Mount Rushmore?

[M118LR]

The time has come that my significant other's bucket list has reached the ears of the children.

40+ years ago we were in Iowa with the next duty station in Maine. So she says, " Let's go to Mount Rushmore, this is the closest I've ever been. " I'll let y'all figure out how many miles in the wrong direction along with the return that trip would have been.

Just to jog y'all's memory, this is the same woman that stated we should go to the Grand Canyon from Arizona in January during a blizzard at the canyon? I sent her back in June when Thing Twos clan was enroute to Florida and a PCS move back to Fort Stewart in Georgia. She completely froze at the end of the parking lot, ( total fear of heights) so that was as close as she got to the Canyon.

So it appears that all Three Things got together so Grandma and I will be on our way to Mount Rushmore. Looks like I better pack the wheelchair, otherwise we are going to spend a week while she waddles from the closest Hotel to viewing deck.

But at least she will get another block checked off her bucket list. Guess all the Things don't realize how unrealistic her bucket list is?

Are y'all willing to travel to South Dakota in October on such a whim?

 

[xitnet]

We checked it off our bucket list in late September about three years ago. Absolutely beautiful weather for us. It was worth seeing.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Have you considered hiding her bucket?

 

[s4s4u]

Have you considered hiding her bucket?

By the tone, I think he might just be better lining them all up

 

[themousethatroared]

I was there 20 years ago, and they did a big overhaul of the visitors center and it is probably a lot more ada handicap accessible now than it was when I was there. It looks like a couple hundred feet of rolling from the parking garage to the viewing area. But all concrete and no gravel.

They built a giant parking garage and managed to screen every possible view of the mountain from the road. They totally got rid of the spot I pulled over my car, jumped out, and took a picture of the car in front of the faces.

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi we went about 6 yrs ago planed 15 days from Ct I had a need to hug the redwoods in Northern California stopped at Rushmore and Crazy Horse not to far apart also Glacier and Yellowstone lots to see up that way just plan enough time get them checked off your bucket list while you can
Gramps

 

[Mobuck]

GA and I took a 10 day circle 'out west' sometime in the late 90's and Mount Rushmore was one of the stops. The monument was OK but the 'pigtail' bridges were really interesting to my engineering side.

 

[Hertervillian]

Do it, it’s pretty easy. Check into the sunset program. Dramatic lighting, interesting speaker, possible mountain sheep/goat viewing.

The Blackhills, being the way they are year round means unpredictable weather. Monday will see snow and blowing snow Wednesday will be nice enough but wildfires, and Saturday will be the most beautiful day you can ever remember.

125 mile radius hold some real gems. Badlands lends itself to a car tour, Custer SP can too. My wife has issues and we love going there. I call it Yellowstone without geysers, in a handier size.

 

[Blazenet]

Don’t miss Needles highway through Custer state park

 

[gunzo]

I've been fortunate to have ridden through the badlands, on to Rushmore, then the needles highway to Custer State Park,,, all are standouts.
Then a day or 2 later the surreal sight of Devils Tower that first appears from miles away. I've been to Yellowstone & it's a grand place,,, but not sure it's any grander than the Black Hills. It's all great though.

 

[vito]

Mt. Rushmore is certainly impressive and worth seeing, but it is a long trip for most of us, and after looking up at the faces for about 10 minutes you are done. I've been there twice, and once was in mid November and snow had already arrived. The carved faces partly snow covered were pretty spectacular. Now my wish is that we add Trump's face to the four. Half of America would then refuse to go there, so crowds would no longer be a problem.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

Been there a bunch of times.. the best tho was at the end of tourist season... you get 5-6 park rangers answering questions and helping... they are bored I guess.... got tons of pics but most are still just transparency.... there are a lot of other really cool places there too.. not just the park...

 

[turd]

I live in South Dakota. Grew up here. The Black Hills is a very special place. But, it is nothing like it was 40 or so years ago. There are WAY more people living there, much like Idaho and Colorado, imports from somewhere that have scuds of money and act like they own the place. When we used to go to Sturgis, there were maybe 30,000 or so bikers, now there are hundreds of thousands. If you go, try to find a place off the beaten path and relax and enjoy your time there. Stay away from the bigger towns, go at the end of the season or at the beginning. There are some very nice lakes in the area, with cabins and such. One good place to stay is in Custer State Park, called the Bluebell Lodge. Again, it is much nicer in the fall especially - once school starts again. Plan to stay a week or so.

Edit to say sometimes the Native Americans get a little upset with all the traffic and souvenirs and such. Stay out of wayward bars.

 

[M118LR]

I was there 20 years ago, and they did a big overhaul of the visitors center and it is probably a lot more ada handicap accessible now than it was when I was there. It looks like a couple hundred feet of rolling from the parking garage to the viewing area. But all concrete and no gravel.

They built a giant parking garage and managed to screen every possible view of the mountain from the road. They totally got rid of the spot I pulled over my car, jumped out, and took a picture of the car in front of the faces.

This is going to be a BINGO BAG trip.
Emphasis on Handicap Accessible .

Old crew member "DINK" married & divorced my Fathers 1/2 Brother - Mothers Sister Cousin of mine. That visited me in Hawaii and never left back in the 70's. " DINK" was born in the "Badlands" in the 40's. Seems like most of my relatives are adding items to their bucket lists that were commonplace in my travels.
While in Iceland I visited dink and Sue just to say hello. So I passed on Northern Light Info to my Sister once she had made 3 unsuccessful Trips to check the Northern lights off her bucket list.

All this "Bucket List " Stuff just makes me question how colorful my actual life was? Guess I'll "Kick The Bucket" without getting " Feet Dry" on the U.S.S.R.!

Guess the only Bucket list item I have left is once again Hosting all the Grandchildren and their families to a week at Disney & Universal?

To answer the "Hide the Bucket".
When all 3 of my daughters conspire with GMA, and even my Granddaughter chimes in, well it's time to just submit to gravity, Good Times, and eventualities. Not that I didn't go without my best intellectual discordance. But how do you debate prepaid trips scheduled on days off from your escape from GMA's Thumb work schedule?

Bottom line, it appears I'm once again going to Mount Rushmore!

 

[blume357]

I forget the name of it but there is a road / highway through the mountains just south of Rushmore that is pretty much a must to go on.... rock formations are unbelievable .... it is easy to see why the original people there considered them sacred.

 

[Hertervillian]

I forget the name of it but there is a road / highway through the mountains just south of Rushmore that is pretty much a must to go on.... rock formations are unbelievable .... it is easy to see why the original people there considered them sacred.

Most likely needles hwy, especially if narrow and winding.