Fall Roadie 2010 :: Mt. Rushmore & Badlands

Once again, I'm chronicling our annual big rig adventures. Otherwise, I won't remember the trip details, and the kids might make up a bunch of silly stories like how Dad may have broken his leg, or how a wild grizzly bear put on a fun lengthy show for us, or that Kathleen was kissed by a wild wandering burro.

Well, since all those things actually happened I better document them in case I forget.


After a couple of days on the road, we caught Mt. Rushmore just in time to see the evening lighting and presentation. Impressive. (We did a couple of fun things on our first travel days that I'll post about later.)

Next morning, we hiked all around the park.

I could smell the Ponderosa's as we walked along, so I scouted a good one to sniff.

Kathleen, now a "butterscotch tree" seeker and lover!

When you're enjoying the natural surroundings there are few roses to be found, so my saying is, "Stop and smell the 'Rosas!"

Besides the completion of the face, there's been little change on the Crazyhorse monument from what I remember when I was a young girl.

Hike in the Badlands

Or...climb in the Badlands

Burro in the Badlands

A Badlands burro smooch through the window.

We didn't find anything bad in these Badlands.

Our country's first National Monument, Devil's Tower in Wyoming (a.k.a. alien landing pad in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind).

Devil's Tower hike through another sweet Ponderosa forest.

Grammy & Grampy were our good luck charms as we had fantastic weather and timing during our adventures.

Onward we go...