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The length of my bucket list sometimes keeps me up at night.
How will I ever complete everything?
Since many things will have to remain unchecked at least for now, due to Covid19, I am trying to enjoy some of the things that are close at hand. Maybe some things, by necessity, have suddenly appeared on my list, but some of them have always been there!
When I say close at hand, it is understandable that not being able to travel outside the country has forced us to take a closer look at the amazing places that are within our boundaries. Since I can’t go gorilla trekking in Uganda right now, I can certainly travel within the United States and mark off a few things, like Mount Rushmore.
Unbelievably, I don’t ever remember having been to South Dakota. Maybe I spent a short night while on one of my trips for work, but not enough time to see anything that this beautiful state has to offer.
Pondering my bucket list situation one night, I packed a bag and decided that I would leave for Mount Rushmore in the morning. It was now…or now (I didn’t want to say never)…and I really needed to get out of the house!
As luck would have it, it was a good travel day and I made all three of my flights, arriving in Rapid City around eleven. My rental car took me to my downtown hotel, where I dropped my bags and quickly freshened up. With sunset so early in the winter day, I knew that it was imperative to make the most of the daylight. Thankfully, Mount Rushmore is only a short drive from the downtown area and I made the trip in a quick twenty-five minutes.
As I navigated the winding road, aware that I was getting close, I looked up ahead at a passing truck and there it was! I had not been prepared to see this amazing landmark from the highway and I had to slow my speed and pull over to take a better look. It was mesmerizing!
While most people opt to visit Mount Rushmore during the warmer summer months, I realized as I pulled into a mostly empty parking garage that visiting during the winter has its advantages.
And disadvantages.
Improvements to the property certainly cannot be done during the busy times of the year, so as I made my way down the Avenue of the Flags, which display flags of all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the three territories, Guam, American Samoa and Virgin Islands, I had to maneuver around construction equipment, detours and closed off areas. As I arrived on the Grand View Terrace, I finally laid my eyes on the colossal sculpture, sans the massive crowds that flock here during the summer…another advantage of my November visit.
Looking down at the unoccupied amphitheater seating, it dawned on me how many people I could actually be sharing this space with. Yes, it was cold, but there was no one to my left and no one to my right…perfect for social distancing.
As luck would have it, the weather, which could be volatile at this time of year was cooperating. Although a few clouds dipped low, occasionally obscuring the upper portions of the the carvings, blue skies prevailed and we were all treated with beautiful views.
After feasting my eyes, I headed inside the Visitor’s Center to warm up and learn about the famous carvings’ history, much of which I did not know.
Mount Rushmore was the brainchild of Gutzon Borglum. With an idea of carving the four Presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln, from the waist up, construction began in 1927 and took fourteen years to complete. When funding ran out, only the heads were completed. The Presidents represent the nation’s birth, development, growth and preservation. There are many exhibits in the Visitor’s Center explaining their construction as well as a short film.
Although I saw the entrance to the Presidential Trail, which gives hikers a closer look, I was not quite sure of how much time it would entail. With my plans including continuing on to the Crazy Horse Memorial, a short drive away, I decided to skip this portion of the grounds.
Jumping back into my now freezing car, I cranked up the heat and headed out to Highway 244. Not long into my journey, I learned that I wasn’t quite done with my visit to Mount Rushmore. From the roadway, behind the park, there is a great view of the profile of George Washington’s 60 foot head, 20 foot nose and 18 foot wide mouth. Pull over to the side of the road or in the adjacent parking lot and keep an eye out for the many mountain goats that hang out in the area.
This was the icing on the cake!
Twenty four hours earlier, I had not planned to be here and now I was gazing up at the profile of our nation’s first president.
With my head held high, I gave myself a personal pat on the back for making this happen. I then placed a mental check on my bucket list while looking up at this important piece of our nation’s history.
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Mount Rushmore
- https://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm
- Address: 13000 Highway 244, Building 31, Suite 1, Keystone, SD 57751
- Hours: October 1 through March 13, 0500-2100, March 14 through September 30, 0500-2300.
- Admission: free admission
- Parking: Cars, Motorcycles and RVs, $10.00 per vehicle. Seniors (ages 62+), $5.00 per vehicle. Free for Active Duty Military.