August 19, 2008, 9:44 pm
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My friend Mike, who recommend the KOA RV park we’re at, also recommended that we make time to ride the Presidents Alpine Slide in Keystone.
When I saw pictures of the slide I was in. I have vague memories of seeing a place like this when I was a kid and wanting to do it, but I never got to. Now was my chance.
Sarah Michael didn’t share my enthusiasm. She didn’t want to go down the slide, no way. Jessie was also not-so interested but when she learned the little carts you ride have brakes so you can control your speed and go slow, she convinced SM to go. They could go slow, I could go fast.
You ride a chair lift up to the top of this little mountain, then you sit on a cart in the track and down you go. I got down first and watched SM and Jessie as they arrived at the bottom. Sarah Michael announced as she got off “That was fun! I want to do it again!”
How could I say no to that? We paid for another run and went back up. This time SM wanted to ride with me so she could go down the slide faster. Jessie went first and Sarah Michael and I went in the next track and tried to catch up to her. We just about did too. SM loved it, I loved it and Jessie enjoyed it too (she probably didn’t love it).
August 19, 2008, 9:24 pm
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Mt. Rushmore is not the only massive sculture to see here in the Black Hills, the memorial to the Indian leader Crazy Horse is underway just north of the town of Custer.
The Crazy Horse Memorial is spectacular. The size and scope of it, the history behind it, it is very cool.
The first blast on the mountain was in 1948 and sixty years later work continues. The project is entirely funded by entry fees, donations and gift shop sales, no government money has been accepted by those behind the project. So it actually felt really good to pay our $20 to get in (you can give too!). The visitor center experience begins with a film about the history of the project, the sculptor who designed it and his legacy. Then there are lots of artifacts of both Native American life as well as the actual blasting/carving process. The visitor center is beautiful and huge and even includes the home the sculptor built for himself and later his family.
It feels like history in action to see it not yet complete. Some day I can visit again and hopefully see that progress has been made. Some day further on Sarah Michael can return with her children and she’ll see an even greater change.
August 19, 2008, 9:03 pm
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We’ve decided to stay an extra day here in the Mt. Rushmore area and forgo Yellowstone on the way home. Not only are there a million things to do in the area, this Mt. Rushmore KOA is great (thanks again, Mike, for the suggestion)! There is a water slide, two pools, mini golf, a big trampoline-type thing, Sarah Michael absolutely loves it.
There are a ton of kids here too. They’re all having a blast. Sarah Michael has already announced we’re coming here every year. It would be fun for her to come with a friend, we would probably never see them!
The internet connection here isn’t great (I had to drive into Custer to use the library’s network to upload our pics to Flickr) and our phones display No Service most of the time, but maybe that’s a good thing when you’re supposed to be on vacation.