Got It Honest: Mount Rushmore, SD

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln

Mount Rushmore is only a 6-hour drive from Denver, so being the gypsy that I am, I thought "let's do it!" It was a last minute addition to my Denver trip, so I figured that I would probably end up doing the drive myself; but then remembered... If anyone is up for a last minute adventure, then it's my mother!

My mother and the sculptor Gutzon Borglum

Davita: "Mom, let's drive up to Mount Rushmore on Wednesday."
Mom: "Really? OK, let's go! I'll drive the first half!"
 
Forget Papa; Mama is a rolling stone and I got it honest! We packed up the car, picked up a family friend, and headed to South Dakota. I won't mention the fact that she got sleepy and needed to switch drivers after the first 1-1/2 hours; I'll just stick to the positive.

I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with my mother. We sang, cracked jokes, and talked for hours. Of course my mother had my undivided attention for a total of 12-hours. So being the minister that she is, she felt it was a good time to hit me up with a sermon or four; but I digress... We enjoyed each other's company and I had a fantastic time.

The museum at Mt. Rushmore offers great movies and exhibits.

Keeping it real: I'm not sure I'd hop on a plane JUST to come to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore, but it's definitely worth a 6-hour drive. To me, the science and math involved in going from the scale model to the mountain size sculpture and in determining how much dynamite to use to shape the noses, mouths, etc. was intriguing. I'm sure for others, the historical relevance or artistic significance are also important. BUT...The truth is that there are four big ass faces carved into a granite mountain and that's just something cool you'd want to see.

Scale Models shown in the museum

Of course Mt. Rushmore is a tourist trap, so there are plenty of other things to do and ways to spend your money in the Black Hills/ Rapid City Area. I couldn't talk my mother into zip lining across the woods or going to the Mount Rushmore Reptile Garden, but there are a plethora of little shops, antique stores, and restaurants throughout the area. There's also the Crazy Horse Memorial, which we heard was a must see; but mom was not feeling the cold and rain, so we skipped this one.

Overall, just being there with my mom and marvelling at the ingenuity and innovation of it all was enough for me. I could definitely see myself coming back here some day with my own children.