I almost forgot about Mt Rushmore. Since it is a major monument in South Dakota, and a reason to visit, I'll toss in a few shots. Honestly, though, this was not my favorite part of the trip. The best part of Mt Rushmore was when my kids pretended to stand upon a precipice to frighten me, while my husband kept telling them to "back up just a bit". I really thought there was a huge drop behind them, but it was only a foot down. Note the smirks and glances in my direction.
After Mt Rushmore, we buzzed over to see the Crazy Horse monument, in progress. Better than these man-made carvings, however, was a natural feature: Jewel Cave, which is mostly unexplored. We did not have much time, so we only got to head down for an introduction to the cave. Next year, Trip and Libby plan on the Spelunking tour. Still, in our 20 minute intro, we learned that the cave is huge, and still being mapped. Paul got to touch part of the cave (a sacrificial slab, as touching the cave leaves oil that can interfere with the cave's beauty and function), something he has always wanted to do. Having read How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World, Paul is always skeptical when we enter a cave..."How come it's so cold when we are closer to the core...?" He is never satisfied with the answer (we just aren't that much closer).
1 comment:
MacBeth, keep the pictures coming
Wah!!!!!! When I was a little girl, my father (Navy sailor, moving from Washington state to Illinois) did not stop for Mt. Rushmore because (1) we had to make time and (2) we couldn't afford it. I am living vicariously through your photos!
P.S. I have a friend, whose father was also a sailor, who traumatized her even more . . . he did not stop at one scenic spot for his family to take shots of the Grand Canyon. He told them to roll down the windows and start snapping!
Post a Comment