SouthDakota2008: Mount Rushmore Again

On our trip to South Dakota this year, we went to Mount Rushmore three days. Our last visit we took Liz, Doug, Diane, and Grant. The weather when we got there was superb. Most everybody (except height adverse Paul) walked around the base of the monument.

Our favorite...Mount Rushmore...

Grant took this photo of Paul, Michele, Sammy, Diane, Liz, & Doug...

An unsuspecting Grant is about to get buffaloed...

Sammy sharing fries with his Aunt Diane...

Mount Rushmore National Memorial...
...has a very large and modern multi-level parking garage...
...which is apparently held up by this flimsy jack...

True story...
...on several occasions strangers walked up and asked to take photos of Sammy...

Liz & Doug...

Diane and Grant...

Grant, Paul, Michele, Sammy, Diane, Doug, Liz...

One of the many stairs we had to climb...

Doug waiting for everyone to catch up...

Grant read *every* word on the plaque...

Liz took this photo...
...all questions should be directed to her...

Wherever Sammy goes...
...he ends up with girls...

SouthDakota2008: Sammy Riding a Horse in the Black Hills

Here's a short video of Sammy riding a horse in the Black Hills during our trip there. Accompanying Sammy was his Grandpa D and Michele.

Our little cowboy...

SouthDakota2008: Sammy Hiking @ Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore proved a serious challenge for Sammy. He walked around the base of the monument, up and down the stairs. By the time the walk was almost completed, he was a tired and thirsty little boy.

Sammy hitting the water fountain...



Wide shot...



Videotaping Sammy...


Video of the shot...



A very tired Sammy...



An extremely tired Sammy...



Sammy continuing his weary climb up the stairs...

SouthDakota2008: Sammy Takes Grandparents to Mount Rushmore

One of the fun parts of our trip was going to see Mount Rushmore several times. The first time we went, it was just Sammy & us. The second time we took Paul's parents. And the third time we took the rest of the crew. Here are some photos from when Sammy took his grandparents...

Paul, his mother, and his father...

Mount Rushmore as viewed from the Grand View Terrace...

Sammy's grandparents at Mount Rushmore...

Posing with the bust of Gutzon Borglum...

Paul's parent's seemed a bit skeptical as they listen to him...
...what is he saying?

Finishing was done with...
...3" holes that were drilled...
...the remains were chiseled out...
...then the surface was ground smooth...
...Paul holds his lens cap close to give an idea of the size of things...

Paul and Sammy playing around at the Mount Rushmore cafeteria...

Paul's parents with the Black Hills as a backdrop...

Michele, Sammy, Grandpa D, and Grandma D...
...amidst the majesty of it all...

SouthDakota2008: National Park Service Announcement

6/11/2008

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota (SNS) - The National Park Service is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with Sammy. The National Park Service has committed to carving Sammy's head, the fifth and final onto Mount Rushmore, either when Sammy becomes president or is fully potty trained. This is being heralded as perhaps the greatest achievement yet on part of the National Park Service. Sammy insisted on and received assurances that his head would be carved with his favorite cowboy hat on.

Sammy News Service (SNS) File photo:
Michele, Sammy, and Ranger Daphne Treehugger sealing the agreement

SouthDakota2008: Horse Ride at the Circle B Ranch

Before we had our chuckwagon dinner at the Circle B Ranch, Sammy went for a horse (pony) ride around the ranch. This was his second day of equestrian riding and he enjoyed it even more since the pony actually went somewhere.

Grandpa, Michele, Sammy, and the guide...

Sammy making a corner on his pony...

Speeding off...

So in control...
...he doesn't even need the reins...

Navigating the trees...

Our little man...

SouthDakota2008: Iron Mountain Highway (Route 16A)

After taking Paul's parents to Mount Rushmore, we went for a ride (on one of many scenic roads in the Black Hills) called the "Iron Mountain Highway" (or Route 16A). There are a number of "pigtail" bridges and tunnels cut ot of stone to frame a view of Mount Rushmore. After a while we ended up in the middle of a beautiful pasture where there seemed like there would be no level land.

A public service sign we saw on the road...

You'd think George would get bored...
having to look at the same granite wall all the time...

Scenic view...

Paul and his father at a tunnel framing Mount Rushmore...
...the camera exposure was bad and Mount Rushmore was washed out in the image...
...so we put in graphics to show where it would be...
...the smiley face with the beard is Abe Lincoln...

We saw numerous military convoys during our trip...

The pasture we found in the middle of the Iron Mountain Highway...

A store where we stopped and bought numerous things...

Paul shows Sammy his new buffalo hat...

Grandma has a buffalo for a grandson!

Michele and her little buffalo...

SouthDakota2008: Signs

One of the fun things about traveling is seeing different signs. Here are some of the more "interesting" ones we saw in the Black Hills of South Dakota...

This one was at the Rapid City Airport...
...move over Mayo Clinic!

Also seen in the Rapid City airport...
...while waiting for Michele and Sammy to arrive...
...not really a billboard sign...
...more a sign of the times...
...Hulk Hogan breaking his silence (was he ever silent?)...

This was at Old MacDonald's (Petting) Farm...

This is something we'd like to see...
...though not from the ground underneath him as he works...

Echos of M. Night Shyamalan...
...instead of crop circles...
...the Black Hills has tire donut circles....