Mt. Rushmore

Our first day in South Dakota we visited Mt. Rushmore. We had decided to take picnics with us everyday and this day was our most memorable picnic. For one it was very cool at lunch time, and windy and since Mt. Rushmore doesn't really have picnic areas we threw down our blanket in the parking spot next to us in the parking garage. I think Aaron felt silly, but there were very few people to see our spectacle because, again, its was the off season and no one was around! I loved not fighting summer crowds...the children got to take in the monument at their speed, check out the museum and gift shop without getting lost and we got some great pictures without strangers photo bombing us!
 

The drive by view of Mt. Rushmore....just in case you're in a hurry.

Parking garage picnic....cause mama is cheap. :)

We couldn't have ordered a more perfect day.

The only snow we saw in South Dakota.

What a great year to get to visit some of our National Parks!

Obligatory family photo

A picture for each person's scrapbooks.

Not quite the way it looks in Noth by Northwest, but it is still the same cafeteria from the Hitchcock movie.

George's profile from the road that weaves behind the monument and through the state park.

First of many, many, many Prairie Dog sightings. I'll be the first to admit that although we saw thousands of prairie dogs my heart melted each and every time. They are so darn cute...too bad they carry the plague.

The discovery of this cave was this small hole from which the wind sometimes blows and sometimes sucks. The natives had many superstitions about the phenomenon, but some ranchers finally went down the hole to see what was there. 

Rebecca in the cave....it wasn't the prettiest cave we've seen, but it contains something like 90% of the worlds boxwork features.

All western towns out in the hills and the mountains have a similar look, but I love them each and every one! 

Just call me nostalgic.