This profile view of George Washington is one I hadn’t seen before and which under these lighting conditions looks quite good. Pat on the back complete. I chose it for its distinction.
Mt. Rushmore is the most notable destinations. Vaguely I knew of Badlands but I’d not even heard of either Wind Cave or Jewel Cave. Not surprisingly, since they’re all National Parks, I found them really worthwhile visits.
This set of parks is the primary reason I traveled so far north on my way to Los Angeles. Mt. Rushmore was my prime attraction. Its not that I reeeeeally wanted to see four Presidents’ heads carved in the side of a mountain. Superficially Mt. Rushmore sounds kind of goofy, kind of like an attention-getting stunt. Of course I was wrong. It’s a National Park for a reason!
This site pays homage to some of the U.S.’s greatest leaders. It’s sedate and respectful and the carvings are huge! I learned about the site’s construction and of the many difficult challenges they had to overcome during construction. Distinctive subtleties were interesting such as how the create a “glint in the eye” effect (by using pillar protrusions in each pupil). Plaques on display along the walking trail explain the history and the significant contributions of the four Presidents. I didn’t think that Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt (Teddy) and Lincoln all had big heads … but now I know better! See pictures below.
With careful planning and an early start to the day I also managed to catch two cave tours after visiting Rushmore. Suffice to say they’re very extensive cave networks. Mamouth is the world’s largest followed by Jewel Cave (147 miles). The fourth largest cave network is Wind Cave (132 miles) which is notable for the multilayered compactness of its network. For the record, the third longest is Optymistychna Cave in the Ukraine.
The two caves I visited can be described but as is so often the case, you can learn more by seeing pictures of my visit. See my photo albums below.
Badlands? Oh, they’re “bad” alright in an astonishing way. Called “bad” for their lack of practical usefulness in farming and grazing and because they’re difficult to traverse, they nonetheless are remarkable land formations. I caught the site at the end of the day or during what we photographers like to call the Golden Hour, the hour before sunset when the color and angle of the sun make for interesting lighting. Badlands? Interesting light? You be the judge. Again, see pictures below.
So much fun and so close together!
Mt. Rushmore – They may be big heads carved in granite but they’re tastefully done and with respect for the important leaders they honor. Getting to South Dakota is an effort but it is worthwhile.
Wind and Jewel Caves – Honestly I had no idea these National Parks even existed. Having been on a caving binge of late this seemed like too good an opportunity to miss and two tours later I learned I was right!
Badlands – Great character in these broken plains. The upheaval that caused these formations made the land practically unusable but impractically a spectacle to admire. Look below. Admire!
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