Hello all!

We're at day two of our time at the KOA Campground Hill City. Today is our day to visit Crazy Horse, and then do the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore.

First Crazy Horse, only 12 miles from Mt Rushmore, which is about 7 miles or so from the campground. We're in the perfect location! We entered crazy horse, which is a bit pricey at $27 per car, but we found out later they take no federal money at all. If you are not familiar with the crazy horse monument it is in progress, and will continue until finished. Per their website:
"When completed the Crazy Horse mountain carving will be 641 feet long by 563 feet high. Crazy Horse's completed head is 87 feet 6 inches high. The horse's head, currently the focus of work on the mountain, is 219 feet or 22 stories high." The man who started the carving worked under the carver from Mt Rushmore then was asked to do this Crazy Horse monument. He started in 1948, and although he recently died, 7 of his 10 children continue to work on the monument until completion. Very amazing place! There is a great visitors center, shops, etc.

We decided to head back to the campground so the kids can have some fun. After pizza, the girls all got to sign up for a trail ride on the horses. It was fabulos fun for them, and Gavin and I went off to play at the parks, and buy toy Corvette's. From what I understand, Brianna's horse wanted to stop and eat the grass, and another member of the riding group got in trouble trying to help her get the horse back on track. Shea was led by the trail guide, so she could see everything and had no problems. Everyone was sore when they were done.

We returned to the cabin and got ready for a swim at the water slides, and I decided to slam my head into a beam sticking out of the roof of the cabin. I was mostly upset that I got blood on my favorite Disney World Hat, but really smacked my melon pretty good. Still dealing with the bump on my noggin. (Idiot!)

We went into Hill City to have dinner and found a fabulous and historic restaurant to enjoy. Joy had buffalo, and I had BBQ ribs that were just to DIE for! Brianna kept taking my ribs, and now she wants them everywhere we go. Well, at least it wasn't lobster! I also finally found my buffalo hide wallet, that I've been looking for in every town.

Mt Rushmore was the end of the evening, and the kids all got their Junior Park Ranger badges! This was no easy task! We had to finish up a booklet about presidents and Mt Rushmore, then got quizzed by the park ranger before the kids got their badges. We had to find the closest national park in Illinois, which is the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood home. I didn't realize that was a national park.

The ceremony to light up the monument was fabulous! A park ranger came out and spoke to the crowd, sitting in an ampitheater. She was an amazing young lady who gave a talk about being a peace corps volunteer in Africa. She said that people would always ask her what the USA was "really" like, and she struggled because we have so much to offer. It is impossible to explain in one or two sentences.

The end of the ceremony was to bring the flag down and applaud all existing and previous military service people in the audience. They were brought down on stage and everyone cheered them as they were introduced. A boy scout troop brought the flag down as well, and was cheered for that too. Fabulous and amazing place, it should not be missed! Late night to bed, and starting the trip home tomorrow. The odometer reads over 2500 miles on the van so far! WOW, that is pretty overwhelming.