Before I begin sharing our next adventure, you need to know that for much of the time we are out of cell and/or wifi. When wifi has been available, the signal has been so weak that publishing has been impossible. So, please enjoy even though they are not timely. Bobbye
Leaving Medora behind, we headed to South Dakota. The landscape changed from the flat prairie to rolling hills. There were more cattle farms but the ever present corn was also all around. Many of the farms grow Alfalfa to be used for hay. Apparently, this is the time of the year when it is harvested and baled. It is interesting that we saw large numbers of bales between the highway shoulder and the fencing for the farms. We asked about it and it turns out that farmers can apply for permits to plant this area and harvest the hay along with their fields. It is a neat way to keep the highways clear of weeds and make extra income at the same time.
It is amazing what you see as you travel along the way. We saw this plane flying low in the distance. When we were close enough to see what it was doing, we realized that it is was dusting the Sunflower fields. He swooped low over the rows in the field and banked and climbed at each end. Amazing to watch the process especially since we both flew and know the skill it takes.
At Bowman, we came across some interesting airplanes on the road side. I have no idea what they were designed to be, but they sure did catch our eye as we drove past.
Our destination, Hermosa is on the far side of Rapid City. On the near side, lies the small town of Sturgis. We had been told that our arrival day coincided with the beginning of an annual Motorcycle event. It is a week long “party” and riders come from all over the place to attend. There were groups of bikes on the roadway as we drove in. Campgrounds were filled to the brim as far as 100 miles away! It looked like it was going to be quite a party!! But as they say, what happens in Sturgis, stays in Sturgis. In all honestly, it is not just about partying, they raised money for charities and had events for children and all sorts of things. Bikers are more than leather and loud noise, they are good citizens.
After setting up camp, we decided to make the most of the balance of the day and head for Mt. Rushmore. I have seen pictures many times, but like seeing Lady Liberty, it just does not do it justice. The figures left to right are Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Lincoln. We would have loved to see them at night when they are bathed in light, but we wanted to move on to our next stop.
About 30 minutes from Rushmore is another mountain of rock that is being carved with the likeness of Crazy Horse. The Indian people wanted a carving to represent their contribution to our great nation. They also wanted to establish a museum of their culture and history as well as a university. The work began in 1948 with the first explosion of dynamite. In the ensuing years, the museum has been completed and the university has also been established. But the carving itself, well you can see the picture. When completed, it will depict Crazy Horse astride his horse, his right hand holding a spear and his hair blowing in the wind as he rides. Since the project is strictly funded from donations and no government monies are accepted even though it has been offered a couple times, it could take many more years to complete. We were a bit disappointed but Rome was not built in a day!
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