Surviving The Chaos: Family Road Trip - Day 4 - Mount Rushmore

We got up early knowing we had a full day of activities ahead of us. This was the day we had been talking about for months and eagerly anticipating. We were headed to see Mount Rushmore! We took a short detour through the town of Sturgis to see where all the hubbub takes place when the motorcycle riders come to town. I was surprised at how small the town really was but you can see how they cater to the riders who come for that event each year. We stopped for lunch in Rapid City at a place that specialized in Phillysteak sandwiches, Lincoln’s favorite. It was a nice break from driving and the food was fairly good.

According to the forecast, it was supposed to rain in the early evening so we drive straight to Mount Rushmore from lunch. I had been told numerous times from different people that the monument was small and to not expect too much. I was pleasantly surprised as they were much bigger than I expected. I was in awe at how stunningly beautiful it was - quite amazing actually. Lincoln really enjoyed sitting there, taking in the view and talking about the history of it. Logan was able to appreciate it for about ten minutes before he asked to go to the gift shop every two minutes. That kids loves to shop!

I was able to sit on the benches and talk with the boys about why each of the presidents were chosen and the important role each of them played in our country’s history. Lincoln loved the idea that Abraham Lincoln was one that was chosen. Ricky was able to get some get pictures for us. We walked through the exhibit halls and the gift shop before heading out. I could have sat there much longer reflecting on the history of this country and how blessed we are to live here. I love to travel. I’ve been to several other countries and while I can appreciate them all, they are not home. This country isn't perfect. The government doesn't always do the right thing, but there is a reason people die trying to come here. There is something about the freedoms that come with being an American, and the people in the military who fight for those freedoms, that make this place special. We were fortunate to have been at this National Monument so close to a time where we will be celebrating our country’s independence in a few short days.

Since we drove through Keystone area on the way to our hotel, we decided to stop and do some actives in town. We walked the main street downtown, looking in all of the little tourist trap stores and buying a few treats. We then went to a little place called the Cosmos House. I had seen this place online and had been to a similar one in Northern CA when I was a teenager. I knew the boys would love it. The idea is that there is a cabin that appears to be totally level but water flows upstream, when you think you are standing straight up you are actually leaning far to the side and you can feel the g-force when trying to walk through the house. The tour guide did some fun demonstrations showing how things that appear to be one way really aren’t as they appear. Lincoln was chosen with two other boys to stand in a certain area. He was the tallest of the three boys. The guide had him switch places then he was in the middle and then shortest after the last rotation. It was tricky and a lot of fun to experience.

After checking in to the Holiday Inn Express, just south of Rapid City, the plan was to go get a nice dinner. While I was down talking to the front desk about our accommodations, Ricky was upstairs in the room with the boys. It was then that a storm quickly rolled in and poured mass amounts of rain and blew through with fast moving winds. The storm came on so suddenly, it created a wall of black and Ricky thought it was a tornado. He put the boys in the bathroom and called me to get somewhere safe. The boys weren’t quite sure what was happening and were a bit frightened by the whole thing. It is possible it could have been a small tornado but we aren’t sure. We’re just glad that we got to the hotel fifteen minutes earlier to unload and that our family is safe. The storm didn’t let up for a while so we decided after the long day, and instead of dealing with the storm, we just ordered Dominoe’s Pizza to our room so we could eat and settle in.