount Rushmore developing and invited Korczak, a famed New England Sculptor to carve a mountain in their sacred Black Hills to show that "the red man has great heroes also."  Crazy Horse is one of their heroes.  Korczak passed away in 1982 but his wife and seven of his ten children have taken up the cause.  They have taken no government money. 

They have a huge museum and gift shop which is used to help raise funds for the endeavor.  They have cleared several million tons of granite from the mountain but as you can see, they have a long way to go.  There were a few people working yesterday.  They show a movie which shows the progress from the beginning.  I imagine it's pretty exciting on the days they dynamite!  When is the expected completion date????  No one seems to know, but I don't think it will be in my lifetime!

On the way back to the campground we drove through Custer State Park.  We were disappointed to not see any bison, antelope or elk in the park.  We did see some mountain goats, deer, beautiful pines,  followed the creek, a couple of lakes and from a distance, Mount Rushmore!

Visiting Mount Rushmore, "Our Shrine of Democracy"..."Ain't Life Grand!"