Day 2 – Mt. Rushmore Trip

This morning we got up and went to an 1880 Train. We got there just in time to see it before going on a tour. So we got to see the steam blow.

Dallin thought it was too loud…
Then we went to Reptile World. This was totally cool!!

There were little turtles…
And huge tortises…
mmm…. Lunch….
Maggie wasn’t quite sure she wanted to have anything to do with it…
But then the smile on her face was awesome after she touched him!
There were prairie dogs. This is Dallin and Mary looking at them eating.
There was a snake show…
And then just some fun shots of the kids at the snake area…

And South Dakota dirt tastes good too!!!
We saw all kinds of alligators, snakes, lizards, and birds! It was fun!

Then we were off to Thunderhead Underground Waterfall. It was a gold mine that has a waterfall at the end of it. It was absolutely gorgeous! I’m not sure it was worth the drive and entrance fee. But me and waterfalls…. I loved it!
Next it was off to pan for gold! I got to stay in the car with a sleeping Maggie but was able to park in a spot that I could watch and get an ok picture…
Then we went to Mt. Rushmore to see it during the day. I am absolutely amazed by the entire concept, process and accomplishment of this!
It’s crazy to see that they even made pupils! But they didn’t make nostrils… I was a little bit disappointed in that!! (just kidding) History lesson for the day: Did you know that some dude just decided that if there were huge carvings in these mountains then there would be an economic improvement in South Dakota? They chose to have Washington because he was the founding father of our country... Jefferson because he represented our independence as a nation... Roosevelt because he represented moving into the 20th century and conservation of our land, Lincoln because he represented our unions preservation and abolishing slavery. Now Jeremy, you don’t have to feel bad about not going to Mt. Rushmore on your trip out to Utah….