Here Comes the Sun!

6/12/15

Day 5


The sun finally decided to shine our last full day in South Dakota. We were actually going to get to see Chief Crazy Horse, Mt. Rushmore, and do the zipline!

 Chief Crazy Horse was one of my favorite stops of the day. I enjoyed learning about the history behind it and the sculptor himself, Ziolkowski. I loved that it was a family project funded by tourism, not the government. The people there obviously love what they do and by being involved they are greatly helping the Native American people express their culture in a way that people can learn about it and admire it. If you are in South Dakota I greatly encourage you to go and experience the family structure and Native American beauty that is the Chief Crazy Horse Memorial. 

Mt. Rushmore was not as great as I thought it would be, I had already seen the mountain carved faces numerous times as we drove from camp to Keystone, so I wasn't as impressed with it as I had been the first day we arrived. I also wasn't as impressed with the museum inside because we had already learned all about the mountain, its history, and the artist, Borglum, at The Borglum Story Museum. I would not recommend paying to get into the Mt. Rushmore Memorial, mainly because you can get just as amazing pictures of it from the side of the road and you can learn way more about it and the artist by going to the Borglum Story Museum. 

The Ruby House was a cute restaurant in Keystone, but it wasn't so much the food I was impressed with, but the entertainment. In the saloon attached to the Ruby House there was a stage where we got to see a "Gun Show." There was live music preformed by Gary Allen who composed both of the songs he sang, funny cowboys, and a great historical skit they performed about a Wild West cowboy named Wild Bill. If you wanna sit back, eat good food, and have a good laugh while on vacation in South Dakota I would recommend the Ruby House Gun Show. 

The 1880 steam engine ride was great, for a nap! If you love trains it is definitely something you would enjoy, riding through nature from Keystone to Hill City while learning about the train, as well as what you see around you is very soothing and educational. Unfortunately, for four kids who have been waking up early and spending each day doing strenuous, yet fun activities, it is the perfect opportunity for a nap! You would think we would have been scolded for wasting money on a train ride by sleeping through the entire thing, but don't fret, our parents didn't mind cause they were out too! 

Feeling refreshed from our naps, we got off the train and headed back to camp, where we dropped off mom and the two little boys. Dad, Chandler, and I were headed back to town to finally do the Rushmore Tramway Adventure course and Zipline. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived the adventure course was closed, but we still got to do the zipline, which was the main thing I wanted to do anyway. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!! I loved it! I got a t-shirt and pictures. I was perfectly fine with having waited until the last day to do it because the anticipation only grew and it completely exceeded expectations. If you aren't afraid of heights and enjoy a thrill this is the place for you! (Since I refused to sign the waiver, I didn't, my dad signed it for me! Perks of being a minor your parents are the ones that have to trust the waivers, not you!)

-Carmen