Road Trip 2019: July 1,2019
Custer State Park was our first stop after leaving Wall, SD.
Custer State Park lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota and truly is worthy of a visit. Custer is a wonderful destination for the family. If you love the outdoors; hiking, fishing, camping; you will enjoy Custer State Park. I have read about Custer and on recommendation, incorporated it into our road trip. We are so glad that we did.
The park is made up of 71000 acres of wildlife and rolling prairies. The park is easy to travel and user friendly, even has a small country Chapel for worship. Todd and I entered the park and stopped by the Visitor’s Center. We always check in at the Visitor’s Center to learn about any changes or closures within the park. We ventured out for a breathtaking hike, and did it take our physical breath away! Not a long hike, but you hit the ground climbing. Approx. a 450 foot climb in .50 mile. “Lover’s Leap” is one of the popular hikes in Custer. It is a 4 mile lollipop loop that brings you to a summit overlooking a portion of the park.
We returned to our car and cruised the Wildlife Loop to the highest lookout in the park, Mt. Coolidge Point. This was a white knuckle ride up to the point. No guardrails, loose stone and a two way road that is a singe lane. I am petrified of heights, this scared the fuck out of me. However, well worth the struggle. From this point you can see the profile of Washington carved into the rock of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse looks directly at you. With my lens I was able to captured the ongoing construction of this National Monument.
We came back down the mountain and continue on the Wildlife Loop and took in some beautiful nature. Baby deer with their mommas, bison, donkeys and horses are some of the wildlife that roam free. Coincidently, the loop spilled us onto the back roads to Mount Rushmore.
Really is not a coincidence. It is always planned. I get asked quite a bit, “How long does it take to plan? How do you know where to go? Backroads? Are you rushed?” The answer is so easy, a meticulous planner (me) partnered with a brilliant navigator (my Toddy). Planning usually starts as soon as we get back form our previous trip. I ramble off a bunch of stuff I want to see, and Toddy tells me, geographically, what is possible and what should work. I then do my research. This is most enjoyable for me, all the details and information I gather from my research is an education. We are pleased with our itineraries and love to share them with others who may not have the knowledge or just want it laid out for them.
We embrace change on the road, as a matter of fact, as I write this, we are on our way to Montana to enter Yellowstone north. Our original plan was the east entrance but we decided we wanted to travel through Montana for brunch.
We arrived to Keystone, SD in about an hour via the backwoods. Lots of beautiful horse ranches along the way. We really loved the town of Keystone, although tourist friendly, they had some real neat shops and a great spot named, “Grinds and Wine”. I stopped in for a Latte and was real impressed with this space. They have wine tastings all day long, featuring the local wines and labels. They had home baked pastries, scones, cookies and homemade Gelato! Also, lots of little unusual trinkets and gifts.
Alas! Mount Rushmore. During my research, I learned some interesting facts.
Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculputer’s design and oversaw project execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum.
Doane Robinson gave birth to the idea and vision of Mount Rushmore. Doane was aware of this amazing French artist who would be Borglum, and who he would summon.
Ironically, Borglum was in midst a project in Georgia, when he realized the project was the brainchild of the KKK. He became despondent by the thought of any ties to such a group, he abandoned the project. One door closed and Rushmore opened!
Doane summoned Borglum to scout out SD to find the perfect location for Doan’s vision. Borglum found his location after a year or so and was paid $250,000 for his services. Borglum died seven months before its completion and his son Lincoln continued the project. This is a great link for more info:
https://www.thoughtco.com/facts-about-mount-rushmore-104819
Borglum made the decision about which presidents to include on the mountain. According to the National Park Service, here’s his reasoning:
- George Washington: He was the first president and represented the foundation of American democracy.
- Thomas Jefferson: With the Louisiana Purchase, he greatly expanded the nation. He was also the author of the hugely influential Declaration of Independence.
- Theodore Roosevelt: He not only represented the industrial development of the nation but was also widely known for conservation efforts.
- Abraham Lincoln: As the president during the U.S. Civil War, he represents the preservation of the nation above all costs.
Our next stop was Devil’s Tower in Devil’s Tower, Wyoming.
Devil’s Tower to this day remains a mystery. It is the only geological formation of its kind, in the entire WORLD! It baffles scientist and although a plethora of theory within the scientific community exist, it still remains a mystery.
I call it the Eighth Wonder. Todd and I strolled the 1 .5 mile base of this formation. With permits you are able to scale the formation to the tippy top. I felt a certain energy while I was there, and it is no wonder Spielberg chose it as a feature in the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind!. Great stop with some shops and food. We enjoyed it.
After a long and beautiful day, Toddy and I travelled on to our hotel in Gillette, WY where we spent the night at the Country Inn and Suite by Raddison. A pleasant stay, clean rooms and friendly staff for a nominal $78 for the night.
We had dinner at the Prime Rib and Wine Bar. We rate this steakhouse 5 Stars! We both had the Black & Blue NY Strip, it was off the hook and well desired and deserved!
Thanks for reading and following our trip! Next Stop Yellowstone!
Peace xo
Somewhere in America 