Day three Custer to Sheridan

Day Three

Just a note: we decided to take a picture of our ukulele at different parts of our travels.

Custer, South Dakota to Sheridan, Wyoming

Before we got on the road, we decided to walk around the town a little, and we were interviewed by a woman for the local newspaper. She said she’d send us a copy of the paper. According to Mike, “We’re famous in Custer!”

 

    Our next stop was Flintstones campground, where they built the Flintstones village. We didn’t go in because it was too expensive for our taste, but got some neat pictures from the outside. 

 

We left Custer and drove to Crazy Horse monument memorial.

<-----What the finished monument will look like.

When we arrived, I was in awe of the size of the face. Crazy Horse was a Native American who was the chief of the Lakota Sioux tribe that lived in South Dakota. We were told to go in a watch a video about Crazy Horse. We both figured it would be about Crazy Horse, instead we were taught about Korscazk Ziolkowski (this name is most likely spelled wrong, it’s Polish, who knows how to spell in Polish anyway? Other than Garrett F. and the population of Poland, nobody that’s who!!!!) the creator and sculptor of Crazy Horse. His story was remarkable, but we were both more interested in learning about the Native American than Ziolkowski, seeing as Mike is part Native American (YOU KNOW IT!!! CHEROKEE IN THE WIGWAM!!!!!). After we watched the video, we went on a bus tour. To give a size description, Mount Rushmore could fit into Crazy Horses’ hair, when he has hair (in 300 years when we’re all dead and our descendants are flying around in hover cars). It was breath taking (GASP). We just missed the weekend to actually hike up to the face, but seeing it from afar was still pretty amazing. Crazy Horse will have his arm outstretched pointing toward South Dakota. He was known for his saying, “My land is where my people lie buried.” When they have finished carving the front of Crazy Horse, they will go to the back of the mountain and carve a 3D portrayal of Crazy Horse.  This monument is completely privately funded. They refuse to accept money from the government.  Unfortunately, it has taken years just to have the face completed (though, it’s a lovely face). It is said they will have the horse he will be riding’s head finished within the next 10 years. I’m sure it would be completed faster if they would accept the money but it’s their way of sticking it to the man, which we both agree with. (YEA!) We want to come back when it is finished and take that hike to the top of the mountain….if we’re alive then…Dun dun DUNNNNNN. 

<--- the white part on the mountain will be the horses' head.

 

 Our next trip was to Mount Rushmore. I found out that they were supposed to carve full upper bodies to represent the presidents.

  Again, another example of the government starting a project and not finishing (imagine if the people from Crazy Horse would accept money, I’m sure it wouldn’t get finished.) Despite my annoyance with the government for not completing the project that should be a great representation of the United States, even if it was carved in the land sacred to the Native Americans, the Black Hills, the carvings were amazing. We took the little hike down close to the faces and got an up close and personal view of our forefathers. As we were hiking up the hill, we got terribly winded and thought out loud, “we’re in trouble when we go to Yellowstone.” Before we left we had to get a picture of the ukulele but ended up doing it in the exit road of the park…not smart.

I’m learning how to shoot in manual mode with our camera and it took me a while to get the setting just right. Poor Mike was standing in the middle of the road “playing” the ukulele in the middle of the road getting all kinds of funny looks. After about 5 min and some park rangers giving looks, we were afraid of getting kicked out (even though we were on the way out), so we scurried along.  

Later, we drove to Devil’s Tower. Mike told me about the legend of the bear crawling up the tower trying to get to a girl. (love me some legends) There wasn’t much to that trip we saw it, took pictures, and left. When we FINALLY got to Sheridan, you’ll be happy to know we sprung for a NICE hotel, with a mini-golf course inside and no smoky, stain infested rooms for the night. Needless to say, we’re sitting in our bed after eating breakfast in our room (never done that before) and typing up our adventures.  Good times, good times indeed!