Today was a short travel day...and then an amazing sightseeing afternoon and evening.  We left Chadron, Nebraska and headed to Rapid City, South Dakota and our next base camp at Ellsworth Air Force Base. After quickly settling in, we headed out for a late lunch and then on to Mt. Rushmore, just 25 miles away.  To say that Mt. Rushmore at first sight is thrilling is a gross understatement.  Our goosebumps had goosebumps as we made our way to this specatular memorial to four fabulous presidents.  We toured the museum, went for a hike to Gutzon Borglum's studio, and then ate dinner with Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln gazing down upon us.  The evening was topped off with the moving illumination program at the Mt. Rushmore Amphitheater.  Patriotic music, a stirring presentation on freedom by a young female ranger, along with a short movie about the four presidents, and our country's freedoms was rounded off with the audience singing our National Anthem as lights illuminated Mt. Rushmore.  What a great way to end our first day in South Dakota!

Our first glimpse of Mt. Rushmore...George Washington

Mt. Rushmore from the parking lot

Mt. Rushmore, as we come to the Avenue of State Flags

Avenue of  50 State Flags

Indiana & Iowa state flags on right...

Mt. Rushmore
Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, & Lincoln

George Washington, Father of Our Country
Our first US President

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence,
His Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of America

Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator
reunited our country after a great Civil War

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt,
preservation & conservation of vast

Mask with plumb bob, to show the point system
that Borglum used to transfer measurements to the mountain

Masks were 1/12th the size of actural sculpture, and helped the workers
by providing a visual comparison & measurement on the mountain

Mt. Rushmore from outside Borglum's studio

1/12th models by Borglum were often changed as the work
continued on the mountain

Some of the tools used by workers, along with dynamite, and courage!

Mt. Rushmore as seen through Borglum's studio window, just above the models

Mt. Rushmore before the evening lighting

The lighting of Mt. Rushmore, as the audience sang
The Star-Spangled Banner

Mt. Rushmore illuminated

All US Veterans were invited up on stage at the conclusion of the illumination,
and introduced.  Jim is in the back row, 4th from left!
Thank You Veterans!!

Just one more look at the spectacular Mt. Rushmore National Memorial