Today we went to Mount Rushmore. This American icon has been part of our imagination since childhood, but we weren't sure how we'd feel seeing it in person. It didn't disappoint. The entire complex leading visitors in to view the monument is impressive, starting with a colonnade of state and territory flags.
We went to the Sculptor's Studio for a ranger talk about the process of creating a mountain sculpture. One key was designing scale models and then using a pointing system to transfer the dimensions to the mountain.
As we walked around the Presidential Trail, we came upon this mountain goat just strolling along the edge of the path.
After we left Mount Rushmore we drove to Hill City to meet some fellow Escapee Boomers for lunch at the Alpine Inn. It was our first opportunity since we joined the Boomers last November to actually get together with some, rather than just lurking in the online forum. The group of fourteen boomers included many who spend time regularly in this area. We met some interesting and high energy people, and the food was great. We shared a Reuben sandwich and German potato salad and saved room for dessert. We were glad we did. The restaurant is known for its bread pudding, and justly so. It melted in our mouths, along with some vanilla ice cream.
After lunch we drove to Sylvan Lake. We took the Lake Shore Trail, a one-mile loop around the lake. We had some spectacular views of the granite spires rising up from the lake. Parts of the trail require some rock scrambling. We got to watch a young woman getting a lesson in mountain climbing, scaling a sheer rock cliff. By the time we finished the hike, it was getting late, and we decided to go home and revisit Custer State Park later.
Tonight we played some Rummikub and decided to take it easy tomorrow.
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