Snapshot of America: Carved in Stone

George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Theodore Roosevelt. Abraham Lincoln. Four of the best. Four whom have each left a legacy that lives on today. Four faces that cause you to stare in humbled awe as you see them carved in stone. Mt. Rushmore was one of those places that makes you proud of your country. Makes you proud to call yourself an American. We arrived as the sun was setting. Perfect timing for the evening ceremony. We didn't know what a treat this would be. A talk by a park ranger. A film about the lasting impact of these four great men. A tribute to military present. The lighting of the mountain. We watched this only moments after learning of the tragic death of a young man who has served his country in the fullest capacity. To the Shelton family...these four men carved in stone would be honored to know someone like your son and brother worked to keep the country they built safe. You are in our prayers.

Mt. Rushmore is surrounded by these old tiny mining towns. Think Gatlinburg with a wild wild west theme. Our camping receipt got us into the National Presidential Wax Museum for free. Obviously we went. I find wax museums to be quite fascinating and slightly creepy. This one didn't disappoint! Mindi also got her picture with Robert E. Lee. According to her Big Mommy, Lee is her kinfolk. :)

We had plans to go to the Crazy Horse Memorial. However, after a tasty lunch of one of those bibuffs we saw all over Yellowstone, we ended up at the Prairie Berry Winery. We learned about this award winning winery in a travel magazine...picked up at a rest area I'm sure. They had free tastings. We were sold from the start. It was fantastic. We did a bit of shopping and have plenty of wine nights scheduled for when we return to Kentucky.

We have been seeing signs for Wall Drug since we crossed the South Dakota state line. Clearly they want you to stop. Wall, South Dakota is a one stop light (if that) town. All they have is Wall Drug. Wall Drug is a completely overstimulating place. It's nostalgic and has anything you think the typical tourist might purchase. We didn't stay very long. We did find this stuffed bibuff though. The precious man taking our picture insisted Mindi kiss it. :)

Mindi also found this Wild West shooter. She wanted her picture and before I snapped it she jumped into a pose with a "Pow". #anniegetyourguns

South Dakota offered us a drive through Badlands National Park next. This is an ever changing landscape. Erosion uncovers new things and creates new things. It has a very prehistoric look to it. Very 'Land Before Time'. It is places like this that make me wish we could travel back in time and be a fly on the wall. Seeing dinosaurs roam these lands would be pretty cool.

Mitchell, South Dakota has a claim to fame...The Corn Palace. It's exactly what you just imagined, a palace created with corn. Every year they change the theme. We arrived mid-change. The artwork on the inside and outside of the building is created using corn. Here are some facts for you.

600,000 pieces of corn are used to decorate the outside each year.

9 different colors of Indian corn are used to create the murals.

Over a ton of nails, staples and wire are used to fasten the corn and grasses.