30th June cont.

Still traveling to Keystone, I decided not to go directly there as it was now only mid-day and I wanted to see Custer state Park, which I can say is beautiful. As the riding was great and I could not imagine stopping I decided to see the Crazy horse monument and mount Rushmore as well.

The crazy horse monument is not finished but is already impressive. Just a side note; Carving started on the monument in 1948, and to date there is no deadline for its completion. The slow progress is primarily down to funding as it is solely privately funded with any federal funding being rejected. If you want to read more about his – https://www.distractify.com/p/when-will-the-crazy-horse-monument-be-finished

I really hope it gets more investors and is completed or at least half completed, however it is already impressive and the museum at the foot of the mounting is a must see. The museum not only tells the story of crazy horse and the sculpture Korczak Ziolkowski but shows many artefacts and pictures of many of the north American first nation tribes. It is fascinating and very well done, a definite must see. The statue outside of the Lakota Indian Death song and his fallen pony really hit me in my hear and that was just the beginning. The history of the first nation people is rich, beautiful and also extremely tragic. I had a great conversation with one of the guides about communication and how so much of the tragedies could have been avoided if people had taken the time to just understand each other as the lost in translation and impatience literally lead to thousands of lives. Isn’t it sad that this lesson has still not be learned today (never mind was but just look no further than social media) Making notes of yet more history books to download on my kindle, this trip is such an education?

I also met Pam, her husband and her friends at the museum. Somewhere outside the Badlands, I think before I spotted the buffalo, I had stopped to take a picture and Pam and her friends rode past me on their trikes. She stopped and asked if I was okay (so nice) At the museum I recognised the and we had a quick chat. She is part of the moto maids’ group who are having a rally in rapid city, they do this every year and are expecting about 400 members this year. How cool is that 😊 I then met a couple more moto maids at the hotel this morning and they made me realise that if I get too old to ride on two wheels, I’m getting a trike.

Arriving at Mount Rushmore I met my 3^rd set of nice people, Brian and Creighton from Washington DC, what a great couple. They travel all over America and Europe, and I hope to meet them again one day. Creighton rides pillion because he said he doesn’t trust himself riding, and I told him that I ride my own bike because I don’t trust my husband (okay okay not true I do trust my hubby, but still prefer to ride on my own)

Mount Rushmore is a lot smaller than I expected, the photos I have seen made me think it was gigantic, however it is every bit as impressive as you imagine. It only took 14 years to carve and I did need to as Brain who was who as I only recognised Lincoln and Washington; So, it’s George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Finally on the cabins and a hot shower.