Day 3

Dec 4
2002


click for pix

We woke up with 1/2 an inch of snow on our car!! We got out and played in the snow a little before starting on our way across South Dakota. Another very long and desolate drive. The whole way there were signs and billboards for Walls Drug. Nothing ever said what it was that was such a big deal and when we passed the exit, we couldn’t see anything remarkable. We finally got to Rapid City where we turned down into the Black Hills toward Mt. Rushmore. It was really amazing to see how those carvings were done and all the work that went into it. And when we came out of the little movie at the visitor’s center, the guide at the desk was looking at the mountain through some binoculars. There was a mountain goat halfway to the faces chewing on a tree. It was so cute. We then stuck around to see it lit up at night which puts a whole different look on things. We even ran into two Floridians wearing shorts. We managed to find a hotel open at this time of year in Keystone, SD right outside Rushmore. The whole town seemed to be closed for winter. There were two hotels and one restaurant. But that shower sure felt nice.