My Lands Are Where My Dead Lie Buried

The Black Hills in South Dakota brought on some conflicting emotions, especially while visiting Mount Rushmore. There is a very deep Native American history centralized in this area, tainted with sadness, and it was difficult for me to feel patriotic towards Mount Rushmore knowing in my heart that what was done here was wrong. The Black Hills are sacred to the Lakota, and other tribes, so not only did the American Government violate their treaty (the Treaty of Fort Laramie) but they drove it home by carving into the sacred mountainside. Unfortunately what's done is done and for me personally, the only way to honor that history is to learn it, respect it, appreciate it and share it. The idea of Mount Rushmore is good, four presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history but the museum does a pathetic job of honoring the true history of the Hills and the controversy of the monument. However, during the evening lighting of the mountainside I did indeed fill with pride as the Ranger who led the ceremony did acknowledge the Lakota people, the history of this place, the men who made the mountain, and she reminded everyone that to be strong we must look for the commonalities among us and not the differences. Obviously I've paraphrased as what the Ranger said was much more beautiful but every bit as truthful.

Ok, the heavy stuff aside there are just two things I have to say about Mt. Rushmore. 1) It's total BS that as a "National Memorial" Mount Rushmore is excluded from the NPS interagency pass and 2) it totally looks fake. I don't know what it is but it looks tiny and fake. There, I said it. Maybe it was like the Mona Lisa, it's built up in your mind as this great, amazing painting but in reality (although no less the things you thought) it's surprisingly small! Also, sorry for the unstable night shots!

The nearby Custer State Park is beautiful and also an animal reserve, home to around 1500 bison! As we were driving through the park, we ran right into the herd! I've seen buffalo (Golden Gate Park has a few!) but never this close and never this many! Some people were getting out of their cars (BAD IDEA!) but I enjoyed from the car, watching a little baby cross the road with mama.

 

The title of this post comes from the Oglala Lakota leader Crazy Horse, and was the inspiration for sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski as he began the Crazy Horse Monument at the request of Henry Standing Bear who wished for people to know that "the red man has great heroes too." Although this monument has it's fair share of controversy as well, I have high hopes for the completed monument which will include (and has a great deal accomplished) cultural and educational programs and services, like the Indian Museum of North America. In contrast with paying extra fees at Mount Rushmore, I was happy to pay entry as well as donate to the Crazy Horse Monument. The project is NOT federally funded (meaning no government money, aka your taxes) to ensure that the beliefs outlined at the projects inception will remain true for all future generations.

 

 

Bad Lands

A lot of driving, a lot of flat space. Even after we entered the Bandlands National Park, the plains sprawled out for miles, beautiful and grassy. Suddenly out of nowhere the plains look as if they are falling away as you stare at them to reveal layers of history. Standing here, the Earth feels as if at any moment it will slip away into these strangely eroded crevasses. Erosion is King here, creating these gorgeous formations, deep canyons, pinnacles and spires, and revealing one of the worlds richest fossil beds. Evidence of the sea that once covered the area, the Yellow Mounds' paleosols contrast beautifully with the greys of the surrounding cliffs.

 

I have to admit, I was unsure about camping here, but once I saw the campground I was totally in love!  Maybe it was just because evening had began and a light warm breeze tickled the wildflowers surrounding the tent. It was probably because each site had a wooden wind breaker covering the picnic tables, I want one of my own! Pictures are: The campsite, the campground, mountain view over an empty site, sunset view, and the sun illuminating my tent - dome light! Also, say hey to the camping trunk, heyyy! That trunk has been through a lot!

There are hikes in the Badlands, the boardwalks with informational plaques are especially nice, but there also seems to be an open space policy. If you can be smart and respectful you can sorta walk around wherever you like...you want to go walk down that canyon over there, ok yeah, keep an eye out! I definitely would love to come back and continue exploring this place - there is a hike-in campsite that you could see from one of the points and I think I'll have to check it out next time!

After leaving the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, we saw a very interesting billboard advertising a place called "Wall Drug." Some miles later we saw another billboard, "The Free Ice Store!" Then another, then another. For nearly 900 miles (yes, I calculated it), yes, 900 miles..this "Wall Drug" advertised with billboard after billboard (in hindsight I really should have taken more pictures of the signs!), each unique and advertising something different. Upon leaving Badlands you are basically fed right into Wall Drug and after 900 miles of dedicated advertising how could we not check it out?! The sign on the door cracked me up, I felt like it should say "Glad you finally made it!" Let me just give a tip of the hat to Wall Drug, it was pretty amazing. I proudly put a "Where the heck is Wall Drug??" bumper sticker on my trunk. What is it? I'll leave it for you to discover one day!