Elvis for President!

The drive to South Dakota was one of the easiest ones of the trip.

I arrived early afternoon and the route up to Mt. Rushmore was short and sweet.  It really was pretty cool to see it in person.  Video of first sighting.  What an amazing feat!  Being a bit of an artist myself, having created things only on canvas, I can’t even imagine the vision, dedication and work to achieve this seemingly impossible accomplishment!  And yet, there it is!  If you’re going to dream, dream BIG!

I forgot to throw my selfie stick in my bag before I left the car, so this attempt was just aiming my little camera at myself and hoping for the best.  It was just a LITTLE windy up on the Mt. that day!  I hesitated to publish this photo because I look like crap, but it’s just too stinking funny not to let you have a laugh, too.

A young man recognized my plight and offered to take my picture.  Not much better, but here’s the result.

And speaking of pretty cool, my Rapid City host was pretty darn cool!  This tiny, beautiful woman can actually handle this mammoth bike; AND she can handle her Presbyterian parishioners from the pulpit on Sunday mornings!  Yep, she’s a bike-ridin’ Bible-totin’ preacher lady.  And such a funny, interesting, enjoyable woman.   Another new friend that I wish didn’t live 1500 miles away!

On the way to Minneapolis, there were billboards EVERYWHERE for “Wall Drug.”  My host had said I MUST stop, so I did.  It’s grown into a large almost indoor flea market-type thing.  So I did at least find a couple of souvenirs for my trouble there.  Elvis is still a hit with the ladies!

Here’s a to-scale replica of the vessel Lewis and Clark used that was featured at a rest stop.  Pretty darn small, if you ask me!  There was a staircase so you could walk up inside.

Another much-advertised attraction along the way is the Corn Palace.  I had researched this a few years ago when a friend videoed herself in somewhat of a rant about how many signs there were, but she never came to the Corn Palace!  Did it really exist?  Well, I had to find out for myself.  It, unfortunately, was in a state of disrepair at the time, having new decorative pieces ready to mount on top; plus needing a fresh layer of corn.  Yes, the entire exterior is COVERED in corn cobs as one of my close-ups demonstrates.