Mount Rushmore & Devils Tower
So wanting to make the most of every minute and after our 5am start to catch the sunrise in Badlands, we drove the 84 miles up the road to Mount Rushmore. Well it had to be done and we are so pleased we did. By the time we arrived the temperature had soared so we didn’t stay for too long but certainly enough time to appreciate the enormity of the carvings. Most impressive, especially as they were started in 1927 so only basic tools were used! People say they are never as big as they expect but I think that is because you are so far below them looking up! Fascinating and still spectacular though. Well worth a visit if you get a chance.
Tubbs and I generally do some basic research to see which national parks are about or areas of outstanding natural beauty are nearby and weather dependent make a plan to visit. Well we spotted Devils Tower National Park and know it was in “Close Encounters of a Third Kind” - a classic movie, and also “Paul” another awesome movie and big favourite of ours. Lost count how many times we have watched it now! We stayed at a KOA campsite that is right underneath the tower and they had an outside movie area where they showed Close Encounters every evening with the tower as the backdrop - how cool is that!! A bit cheesy I know but who doesn’t like a bit of cheese. Fun fact - the campsite was also used in a large part of the filming too 🎬
One of those pretty weird but amazing places we’ve visited but has that ethereal feel about it as you walk around. We liked the feeling it gave us, the warm smell of the heat in the forest, the pines and the earth as you moved around it. You could hear all manner of wildlife and the odd Harley Davidson too that had popped up from the rally in Sturgis.
We loved finding out it is historically and spiritually important to various Native American tribes, like the Lakota, Kiowa and Sioux tribes. There are many legends as to how it was formed, but my favourite one says that the marks on the side of the tower were as a result of a giant bear’s claws as it chased some girls up to the summit.
All we know is that it was stunning to appreciate the tower whilst looking up from its base. Unlike a climbers perspective like the guys we saw abseiling half way down. Did you know that a couple of ranchers some 70 odd years ago climbed it with wooden ladders!!? Nothing else. Crazy.
Unfortunately just before arriving at Badlands the engine light had come on so were a little nervous about driving too far without knowing what the issue was. Fortunately as we drove towards Devils Tower we went through a place called Rapid City that just so happened to have a VW dealership. Luckily one of the mechanics had the right diagnostic equipment to read our vehicle (as it’s a European wagon they usually do not carry the right software and aren’t too keen to get involved but I won’t bore you with the nerdy stuff). Anyway nothing to worry about, he cleared the onboard computer and on we went. Sadly the next day it came on again so on making another trip to Rapid City we found out it was the reductant pump that needs replacing 🤦‍♀️
Life is full of curve balls and this was another one for us to try and catch, but all part of the journey, so thinking caps on and some research on what to do next and where to head to get it rectified…
Tubbs & TA❤️
