It's the ultimate example of if you build it, they will come. Or in this case, If you carve it, they will come, and then a buzzilion other attractions will pop up to give the tourists even more to see and do and spend money on.
Mount Rushmore.
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| If you end up seeing this photo in a few months on a Christmas card, pretend you've never seen it before. |
I don't really know what else there is to say about it. I think I was 10 the last time I was here. And as best I can remember, the only thing that's changed is the merchandise in the gift shop.
The mountain is still there - as incredible and amazing as ever. It's a wonder to see. The kids were impressed, though if you ask them what they liked best about it, their predictable answers are:
Sydney: "The toys in the gift shop!"
AJ: "Getting to eat in Carver's cafe." (He has a friend named Carver.)
There is one relatively new thing, actually. I believe I read that this pathway of pillars and state flags is a recent addition.
Of course South Dakota's faces the center of the walk. Is it coincidence or state rivalry that put Minnesota's on the far side that no one sees unless they look for it?
And now, just a few photos to show off the amazing lens on my new camera. A close up of George:
And a rock that lined the path. It reminds me of one of my Dad's watercolor paintings.
When you turn your back on Mount Rushmore, you're greeted with equally impressive scenery, and I think that part of the story is what amazed me the most. The man who carved Mount Rushmore was 60 years old when he started the project. At age 60, he was hiking these mountains, when there weren't paved roads and paths, in search of the perfect rock formation to support this incredible undertaking.
Simply amazing.
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