GETTYSBURG - THE BATTLE THAT CHANGED THE WAR

Mary with Union Soldiers

We left Cleveland the next morning early since we would have a long way to drive to get to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The weather was lovely and although we went on a toll road, the initial drive went smoothly.  We did start to see a great many trucks riding on the three lane road, and we felt like a small fish among the leviathans of the highway as we made our way east.  At times the toll road decreased into two lanes and since we were riding in the slow lane, we were constantly being passed by the huge monsters sucking at us as they barreled by.  John slowed even more when there was nothing but the railing on the right. He didn't want poor Moby Dick scratched on top of having to take on this awful toll road.  I could see beads of sweat forming on John's brow as he hunched over the steering wheel flinching each time a Peterbuilt pressed by.  The road sign said, "Keep Alert!" Well, that was an understatement!  He had taken a 5 Hour Energy Drink and hour ago and his eyes were as wide  as a deer's in the headlights.

We stayed on toll road 76 as we passed into Pennsylvania and now we saw even more trucks.  TRUCKS, TRUCKS, TRUCKS ... I could imagine him seeing these in his sleep tonight.  This was certainly truck alley.  We were literally engulfed in a sea of trucks all heading east.  As we neared Pittsburgh we saw a fewer number as they started to leave the toll road and for a time we got a breather and enjoyed sitting back in our seats.  I found another 5 Hour Energy Drink and gave it to John along with some fig newtons.  He was breathing easier no, and as we got to the next toll booth, he relaxed and ate a few more fig newtons.

To change the mood I went back to playing Mountain Music which was bit more relaxing than Rock and Roll.  We soon got off the turnpike and got on highway 30.  It was so pleasant to be off the toll road and on to this lovely two lane, tree lined road.  We were settling in listening to Mountain Music and eating fig newtons. Then we started to climb higher and higher and make quick turns going down into steep valleys.  John was alert again using the first and second gears going down the steep hills in order to save the breaks. We were navigating the Allegheny Mountains as if they were huge waves in a turbulent sea. Up and down, up and down the rest of the afternoon.  Finally we crossed the Appalachian Trail and came down into the town of Gettysburg.

We knew that the Koa where we had made plans to stay for two nights was near the town but we were not sure where.  So we texed the address in to the Garmin Girl and let her lead us to the sight.  We would have never made it without our GPS system as the roads in this area were not straight and sometimes changed names at the crossings.  We had to put all our trust in the system and we were too tired to search for a map.  Soon after some tricky switchbacks we saw the entrance of the Koa and we drove right in.

The Pool in front of the Koa store was full of kids mostly teen-agers.  We went in and found that our tent sight was near the cabins and close to the multi-use building and a short walk to the bathroom and showers and Pool.  We went in and set up our sight signed up for dinner and took our showers. That evening there was to be a film on Gettysburg and its part in the Civil War.  We were eager to see it as we planned to go to the Gettysburg National Park the next day. The DVD was set up in the Multi-use building and we had our dinners there while we watched the show.   The film explained about the conflict between the North and South and the arguments that preempted the war.  Then it went on to explain the deciding factors for the start of the war and the part the Gettysburg played in turning the tide of the war including the Gettysburg address given by Lincoln.  At the end we were pretty satisfied both in body and mind.  So we went to snuggle into our sleeping bags watching the lightning bugs float above our heads.

A Monument for the Cavalry

The next morning we got up and got ready to go on our expedition to Gettysburg National Park.  We rented a CD that went along with the signs all over the park and told you what happened at each sight.  We were excited because it was like a scavenger hunt.  The first place we were told to go was to the visitor center.  We entered and were ushered into an auditorium where the film about Gettysburg was to be shown.  It was produced by the History Channel and the sequence of events were in greater detail than the DVD we had seen the night before.

Napoleon  Cannon

Little Round Top

On the first day July 1863 the armies collide just west of Gettysburg. Confederates pushed the Union Army to a low hill called Cemetery Ridge.  On day two the Union soldiers hold off attacks on the left flank at Devil's Den and Little Round Top, Wheat Field and Peach Orchard, and on the right a full scale attack came at Culp's Hill an Cemetery Hill.  On the third day fighting continued on Culp's Hill and the Cavalry battles raged east and west. Lee attacked the middle of the Union army with Pickett's Charge.  The Confederates had to cross a mile of farm land.  12,000 men charged the Union soldiers as they were mowed down by artillery fire and cannons from above. Around 51,000 soldiers died in those three days.   The next day Lee's army retreats back to Virginia leaving the dead on the field for the residents of Gettysburg to bury. The Union army buried their own before they followed the Confederates toward the Potomac River. Four months later Abe Lincoln came to dedicate the cemetery where those that had fallen were buried.   In his address he emphasized that the country now will be forever one "of the people, for the people, by the people, shall not parish from the earth."

Looking down from Big Round Top

No one fell asleep through this presentation as the cannons were booming and there was yelling and gunfire everywhere.  When it was over there was a stillness in the hall and then everyone gave a resounding applause.  We all slowly got up and were ushered to another hall up stars.  We walked up to the Cyclorama Painting which was the whole three day battle painted in a circular wall.  Everyone stood and watched different parts of it as the story was told again with loud sound effects as if you were right in the middle of the war and should be flinching bullets with surround sound. The painting was full of detail of the war.  In one area was the medic tent where amputations took place.  That was the only way they could save a person's life. A pile of arms and legs was seen in all its gore next to the tent. The painting was done by the French artist, Paul Philippoteaux he painted in 1883.  It was lost and rediscovered and showed in different cities and finally a huge restoration project with many artists took place in 2008 and now its permanently displayed at the Visitor Center.

Monument to the Soldiers

 We then were ushered into the museum where we walked around learning about the Civil War.   The first section talked about slavery and all the arguments surrounding the freedom of slaves and how that would change the economy of the South. It showed an auction for slaves and how much each one was worth. Then we saw how the soldiers lived in little tents and played dominoes as a past time. The generals lived in large tent and had a table and chair where they had their maps and made battle plans.  There was a quiz box of different bugle tunes each meaning getting up in the morning, call for food, going to bed, etc. Finally, there were samples of the woolen uniforms worn by the soldiers.  It was difficult to imagine how they were able to wear such hot clothing, carry all their gear, and rifle and walk miles and miles in humid hot weather. There must always be a better way to settle differences without such loss of life for so many young men.

Fish Hook

We couldn't believe that the morning had passed.  We went to the restaurant and had lunch before we planned to go on our "scavenger" hunt.  After lunch we walked back to our car and got out our CD.  We followed her directions that lead to the number 1 sign.  It was near the memorial for General Reynolds and continued to follow the sign each with a bit of commentary on the war.  Mary sites had a memorial for the men from each state that died in the battlefield.  We stopped where all the major battles took place around the Fish Hook.  Then we climbed up to Little Round Top and Big Round Top.  It was easy to see having high ground in a battle could be an advantage as we looked down at the Fish Hook from the top.  We then followed the tree lined lane to see the cannons.  The light blue ones were called Napoleons because they were the same as those use by the French Emperor.  We finally approached the high scaffold from which we could see Eisenhower's Ranch.  He planted a pine tree for every state and these boarders the lane that let to his home.  Eisenhower was a great student of the battle and came here often before retiring to Gettysburg.

By the time the shadows were getting longer, we were feeling a bit of fatigue.  We finished our CD and headed into town looking for Chinese Food.  We talked to our server and told him where we spent our day. He asked us if we had seen any ghosts.  We said no, and had to giggle. But he was serious.  He dared us to spend the night in a tent in the Peach Orchard.  He said that ghost had been seen wandering around at night.  Well, that sounded pretty spooky and we hoped none of them followed us home to our tent, the fire flies were spooky enough!

That night we went to bed thinking about all that we had seen, and we couldn't imagine how men could fight each other for a cause that was so important they were willing to give of their lives.  In some cases they might even have been brothers from the same family fighting on opposite side.  Finally, we drifted off to sleep only to be waked by a symphony of crickets.  We eventually had to put ear plugs in our ears to blot out the crickets only to dream of cannons booming in our dreams.

Ready, Aim, FIRE!

Cleaveland - The home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Chicago - A Veritable Playground

We were eager to get to Chicago where we planned to stay for two nights so we got up early and ate breakfast on the road.  Not long after leaving Madison, we encountered the toll roads we would have to drive to get into Chicago.  The first 100 miles was a good road, and I was able to do some computer work without getting bumped.  It seemed when we encountered a bump, I loose some of my writing or Sammy flips into another page.  If it becomes annoying, I turn my computer off and work on a cross word puzzle.  That only means that I have to spend time in the hotel to get caught up, and it is not hard to get behind on the blog.

We encountered two more toll roads and they were very bumpy and not well paved.  Also John insisted on riding on the slow lane which was the worst as the big trucks barreled in the center lane like hungry monsters.  I put the computer down and found some good music from the album, "On The Road."  Listening to and singing along to Miss American Pie we approached the last toll road station that sucked out our last six dollars in cash.  Add to driving the bad road with no money, it started to rain.  It was still hot and humid outside and the light rain actually was a welcome change to the hot weather we were having, so it wasn't all that bad.

We headed for O'Hare Airport where we got  a room for two nights at the Hilton.  We were able to get the room through the Frequent Flyer Miles program from John's Citi-Master Card so it didn't cost us a penny. We got to the airport and had to rive around twice before we got the proper entrance to the hotel.
John parked the car and went in to check on our room while I finished working on my blog.  It was noon and sometimes they won't let you check in until 2 in the afternoon. About half an hour later John came back with a bell man to take our luggage.  We were able to get a room on the fifth floor no problem but, he had to pay $45 for valet parking! He also mentioned that when he asked about the workout center, he would have to pay $20 per person per day...unless he joined the Hilton Awards Club which he could join for free!  Well, that was a no "brainer!"  We went up stairs and got settled in.

It was a lovely suite just, what you would expect from the Hilton.  We overlooked the four layer parking garage and looked down to see our car parked right below us on the street.  The valet said it would not fit in the parking garage because of our Rocket Box.  That was fine with us; we liked looking at our trusty Moby Dick sitting down there getting a rest after riding the toll roads.  We decided to lounge in our lovely room and then go down to do a workout.

The workout room was in the lower level off the main corridor where people are headed to the subway or the other direction where they are headed to the airport towing their suit cases.  We saw the workout room through the large window and it looked pretty impressive with several treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes.  There were several Cybex machines for muscle toning and free weights.  Behind this room there was an indoor lap pool which looked inviting.  We went in and showed our killer Hilton Awards Club Card and went in to choose our aerobic equipment.  John stepped on the treadmill and I climbed on the elliptical machine.  We moved to our own IPOD music as we watched the people rushing to their destination.  "How can we dance when the world is turning?"  My song kept me instep with the rushing people, and it all seemed like a bazaar dream: me - going nowhere fast, and they- going fast to stand in line.

I went on the the Cybex machines, and my body was enjoying lifting weights in cadence as it used to do so long ago it seemed.  I knew I was going to be sore the next day, but what the heck, it felt good pumping iron again.  Then we headed for the locker room to change our clothes for our swim.  The swimming pool was about a 25 meter pool and we were the only ones there, which was great!  In fact the only other person in the workout room was a small young Japanese man who tried every type of aerobic equipment, jumping for about fifteen minutes on the treadmill, elliptical and bike.  We dove into the pool and swam our laps for about fifteen minutes when the Japanese dynamo waked in the door.  He dove in and did laps as fast as if he were being chased by a shark!  We called him a Kamikaze Swimmer.  We were still lapping along with our easy swim when he got out, shook himself like a dog, and headed out.  We climbed out got a fluffy towels from the attendant and went back to the locker room for a luxurious showers.

We went up to our room and looked out to see Moby Dick and found that it had started to rain again.  We were glad that we had put the cover over our bikes not only for theft protection but because of the weather.  We ordered room service and had a lovely dinner in our suite and settled in to watch a good movie.  In the middle of the night there was tremendous rain and thunder and lighting.  We felt glad that we had chosen to stay in a hotel instead of a tent.  We had been lucky this whole trip so far in that we got just a bit of rain in Deadwood and little else.  Now the storm was really showing its power as the room lit up as the lightning hit close to the hotel.  We snuggled in our "comfty" bed and went back to sleep.

The next morning we looked out and the rain had stopped, but the streets were still wet.  John opened the door and  picked up the U.S.A. Today newspaper outside the door and read about the ten best cycling cities in the U.S.  The one at the top of the list was Chicago!  We checked the forcast and found that it was going to be a lovely day.  So we had a light breakfast, got dressed in our biking outfits and went down to check on our bikes.  We had planned to put our bikes on the subway car and ride out to Navy Pier, but the valet told us that we would have to put our bikes on a bus and go the the next pick-up station because the subway was flooded from the heavy rain.  So the buses were added to take subway people to the next station.  We were instructed to put our bikes in the front of the bus. Lucky that we were the only ones with bikes as there were only spots for two bikes on the front rack.

We got off at the next station and stood in line next to a group of ladies with bright pink T-shirts that read, "L.I.N.D.A. Convention 2011" Bikes were only allowed on the last cab of the subway train and when the door opened we rushed in along side of several Lindas.  The train ride to downtown near the Navy Pier  was the last stop and it would take about 45 minutes.  We stood holding on to our bikes and had plenty of time to talk to the jolly group of Lindas around us.  We found that their organization was opened to anyone with the name sounding like LINDA.  We thought about our Lynda and wondered if she would like to be involved with this group.  We asked if they did triathlons or any other type of exercise event.  They just laughed at us and said the most exercise they plan for is walking from one sightseeing event to another and then to the nearest restaurant. From the looks of most of their hefty figures, I surmised they loved to eat at lots of restaurants. Mmmmm...somehow we didn't think that our Lynda would fit in with this group.

 

We also made friends with a couple that was going to visit the Naval Pier and they would be happy to let us tag along in getting there which was a bit of a walk from the train station.  Jason was a lawyer and his fiance, Susan were to be married in next year after she finished her senior year in college majoring in Public Relations.  Jason loved Chicago and pointed out buildings and interesting points of interest. As we walked he pointed out the Sears Tower, the Monadnock Building which was the tallest building now, the Marina City Building with its white circular design resembling fish scales and the Tribune Tower. It was like having our own tour guide. We walked between buildings very much like New York.  We came to the Tribune building that had 120 stones stuck to it from other sites and structures. Some samples are form Bunker Hill, the Parthenon, Taj Mahal and the Arizona Memorial.  We spent some time reading these as we headed toward Naval Pier.

 As we turned the corner a large group gathered around the statue of Marilyn Monroe standing over the subway railing as her skirt flies up.  Everyone including John wanted their picture under her skirt.  We had to be satisfied taking a picture from across the street as it was too complicated to cross with our bikes.

At the Naval Pier we said good-bye to our friends and got on out bikes and rode along the path that took us by the lake.  It went on forever as Lake Michigan is a big lake even as far as the city boundary.  We rode close to the water's edge and in some places over sand that had been brushed onto the trail.  At one point, we heard a  a huge cheer from a crowd.  So we  stopped to watch what was going on.  There was an arena with players wearing different color uniforms. They were playing dodgeball which was a game we used to play at recess in elementary school.  These focused players however, were adults.  The object of the game was to hit opposing team members.  If they were hit,  they would go to "Jail."  At this point the Jail for the green team was pretty full if Red Team members.  The Red team managed to hit the "strong man" in the center, and at that signal all the Red jailbirds went out of jail and returned to the game.  Then a bell rang and the team with the most players was declared the winner. You could see everyone having a great time in the game and people outside of the arena were enjoying it as well. We decided to go back from there and returned to the bike track and head back to the hotel.

We walked our bikes back to the train station trying to remember the  route.  At one point we saw all the Lindas on top of the open air sight seeing bus and we waved to them and they yelled back at us.  They were all together occupying the whole top part of the bus like pink flamingos in their magenta pink shirts.  We finally walked to the station having gone up stairs and through little alleys.  We got on the last car with our bikes and found seats to sit and still be able to hold on to our bikes. By the time we reached the end of the line, we were happy that the subway got clear of water so we wouldn't have to take the bus back to the hotel.  We disembarked right at the airport, rode to our car and put away our bikes.

 We headed up stairs exhausted and climbed into the shower. John got the phone that was ringing and it was my brother Larry whom we had been in touch with earlier hoping we could get together.  He said he and his wife, Katie with the two foster kids were heading to the train station and would be at the Navy Pier in about 45 minutes. They were coming from Joliet, south of Chicago.  John said great and that we would do the same and meet them at Forrest Gumps Restaurant at the entrance of the Pier.  We quickly got dressed and headed down to the subway station to make the trip back to the Pier.  We got to Chicago and phoned them and they were there waiting for us.  We almost ran the fifteen blocks to the Pier so we wouldn't be too late.

They spotted us as we approached the archer to the Pier and had a nice hug all talking at once trying to get caught up with all the news.  Katie had just gotten her master's degree and was teaching special ed. when she got laid off and was waiting to see other prospects.  This was the case with many districts laying teachers off as a means of cutting expenses.  We were happy that we were retired from teaching and spared all the problems that were going on.  We were let go back in 1980 when our districts in California were shrinking and districts faced proposition 13.  That's when we went into private business and found a way to make ends meet. Now Katie had to do the same as many teachers scramble to find jobs and make ends meet.

Since Larry had extra rooms in his house, he decided to help take care of two foster children from the same family.  Matt was thirteen and Makaya was almost 12.  They were quite enjoyable, and we all had a good time walking and talking as we toured the Pier.  We went by Margaritaville Restaurant where we had hoped to see our nephew who was the new manager of the new restaurant.  Apparently, Jimmy  Buffet had been there just that weekend for the big opening of the restaurant.  Afterwards he had invited Kevin and his family to attend his big gig.  So Kevin wasn't there.  The hostess, Amy, asked that we wait and she would set us up with a table.  Soon we were all sitting eating great burgers, nachos, and drinking Naked Margaritas and Beer.  When the dining was over, we wrote a note to Kevin and gave it to the waiter. The hostess thanked us for coming and told us the meal was on the house.  Thanks Amy!

We left the restaurant and went where all the rides and the Ferris Wheel stood all lit up in the evening sky. It stood 150 feet high modeled after the first Ferris Wheel built in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition.  It has 40 gondolas for a seven minute ride.  The kids wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel so Larry bought them tickets and John bought us some as well.  We stood in line forever and finally got into the little gondola with the kids.  Makaya was really scared of heights, but she did well and didn't even attempt to throw up.  We tried to name all the tall buildings in the skyline and enjoyed seeing all the boats in the harbor all lit up as well. By the time one revolution was over, we were done.  Just in time too as the fireworks were in view and got the crowd Oooing and Aweeing.

It was getting late, and we still had to go to the rail station. So we said our good-byes and headed to the rail station trying to find our way in the evening light. We knew that we were in the right path when we saw Marilyn and took another picture of her lovely sculpture all lit up.  Eventually, we arrived at the rail station and got in for the long ride next to people that closed up shops and restaurants heading for home.  It had been a wonderful day, and we were sad that we couldn't stay a whole week in this great city. For now though, we were happy to have seen great sights, rode the best bike trail in the U.S., and got a chance to connect with my brother, Larry.  A perfect visit!

Madison, Wisconsin -A City in Quiet Turmoil

The next morning we left the Rochester area and headed east on Highway 90. At the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin we were surprised to see the Mississippi River.  Actually it is the upper Mississippi that we cross as we enter the city of La Crosse.  We stopped at the Visitors Center to see what there was to see and do in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin is known for its cheese factories and I would have love to stop at one, but they would have taken us off our beaten path.  This is also Amish country and that again would have been interesting if their hamlets were not so far out of our way.  Another point of interest was the Laura Ingalls Wilder society in the city of Pepin.  The Little House in the Prarie was one of my favorite books and I was glad to see where the story came about.

We also noted how important bike trails are to the state of Wisconsin.  We picked up a trail map and found that there are trails all across the state.  Actually, there are four trails: Great River State Trail, La Crosse River State Trail, Elroy-Sparta State Trail, and "400" State Trail.  The trail is 101 miles from Marshland and ending at Reedsburg. There are three tunnels that go under freeways or through mountains.  The trail is for fast travel with the surface made of fine limestone.  We took the brochure and put it in safe keeping for future ventures.  

We were eager to get on our bikes and do some riding.  When we got into Madison we found the Sheridan Hotel and got settled. We then changed into bike ware and got a map from the desk showing a bike route that passed our hotel and continued by the Lake Mendota.  It followed the lake trail and then went into the city through residential areas and back to the lake again.  We got on our bikes and drove out.  The trail was very popular with bikers and commuter traffic.  The difference is that bikers always wear the cute, colorful outfits and commuters wear what they are going to wear for work.   

It was beautiful day and the ride was terrific.  Riding by the lake we went by the beautiful avant garde Performing Arts building and by several county buildings with architecture from around the turn of the century.  The lake was a lovely pale blue and several fishing boats were out hoping of a catch.  The trail then led us into the city.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of repair going on and we had to stop and walk our bikes around the detours until  we finally got on the trail again and started riding.  There is a saying that when things go bad and you can't do anything about them, you go out and plant a garden.  Well, there were plenty things going wrong with the educational system in Wisconsin, and plant a garden, they did.  We rode next to a community garden that went for blocks.  These gardens were well cared for with plenty of vegetables and lots of flowers.  We saw several people planting and weeding and keeping them in great shape.  

 We left the gardens and followed the trail to a more rural area or perhaps a preserved area.  Here there were lots of trees and the trail meandered in and out of forest and thick vegetation.  It opened up to a community park with tennis courts and the lake house where you could rent kayaks and paddle boards.

We went over and chatted with the Life Guard who suggested a different route to use on the way back.

We had gone completely across the lake and we could see the capital building and the performing Arts  building from where we were.  The lake looked inviting and we would have taken a dip but the prospect of riding with wet clothes wasn't appealing.  We thanked the Life Guard and made our way to our new  path.

We went to the corner of the park and make a sharp left turn and went directly up the hill.  We were carving our own trail here and found the ride most interesting. The houses were all very unique.  They reminded me of houses in Palo Alto. Each had its own charm and lovely garden in the front.  In the gardens we found signs throughout the area asking to repeal the present governor, Rick Walker.  Most signs were pretty civil but some showed the frustration this state is going through with its governor. Time will tell how the next election will go.  We were facing a similar distaste in our own state of Florida.   

We followed the road near the lake until it got us back to the trail that we were on when we started.  Now we were on familiar ground and we set to peddling faster as we felt invigorated riding near the lake again.   This was a wonderful day of riding and we will remember Madison for making this bike trail a useful one for everyone.

Rochester, Minnesota – The Home of Mayo Clinic

We left the Birmark Inn at two in the afternoon after a good shower and lunch. The manager was most gracious, and he allowed as much time needed before checkout. We got on highway 90 heading east into Minnesota. We drove looking for a welcome center or a rest stop, but nothing came into view. What did come into view beyond the fields of corn were wind mills or I should say wind
turbines.

Windmills have been around since the early Greeks and Persians used a horizontal rotary windmill to grind grains. The invention traveled to China and India as well. The Windmills converted energy of the wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. In the pas they were used for milling grain or to pump water. The Horizontal-axis windmill was developed in Western Europe around the 12 century. Don Quixote fighting the windmill always comes to mind. The ones seen now are wind turbines to generate electricity. In 1974 ASA developed wind turbines technologies in use today. These include aerodynamic structural, acoustic engineering design capabilities. Looking out into a forest of white windmills turning in the light wind we have utilized this information to create and store electrical energy for farms, and towns throughout the west.

We watch as a huge truck as it approaches from the opposite direction hauling a large white blade that seems endless as it sweeps past us. The blades come in many sizes depending on the size of the tower of the wind turbine. Most industrial wind turbines have towers 164 ft. high and can generate 250 kilowatts of power with blades that are approximately 50 long. The huge turbines that you might see in the North Sea may be as high as 288 ft. and can generate up to 660 Kw of power. On the other hand, some ranchers can put in small turbines to produce just enough for their farm needs. Also some boats use wind turbines for their electrical needs or to use as chargers for batteries. Looking out into the planes of Minnesota we are amazed at how many turbines are in place like marching armies with rows and rows of turbines all turning gathering energy. This energy is linked by cables under the ground from each turbine into a larger cable that then is transported to stations to be dispensed or stored. Wow!

We were nearing our destination and typed in the Koa address into our Garmin Girl and she led us off the highway to a quiet pasture area where our Koa was located. This Koa was split in half by a public road so that the main office and bathrooms were on one side and the pool and tent and some RV sites where across the street. Out site was right next to the children's playground and next to the fence adjoining the street. We set up our tent and went to the pool that was being used by several families. It was impossible to swim laps so I brought my hand weights. I started with sit-ups on the lawn chair and then did my upper body weight routine. John had jumped into the pool and was engaged in throwing his football to some of the kids. He is pretty much like a kid himself and he enjoys getting kids all playing games. I happened to be wearing my blue Life Guard suit and all the time I was working on my weights, a little girl about the age of Berkeley my seven year old grand-daughter, kept looking at me with curious eyes. Finally, she asked, "Are you a real life guard?" "Yes," I said. "Only life guards get to wear these suits." Well, I wasn't really fibbing. I had to pass my life guard test in Hawaii back in 1964 in order to work summers at Palama Settlement.

When I had finished my weight regiment, I stood at the edge of the pool and put on my cap and goggles.

I blew my imaginary whistle and announced that the lane be cleared so the lifeguard could do her workout. Everyone looked up and automatically moved to one side of the pool as I dove in. It was great not having to bump into anyone as I did my routine of swimming. Soon John joined me and we had half of the pool to ourselves while everyone politely stayed and played on the other side. Nice!

After our workout we got to talking to the family that had a boy about three and the little girl about seven. They were from Madison, Wisconsin and were enjoying their camping in a large, top of the line Motor Home that was will to them from his father that had passed away. They were also given a cabin on a lake somewhere in Minnesota. They were not sure they were going to keep the Motor Home. She said that he should sell his Porsche that was just sitting in the garage most of the time and that they should keep the Motor Home. He clearly did not like that idea. But he did like the new VW Beatle that they were towing in the back of the Motor Home. He said that he actually bought it in Sarasota on line and got a great deal. Just then little Bobby got out of the pool and started running around the edge of the pool which was a no-no! So Dad got out and started chasing him around until he caught him and holding on to him, he jumped into the pool.

There were two other boys in the pool that John referred to as the Tons-of-Fun Twins. They were big and when they jumped into the pool, which was another no-no, they created a Tsunami of water that went outside the pool. One was a Down syndrome boy who kept bragging that he got to go to Special Olympics. He boasted that he was in China last year competing in wrestling. All the while he was talking the other boy kept tossing John's football as hard as he could and visa-versa. We kept out of the way and John patiently waited until they were done to get his toy. We then gathered all our equipment and said good-bye to our friends and went to change for dinner.

We drove to the near-by town called Marion. John was eager to find a Sports Bar where he could find out about a golf tournament. We located one across from a strip joint that was pretty vacant on a Wednesday evening. We sat at a table and ordered salads. My special request was that it be a GREEN salad instead of a white one. John doesn't care if they use iceberg or what- ever. I have found Iceberg salads are mostly water white. So when we both got great green leafy salads, we were most happy. The cute waitress said that they grow their own vegetables and herbs for salads and they never use Iceberg. I was impressed!

Since we were the only customers we had a chance to talk with our server who was a nurse at the Mayo clinic. She was only working part time as she was expecting her first child. Tonight she was just filling in for a friend who worked at as a bar tender. Nancy said that she felt like an indulgent child when she worked at the clinic with all the other nurses making sure she was eating well and taking care of herself. While Nancy was called to serve at the bar, we got to know Joanne who brought us our meal. Joanne had her arm in a cast. She was third baseman and she tried to catch the ball with her left hand to put the runner out and had her wrist pulled back and strained. She had to go to the Mayo clinic to get patched up. In spite of this injury, she was still good at being able to carry two plates full of food with her right hand .I wished that we had an extra day to visit the Mayo Clinic. I use the Mayo clinic on line service whenever I have a physical concern and feel that it is my personal clinic.

 

Sioux Falls – The Heart of America

We were now on the road heading for Sioux, Falls. We left Mitchell, South Dakota at one o'clock in the afternoon, and we only had fifty –six miles to go. We figured we would be there by at least two-thirty. That was a good time since we were planning to spend the night in a hotel and check in was after two. We found the Birmark Inn near the highway and settled into our room. John needed to use the computer to get reservation for hotels for the next few days, so I gathered all the dirty laundry and spent some time getting it done and tidying up the car for our next drive.

Around four we went to explore the city of Sioux Falls. The city was founded in 1856. The center of the city is near Falls Park showcasing the tumbling waters of the falls. The Native Americans were the first to see the falls and bring notice of it to the early explorers. An average of 7,400 gallons of water drop 100 feet over the course of the Falls each second. The minute we got out of our car we could hear the thundering roar of the Falls. We followed he walk through the park meandering around the red, rock boulders as we neared the bridge. The water was white as it cascaded over the red rocks. I took several pictures and a movie of the rushing water.
We walked across the bridge to the other side and entered a building that was once the beginning of a hydroelectric plant that would use the water as an energy resource at the turn of the century. It never panned out but some of the remnants are still in evidence. We followed the walk up stream to see if there were other falls farther up. Near the parking lot, we stopped and talked to two bikers who just finished their trek for the day. They were hot and sweaty and clearly had gone the distance in temperature of 92 degrees. John and I were eager to take a bike hike too, and asked them about their route. They said you could go for miles and miles and follow the river. It is purely a bike trail and you wouldn't have to cross any streets with cars. In places where there would be an intersection, you simply go under the road and where you cross the river, you simply go over the river on a bridge. We were very excited about that, and said we would plan to do it early the next morning.
We went back the way we had come and made our way to the car as we wanted to see down town and look for a place to eat. We headed a few blocks north and parked Moby Dick with his bikes and surfboards right on Main Street. It was a Tuesday evening and not much was happening down town. Most of the business for eateries here is done at noon. Citibank had moved its cardholder office to Sioux Falls from New York. This seemed to boost more business downtown. We found the McNally's Irish Pub. John liked it because it was Sports Bar and the only one open for evening business. We found a booth and ordered a light meal. We were the only customers in the joint, so we had an opportunity to talk to the bartender who was also our server.
Frank had lived in Sioux Falls all his life and outside of sports he was out of touch with the rest of the world. So John talked sports: Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Bulls. He seemed to know all about these teams – who got traded, who the coaches were, how next season was going to go. I was done with my salad and was ready to chomp on my chicken burger. John ordered another beer and the talk continued. John started on his burger and I had a chance to jump in and ask Frank about what events that made the town jump. He said we just missed the Jazz and Blues Festival this last weekend, and a great St. Patrick's Day Parade, as there are lots of Irish here. "Oh," he added, "You would like the Art Walk right here downtown. Sculptures are put up during the summer and you vote for your favorite one on Facebook. This brings the artist some notoriety and funding. So when you are done with dinner, take a walk and check them out!" We thanked Frank for his advice and walked out to see the sculptures.
It is funny how sometimes you don't see things until they are pointed out? Well, we had walked up and down the streets earlier that night looking for a restaurant and didn't even see the sculptures. Now we went up and down trying to figure out which ones we liked the best. For me it was a toss- up between the girl with the Red Dress, or Goddess of the Grapes. I opted for the Goddess. John liked the Sand Hill Cranes and The Blind Shot Hit and he opted for the Blind Shot because it reminded him of when he played football.




Hit from the Blind Side



Goddes of the Grapes

 We walked around doing some window shopping and John was glad that the stores were closed when I spotted Haegle's Western Wear shop where there was a fantastic display of decorative boots. It was just what I wanted for Line Dancing! But alas, the store was closed. To take my mind off of buying western wear, John pointed to Minerva's, an upscale restaurant where we might get an ice cream and Kailua for desert. Again we were the only ones at the bar and although the request for ice cream had never been made to the bartender, he obliged and brought us each a bowlful, and we asked him to drown it in Kailua liquor. We got to talking to Eric, since he had nothing else to do. We told him about all the foreign kids that were working in the U.S. when we had so many people unemployed. He said that many of the U.S. kids go to Europe for the summer to do the same thing. Many are sponsored through their universities, so it's a good exchange as it opens the eyes of young people in this now global economy. We liked talking to Eric and would have spent the rest of his duty there talking about anything under the sun as he was most erudite, but we were getting a bit tipsy and had to get back to the hotel and get a good night sleep in preparation for our bike hike the next day.
The next morning we got up early, had a complimentary breakfast, and got a late check-out so we could enjoy our bike ride. We drove to Falls Park where we saw our biking friends the day before. John pumped up the tires as I got water and we were ready to ride. It was early so the heat index was still mellow. We got on our bikes and went downhill to the railroad crossing and beyond as we followed the river. At one time we went below under the underpass hearing the cars zipping above us. We had to go slowly as we neared a blind right angle turn. We circled around and were back following the river. Soon we approached a bridge and started going across when I saw John stop in the middle of the bridge. We both looked at the smooth water swiftly flowing down from a dam as smooth as Lady Godiva's hair. It was beautiful how smoothly it came down the smooth concrete panels and curl bubbling at the bottom.
I don't know how long we stayed watching the water but we had to finish our ride and we hadn't gone for a half hour. We hopped back on our bikes and followed the bike lane went straight up and kept climbing on the other side until we hit the levy. We road on the levy with arms in the aero bars as we settled down for a long ride for miles ahead. Off to the side there were hay lofts rolled up in circles like little loafs of bread. Looking closely I noticed that there was a mesh netting all around it to keep it together. Noticing these from far away in a car, I never would have seen the netting. I found this very ingenious on the part of the farmers. Also I noticed that the well for the water was at the end of a sprinkler such that the sprinklers rolled in a 360 degree turn as it watered the hay. If I were looking from a plane, it would look like circular crop circle.
Along the way we crossed a few people that were riding the other direction. One was a little, old lady that rode a bike with no gears and a basket in the front. She wore sandals and a floppy hat and a skirt. She was in her own world as she passed us humming a tune. Up ahead was a fast rider that passed John and I at a fast clip. He was wearing a light blue racing suit with a helmet and clip on shoes. He must have been going at least twenty-five miles an hour. When he passed us, he disappeared like a spec in the horizon.
The bike trail actually goes about 35 miles around the whole city. We were beginning to feel fatigue since we had not ridden for a while so when the trail turned to a rest stop we decided to stop and get a drink and asses our situation. There on the top of the hill near the port-o-potty was our peddling hero doing yoga exercises. He was stretching every direction and giving his full concentrative effort in doing so. I was feeling a bit stiff too so I did a few hamstring leg bend and arm stretches. John came back from the nearby woods, no port-o-potty for him especially near Romeo. He took a long drink and said, "Let's go back."eHe That was fine we me.
We turned around and rode around the corner and BAM! It hit us! We hadn't felt it before but now that we were facing the wind, we realized how easy our ride had been with the wind behind us. We quickly made a gear change and off we went feeling it in our quads a bit more than before. By getting lower in our aero bars we offered less resistance so we could combat the wind a bit easier. The good thing was that it was a steady wind and not gusty. Being high on the levy a sideward wind would easily pushed us over the edge. But for now we were going slow and steady against the head wind and making progress.
We retraced our tracks and by the time we got to the parking lot, there was the lady with the big hat having her lunch sitting on a near-by bench. We got off our bikes and drank the rest of our water. "Did you have a good ride?" asked the lady from the bench.
"Yes, but we didn't plan on the wind coming back," John answered.
"You must be new to these parts," she exclaimed pealing her banana.
"No, just passing through. We're from Road Bike Magazine. We go to every city and try and rate their bike trails," said John looking at me with a wink.
"Well, how do you rate us?" she asked flipping her banana peal into the garbage can.
"Absolutely fantastic!" John exclaimed hoisting his bike on the rack.
"Well, that's great news. I'm going over to the Sioux Falls News and let them know." She got on her bike, tucked in her skirt and road off into town.
We finished putting our bikes away feeling a bit guilty, but what the heck we meant no harm and besides it was a pretty fantastic ride!

Mitchell, South Dakota – The site of The Corn Palace



1927



After taking our last pictures of Mt. Rushmore, we were ready to get on the road again. We went by Keystone, and if we could, we would have liked to spend the rest of the day there having fun at the Big, Thunder Gold Mine, Mt. Rushmore tramway and Alpine Slide, and The President's Wax Museum, but we had a day's travel to do and so we headed to Rapid City. There we had to skip the Black Hill Caverns, Dinosaur Park and Geology Museum; something to keep in mind for another trip.
We headed east on Highway 90 with miles and miles of corn fields in front of us. Our next destination point was Kennebec, a dot on the map but a Koa close to the road. We put the Garmin Girl to the task of finding it, and she lead us to a small hamlet off the highway made up of a restaurant, gas station, and a few silos and then the campground. We set up camp and because we were famished went to the restaurant for an evening meal. We ordered our meal and had a chat with the young, pretty waitress. We told her where we had been, and she explained that she had spent many a summer working at the hotel in Deadwood. In fact, some of her friends were the actors that played the gunslinger cowboys in the street scenes. Her career goal was to be a costume designer for theater. She was hoping to leave to go to Dakota Wesleyan University in the fall and was working this summer to pay her tuition. We wished her good luck, gave her a good tip, and drove back to our campsite.
The next morning we broke camp and headed east looking for a city called Mitchell that our friend Emil said we must see. He said there is a Corn Palace there that will "blow your mind". Well, I could do with a little popcorn right now as I nibbled on peanut butter crackers. Around ten in the morning we drove into Mitchell and found a Wall-mart where we resupplied our cooler and, got some fruit for breakfast. We asked a few people about the Corn Palace. Some people were enthusiastic, and they gave us good directions, some said that it was for the birds!
We headed to Main Street to find what Emil said "would blow our minds." Once we got on Main Street it was not hard to miss the Moorish Bulbs that set the building aside from other rectangular buildings in its midst. We parked on the street and walked to the Corn Palace our eyes widening at every step. The exterior was made of corn and it was in the process of getting a facelift. A group of young people were taking down parts and putting up other sections. It looked like an on- going activity.
We walked inside and saw bright lighted panels of other designs of the Corn Palace in the past. Apparently, the exterior gets a facelift every few years with local artist contributing their designs. We waited for our tour by looking at items at the gift shop which were pretty corny since everything related to corn. Soon there were lots of people milling around getting ready for the tour. We were all lead to the auditorium by our young guide. Down on the main floor which looked like a basketball court, there were many vendors putting out their wares for people to buy.
Our young guide explained that the first Corn Palace was built in 1892 and was originally called the Corn Belt Exposition. It was designed as a multi- use facility hosting stage shows and sporting events. It stands in tribute to the rich soil and agriculture heritage of South Dakota. The cost annually is $130,000. The exterior is entirely stripped down and new murals designed by local artists are put up every year. He pointed out the mural that surrounded the top of the arena, and the theme which was settlers working together with Native Americans. He also explained that the arena was used for basketball games by the Dakota Wesleyan University and local high school basketball games.
It was certainly an eye catcher for the city of Mitchell. We went outside and took more pictures before making our departure.




2011



The Black Hills – A Special Place for Mt. Rushmore

We got up early the next morning and put the tent away even though it still was damp from the rain the night before. We were eager to go to Custer State Park and see the buffalo herds our Canadian friends talked about on the ride home from Deadwood. They had gone to see the Mt. Rushmore monument and circled around passing through Needles Highway then going to Custer State Park. They said if you get there early, you would see lots of wild life. So we hurried and packed and grabbed a Five Hour Energy drink and a quick breakfast in Deadwood and we were on our way.

We followed highway 385 down through Silver City and on to Hill City. That was a pretty easy drive. At Hill City we took highway 16 and the road began to change into a single lane with lots of curves. John had been experimenting using lower gears rather than use the breaks, so now was a good time to do this as the curvy road and changing elevations made him extra careful of his driving. At Spring Creek we began climbing to Harney Peak with an elevation of 7,242. We came to Sylvan Lake where we saw a sign advertising a climbing school. What a perfect place to climb with the interesting rock formations .Just beyond we saw the Needle's Eye which is a hole made by the wind on one of the slender pillars. As we drove on we came to our first tunnel. It was so narrow that only one car could get by. So we honked our horn and eased through. We continued slowly climbing. I checked the speedometer, and saw the needle at 25 and even lower if another car approached the other direction. We were wondering if our Canadian friends were laughing thinking of us on this skimpy road.

I checked the map and it showed that we had two more tunnels to go. This was getting to really be an adventure and we were on the edge of our seats. We were now on Needle's Highway built in 1922 planned by South Dakota Governor, Peter Norbeck. It is one of the most difficult roads on this planet. If this was in an amusement park, it would be the high attraction especially if it were on a roller coaster flying through the tunnels. For us going slow was just fine when we could see the thousand foot drop on the side and no shoulder if a car came at you from the other direction. We edged our way one tunnel at a time holding our breath in case we were face to face with someone coming the opposite way.
We continued driving slowly on Needle's Highway which got its name from the needle-like granite formations that appear to pierce the sky. Along the forest side of the road there were tepees made of wood throughout the forest floor. I was curious and found that they are called slash piles made by the forest rangers to create fuel breaks that reduce the intensity of the fire. Then the firefighters can go in safely and stop the wildfire. I had to explain this to John who could not afford time to sight see during this part of the trip. One of the things he did notice was the pigtail bridges in which the road looped around as it descended in a spiral form of a pig's tail. I bet Mr. Norbeck had a great sense of humor!

Finally, we got to Blue Bell Lodge and the road started to straighten out and flatten out as well so that in front was a grassy plain. We went to the side of the road and took a breather, had some water and peanut butter crackers. That seemed to revive John so he felt he was ready to see some bison herds. The forest rangers said that there were about 1.300 in the park this year. They control the herd according to the grazing availability in the park. I had the binoculars out looking for any kind of wild life. At this point I would be happy with a mule deer.


Soon we came to a road jam with several cars just sitting and not moving. We look out ahead and saw several donkeys on the road not planning to go anywhere soon. The park rangers said not to feed the animals so everyone was just taking pictures and looking at the burros as they came up and stood in front of the cars. Some even came to the windows and looked in so people were petting them. John took a liking to a little one and had me take his picture with it. They sure looked hungry to me but I want going to be the first to give one a peanut butter cracker. Water may have been alright but all we had in the cooler was Gatorade, and I don't think that would be good for them either. Besides, not far away there was a bubbling creek so water was not their need. The burros were not native to the park but were brought in to take people to Haney Peak. When that project was discontinued, the rangers let the burros free to roam the park. Well, if we didn't see any animals, we can at least say that we saw the burros!
We meandered around the burros who would not move off the road, and made our way with binocular in hand looking for the bison herd. John was just happy to be driving an easy, flat road. We finally came to the visitor's center and took a break. We told the park ranger that the only animals we saw were the burros on the road. He said that the temperature was in the high nineties and most animals go under the shelter of the trees when it gets hot. Even if some of the bison are shedding their winter coats, they still bet very hot at this time in the afternoon, and go to take a nap. Well, I could buy into that explanation. After all they were not in the park for our convenience. This was their home and we were the visitors. So we refreshed ourselves and got back into our air conditioned car ready to finish the circle and head to Mr. Rushmore.

We were now driving on Iron Mountain Road and climbing in elevation. John again was sitting hunched over the steering wheel with both hands gripping tightly choking it. There were hairpin turns going up and this time there were areas where a car could pull out and let the other pass. These roads reminded me of a road in France from a picture of the Tour De France where they tackle this road on bicycles. Here our Moby Dick was not a happy, camper especially when approached by a huge motor home or tour bus. It is enough to make you lose your engine oil from fright!

As we approached our first tunnel, we noticed lots of cars parked and people all around taking pictures. So we hopped out and did the same. It seemed that no one was in a hurry to attempt the tunnel any time soon. We were happy to admire the rock formations in these Black Hills and look out into the Badlands in the distance. And now to add to this scene, man came along and built these roads and drilled through the hills in an effort to claim them for himself. I don't believe the Native Americans would ever think of changing the make-up of the Earth. They seemed to think the Earth is not for us to change but to leave just the way we found it for future generations. Well, the Park Service says exactly that in their credo that I remember reciting when I became a Junior Ranger. White man, however, has made his imprint, and we were now ready to venture through the first tunnel.

Moby Dick sounded a loud honk to warn other vehicles that we were on our way in. It was dark in there even with the headlights on as we crept slowly through. You hear stories about people dying and coming back to life to tell about it. One of the descriptions that many of them tell is the part when they are going through a dark tunnel being drawn by a bright light on the other side. Well, this seemed just like that. As we drove on the light got brighter and brighter until when we got to the end the white light was actually blinding! Then we cross the threshold and it seems everyone on the other side waiting to cross the other way, almost gave us a standing ovation with a wave as we drove on.

We were not out of this road yet as we noticed on our map that we still had lots of curves and two more tunnels to navigate. We drove slowly around more turns and came upon another tunnel. A lady was standing in front of the mouth of the tunnel navigating with her hands as slowly a motor home inched its way through the tunnel. Above the cab of the motor home on the upper bed loft window there were four little faces with eyes as big as saucers as the motorhome eased its way out. You could see the celebration going on in the cab. Dad moved the vehicle out of the way and parked allowing Mom to reenter the motor home and maybe serve some glasses of lemonade.

Now it was our turn to enter. We sounded our horn and slowly passed into the dark, long tunnel. We gave another honk from the inside just in case someone on the other side did not hear us coming. As we inched through the light kept getting brighter and brighter. Until, finally, we were out in the bright sunshine. Now we only had one more tunnel to go through. We drove around a few more turns to go before we saw our last tunnel. This last tunnel had no one waiting but you could hear people on the other side like they were having a party. We didn't want to waste any time if there was a party to go to. So in we plunged holding down our horn. I was camera ready as we approached the opening and I got the most miraculous picture of the four Presidents faces of Mt. Rushmore framed by the exit square of the tunnel. We joined the others who were at the observation area taking pictures of the monument.

We were eager to go to Mt. Rushmore which looked far away from the observation area. All the people around us had just come from there and were retracing our steps going the other way. We continued our winding way from an elevation of 4,000 feet going north. We knew we were getting closer as each turn we made the faces got larger and larger. Before we made out last turn into the parking lot we noticed a billboard with the rock carving of Crazy Horse with directions on how to get there. So we were curious enough to go and see what this was about. It was interesting that people thought the Native Americans should get some notoriety. The society that sponsored the welcome center for the Lakota Indians was charging $25 per person to enter the complex. We saw that we had enough cash for the Mt. Rushmore and not enough for Crazy Horse. So we did manage to take his picture and then went on the parking entrance of Mt. Rushmore.

Since this was a national park, I had our card ready to show that we were members and that would get us in for free. The parking attendant said that the park was free but the parking was not and we would have to pay $11 to park Moby Dick. Well that was alright with us and it looked like a pretty nice parking lot with plenty of room for cars and the motorhomes and busses were sent to another site. It was explained to us that the parking lot was run by Presidential Parking, Inc. This firm constructed the parking facility and continues to maintain it. Well, that was enterprising and it seemed to work In keeping the tourist happy. And that is all that matters.
We walked up the Washington Parking Ramp to the expansive pillared, and spotted the restrooms on the left and the Information Center on the right. It was a matter of urgency that we visit the restrooms after our perilous ride. Then we went into the Information Center. We were just in time to see a film on the construction of Mt. Rushmore. We found out that idea for a monument Duane Robertson, a South Dakota historian. He wanted to see western folk heroes carved out of the needles. He thought it would be great for tourism. He approached Guyton Borglum a well, known stone sculpture who had done sculptures at Gettysburg. Borglum came to the Black Hills and said that the Needles structures would not support the sculpture process. He noticed the large outcrop of rock that was most pronounced and said that Mt. Rushmore would be more feasible in that the rock faced south and would get the most sun through the day. It was Borglum's idea to have four important presidents to give it more national focus. He chose the four presidents because of their roll in preserving the union and expanding the territory: Washington, being the first president; Jefferson, Louisiana Purchase; T. Roosevelt, established the National Parks; Lincoln, Preservation of the Union.
After they got financial approval through the government, thanks to Calvin Coolidge, the film explained that the project began in 1927 and ended in 1941. It cost $989,992.32 and hired 400 workers to dynamite and jackhammer. Borglum had made small miniatures of the faces of the presidents to see how they would react to light and shadow. Then he made 30 foot tall models in his studio to use as a guide for his colossal sculptures. These models were 1/12 of the finished product. The workmen were lowered from the top of the rock which was the height of a 50 story building. They were lowered using iron winches in a special boson chair. Once the pointer verified the position, the workman would drill little holes with a pneumatic drill to insert bits of dynamite and remove extra rock to within 3 inches of the finished surface. Sometimes Borglum had to change his design because of the inconsistencies of the granite, but in spite of this he ended up with a magnificent finished product.
Borglum died at 73 not able to finish the project that would have continued the sculpture to the waistline of each president. He also wanted to carve out a large room behind the sculpture to be called "the Hall of Records" and would store important documents like the Declaration of Independence and U. S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. But since the Second World War had begun and the money dried up, his son was told to pack everything away and leave the project as it was. In 1998 to fulfill her father's wish, Mary Ellis Borglum Vhay, Borglum's daughter found a way to bury a teakwood box in a titanium vault at the entrance of the hall. The box contains 16 porcelain panels bearing the words of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It also includes the panels containing the biographies of the presidents and information about how and why Mount Rushmore was carved
After the film we went into the museum where we could see the tools that helped to sculpt the colossal sculpture of the four presidents. The actual studio sculpture was there showing the positions of the sculpture from which Borglum could figure the exact placement of each part of the face and make mathematical calculations for his pointer. We saw the winches and straps and harnesses that the workmen used. It must not have been an easy task to go down the mountain and drill. These men were daredevils who risked their lives. The project took fourteen years and went through the hard times of the depression when money was scarce. The project never stopped and it became a source of national pride when the country needed it most.

                                                                           

Now we were ready to see the real thing. Along with many people from all over the world and lots of families with children we walked through the hall of flags to the amphitheater where we could get a good view and take pictures. You simply have to be there to see the awesome size of the sculpture. Each head was 60 ft. high, each eye was 11ft wide, each nose was 20 ft. long, except that Washington's was 21 ft. long, and Washington's mouth was 18 ft. long. Talking to one of the rangers, he said that maintenance is a continuing job especially if there are cracks that form. They have to find a way to seal them so that water does not get in and turn to ice in the winter which would make the crack expand. Although we would not be there at night, we heard that the laser light show with patriotic music was a highlight presentation of the visit.

The park has some walking trails that people can take and one of them is to the Indian Village. There people can learn about the Lakota Indian heritage by exploring the history of American Indian tribes who had populated this land for thousands of years. It is interesting to note that Mt Rushmore to the Indians was called "Six Grandfathers" and was on the route that the Lakota leader Black Elk took in a spiritual journey that culminated at Harney Peak. The mountain had been given many names by settlers as they moved west, but it was not until 1885 when a prominent lawyer from New York came to the Black Hills to do some prospecting that the mountain was named after him. Charles E. Rushmore probably had some good friends in the newspaper business that publicized his christening of the mountain with his name and plastered it all over the news! The great turn of events is that now Mt. Rushmore has a lot more meaning than just a person's name.