Tuesday, September 7 - Day 6

We found a campgroun KOA at Palmer Gulch - near Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. The woman at the registration desk said that the temps got to 27 degrees last night. BRRRR. are we in Northern New York? We got tent set up and then did some touring. Went back to Crazy Horse and had our PB&J sandwiches that we made at the hotel from breakfast. Went to the scuptor's studio where Korczak had his other pieces or art displayed. Ruth, his wife, lives on the premises. We took a $4 bus ride to theb base of the mountain. Different perspective of the statue.

Went to Hill City and Custer sightseeing.

We had dinner at campsite of turkey, pasta, peas and tea. Yummy! Needed to be at entrance at 6 pm to catch a bus to go to Mt. Rushmore for the lighting ceremony that began at 8 pm. By taking the bus we were able to keep the tent attached to the explorer. The ranger spoke for a few minutes and then we viewed a short movie. Then she asked all the veterans to come down for the flag lowering ceremony. There were a lot of people who went to the stage. It was nice to honor the veteran's.

Back to the bus around 8:45 and back to campground. It was a little chilly getting to sleep but was comfortable. I think we saw the beginnings of the Northern Lights but didn't stay up to view them. Bed at 10 pm

Will send photos later from this day.

Monday, September 6 - Day 4

We're very happy that we are able to write about our travels and it is nice to know that people are following our journey.

Mary Livingston, could you please save the entries that you print off. That will be a nice record for our scrapbook. Thank you!
Woke up at 6 am to thunder and lightening and we ended our day with thunder and lightening of a different sort. The blasting from the mountain. Left Mitchell, SD and drove to Wall, SD with extremely high winds. There are no barriers out there on the plains so the wind was fierce. The speed limit along the highway is 75 mph but to keep the vehicle under control we were going 60-62 mph. It felt we were going uphill for 200 miles because of the wind. We were going to camp tonight by didn't want to fight the winds to so we stayed in Keystone at a Super 8. We are in mountain time now – which means we are two hours behind you. Drove out of the dark clouds and rain, but the wind stayed with us for a while – temp probably in the 50's. Got to Wall and went through Wall Drug. What an enormous place! Whatever you are looking for – I'm sure they have it. They have a life size T-Rex just off the highway. Decided to take the Badlands driving tour. What an amazing place. You wonder how people could live out in that environment. The landscape was spectacular and some of the rock formations reminded me of humongus sand castles. The coloring of the strata of the rocks were like no rainbows you ever saw. There were reds, purples, and grays. It was more like looking at a coral reef rather than mountains.

Dave heard on the TV this morning that at Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills they were going to do some blasting tonight, which they only do 2 times a year. We drove the Keystone and got a hotel room. Tonight was going to be the first night we were going to camp but with the high winds decided against it. Went to Crazy Horse and we were prepared for winter. Hats and mittens, wind pants and jackets. We took our camp chairs along and it was convenient – we didn't have to stand. There were a lots of people in attendance. We watched a video about how the Crazy Horse statue idea came to be. The sculptors wife spoke in the video and after the laser light show and blasting was over they had cake for everyone. From the visitor's center the mountain is 1 mile away. Ruth, Korczak's wife, was there and I got a photo with her. They have 10 kids and most of them work with the Crazy Horse project.

Decided we had enough time to get to Keystone and head up to Crazy Horse. Quite an amazing site. The story is that sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (pronounced Korzack zewlcuffski) was asked by Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear to carve Crazy Horse. He said “my fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know the red mad has great heroes also.” Korczak started work on Crazy Horse in 1948, he was almost 40 years old and had only $174 left to his name. He was a strong believer in the free enterprise system and felt Crazy Horse should be built by the interested public and not the tax payer. Twice he turned down offers of federal funding. He knew the project was larger than any one person's lifetime and left detailed plans to be used with the scale models to continue the project. Since his death in 1982, his wife Ruth, has directed the work which continues to see exciting progress being made with each passing year. There are no projected timelines for completion. The face of Crazy Horse took 30 years to complete and there is the whole arm of his and the body of his horse left to go. Maybe another 130 years. It will be 563 feet high. What a sight!

Day 3 - continued

Made it to Mitchell, SD as we still had plenty of daylight and won't have such a long trip tomorrow to the Badlands. Drove for 518 miles - left at 7:15 and made it to Mitchell at 4 pm. Lots of windmills, cornfields and Great Plains. I sure am glad I wasn't traveling with Lewis and Clark back in 1802. You can see from horizon to horizon probably 50 miles in any direction. It must have been daunting in a sea of shoulder high prairie grass. Too bad they didn't have I80 - it made it so much easier instead of having to drag the boats up the Missouri River - whew.

DeSmet, SD is the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder. who knew that Des Moines meant the monks?

We are going to the Corn Palace (worlds largest bird feeder) - we are eager to see the corn palace which we had seem many signs for along the highway. It should be "bushels" of fun and wish you were "ear". Will report on that later. If you want to see it go to www.VisitMitchell.com

Dave wanted to say a few things about the driving - through me - the transcriptionist.

"Twenty years ago a 500 mile day of driving was totally exhausting. yesterday, Lisa and I drove 700 miles and today over 500 miles and we feel fully functional. It's very interesting as to why. First is cruise control. It has changed driving unbelieveably. The driver doesn't have to concentrate on maintaining a constant speed - just keeping it between the lines. Once you decide on a non-arrestable speed and punch it in - life is good. You're sitting there in your lazyboy, snacks at the ready, co-pilot on immediate call in aid of said snacks. It is no longer work to drive. Traffic was amazingly kind. One expects heavy volume but we were pleasantly surprised at sparce auto and truck traffic. Sometimes we had the highway to ourselves."

Driving was easy - not a lot of traffic Probably due to the fact that the speed limit was 75 mph and we were doing 68 mph to save on gas.

Sunday, September 5 - Day 3

Hoooray! I outsmarted my smartphone! I am typing this in the car with my cell phone being used as a modem - some people will understand that - others will not.

We are in the central time zone now.

Had a wonderful continental breakfast at Super 8. Make your own waffles, cerealart, milk, juice, bagels, toast - (no I didn't eat all that). While we were sitting there there were people with St. Louis t-shirts on. Dave asked where they were from and 2 said originally from Alton, IL, Dave's hometown. One guy knew his brother Peter. His name is Robert Bailey. His father owned the Triumph Dealer in East Alton. What a small world.

Left Davenport at 7:15 am and continuing on I80 West to Council Bluffs, where Lewis and Clark had a pow-wow with indians and on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River in 1802. we will stop in Sioux Falls, SD for the evening. 375 miles of a straight road. Check it out on the map.

partly cloudy, no wind. will be a good driving day.

I have another email address if anyone wants it - lisaguccione11@gmail.com. my verizon account still works too. I am moving up in the technological world!

Dad, we are in corn field country. I will get a photo for you.

Saturday September 4 Day 2

Day 2 - drove 700 miles from hamburg, NY to Davenport, IA. Crossed the Mississippi Between Illinois and Iowa - the Quad Cities. Started out at 9 am and ended around 8 pm. It was windy, chilly and rainy. We wore our little light jackets. Drove out of it and it was great driving - not much traffic until we got to Chicago area and it picked up a little but not bad.

Going to be another long day tomorrow and will make it to Sioux Falls, SD.

This is a photo of us crossing the Mississippi.

Friday, September 3 Canton - Hamburg, NY

We made it to our first destination - Hamburg, NY at 8 pm after leaving work at 2:30. Mom was there to take a picture - not sure how it turned out though - sorry mom. Thanks for the little gift to keep us safe. You will get it back upon our return! Ran into a litttle rain and not as much traffic as we were expecting for being a Friday and Labor Day Weekend. Our next destination is LaPorte, IN and probably 8 -10 hours of driving. Dave thinks we have to eat hamburgs in Hamburg. Well, as it turns out I had an Angus snack wrap and he had chicken.

Was hoping to watch football tonight. Trying to figure out my new phone to get my phone to be my modem. We are staying at Red Roof Inn and they have free WiFi. I wish I was more fluent in computer/phone lingo.

Not much more to report as there isn't alot of exciting things happening in Hamburg. I hope you will be able to track our progress on a map!

on the road left work at 2:30 mom got photos