Day 3: Mount Rushmore to Billings

Sarah, here! After crashing in a surprisingly inexpensive- yet comfortable- hotel at the base of Mount Rushmore, Ishi and I ventured the two miles up the mountain, passing through the commercial tourist-trap of Keystone, South Dakota. Today’s weather on the mountain, with an elevation of about 4500 feet and a light covering of snow, was clear and not snowing. Don’t jump to any conclusions, though, as the bitter winds made us feel like we were back in the tundra of Ann Arbor. As it turns out, May in the higher mountain ranges of South Dakota is far from what one would expect and we ended up sprinting from our parked Prius to the monument’s bases, shivering in our Sperrys and inadequately-layered cardigans. In any case, it turns out that Mount Rushmore does exist outside the realms of elementary school textbooks. The morning culminated at a different memorial, though: Crazy Horse. About 11 miles away and down a winding road, the memorial is still in progress and only contains the face of the Sioux leader. For decades, it was only carved by its sole creator. To give one perspective, the entirety of Mount Rushmore could fit into the head of Crazy Horse. When completed, he will be valiantly riding his horse. A family-run nonprofit, the carving skims the surface of our incredible debt to the Native Americans. In case you were wondering, the great expanse of Wyoming is no different than that of South Dakota. As we continue on our way (with Harry Potter in the background), Ishi and i continue to observe that cattle outnumbers people and the rare roadside town is a treat. Road Trip Lesson #3: Always appreciate a clean gas station bathroom Road Trip Lesson #4: On these barren roads, cruise control is your friend