Once again, a post about the day before. I wrote this last night, in the hopes that the picture would ever upload. Right. Here it is:

Well, I’m going to type today’s post while I attempt to load one or two pictures from yesterday.
After watching sunset, I figured why not sunrise? Plus, based on where the sun was when it set, I just knew sunrise at Windows and Doors would be awful. As in full of awe. Get a dictionary, people.
So 4am it was, and as I slowly drove the Badlands Loop Highway during first light I was basically attacked by wildlife. Let’s see….first there was the herd of large deer-like animals with really big antlers. But antlery antlers, not prongy antlers, so not the Insert-Adjective-Here Pronged Elk. So I stop to take pictures of these guys, three adults and a baby, as they slowly pick their way over a big hill. I continue on, only to stop to photograph a deer on top of a jagged rock. It was so neat, all shadows. Then there was another deer-ish be-antlered animal walking near the Yellow Mounds. The Yellow Mounds are these rounded rock formations that have big striations that are brightly colored, yellow, red, and of course the dessert orange that dominates elsewhere. I hope I can post some of these pictures, the light was so faint they look like paintings. I continued on to my destination and I was not mistaken; the way the rising sun played on the rocks there made great shadows that only added to the already infinitely variable panorama. I hiked out again, took some great pictures of my own shadow, and was lying down enjoying the light show until a family of about eight million showed up and children began running towards me. Oh well, the sun was pretty far up, time to go.
On my drive back out, I discovered two prairie dog towns. The one I stopped at to take pictures was huge. There were signs warning people about the Prairie Dog Plague, apparently only your pet can catch it, so no use setting the children loose. As I was taking pictures I noticed that there were two large clumps of P-Dogs facing each other across a meadow. All of a sudden one group would get up on their haunches and start shrieking and banging the ground. It was so cool, of course when I started videoing they wouldn’t cooperate. I think I did get some P-Dogs smooching but no other Wild American lovin.
As the safari continued I got a great view of a Mambo Pronged Elk (why can’t I remember what the adjective really is?) just sitting and chillin. So I snapped away until the caravan of screaming children showed up and then I bolted.
I’m pulling away from the last lookout I stopped at when I see a Big Horned Sheep strolling towards me down the road. Right there, other side of the road. I quickly stop the car (there are not many of us on the road this early), roll down my window and pick up the camera. I have one (really great) picture of the sheep. Why only one? Because he immediately picked up speed and headed straight for me. I threw the camera on the floor, the car into gear, my hand on the horn and moved slowly, but determinedly out of his way. I’m not sure how I’d explain a round, horn-shaped dent in the side of the rental.
Four hours later, time for breakfast as the less-exciting mammals wake up. I packed up and hit the road for Rapid City.
So, Mount Rushmore. Sorry guys and gals, but this one holds up to my “they’re never as big in person” mantra. And the truth may be that the sculpture is THAT big, but you never get close enough to find out. So I shell out for the audio tour, which is offered in English, Spanish, German or Lakota. After hearing it in English though, I have to wonder about that Lakota. At every stop there were optional aural vignettes, usually about how the Lakota feel/view what is/has gone on in the area. Mostly it was, “this area was our most sacred and they desecrated it”, “we worship the spirit in the rock and they blew it up with dynamite”, or “Lakota were invited to speak at the unveiling but cut off because NBC producers thought it was running too long.” Riiiight. So I’m thinking the Lakota translation goes something like this: “Welcome to our spiritual land. Isn’t it pathetic that its overrun with fat white tourists? I’ll even bet that there’s a guy you went to high school with dressed in over the top fake “native” wear having his picture taken with some obnoxious guy’s whiny daughter. Did he ask your buddy to do a rain dance? Greeeaat.” I’m just saying, if I did the translation, more people would want to learn Lakota.
So, at Mt. Rushmore you’re beat over the head with why Gutzon Borglum (the sculptor) chose each president. Washington because he helped to “birth” the country. Their words, not mine. Which is fantastic, can you just see George at Yale NHH? “One long breath and two short ones, here we go, hoo hee hee, hooo hee hee, you’re almost there! Just be glad you’re not next door giving birth to China!” Lincoln for “preserving” the union during the Civil War. Roosevelt because, well, we probably wouldn’t have a park to put the monument in without him. And Jefferson? Of all the wonderful and brilliant things Jefferson wrote and did why choose him? Well, for “expansion”. That’s right, Jefferson is up there mainly for the Louisiana Purchase. How’s that for a slap in the face to the Native Americans whose holy land we blew up, after stealing, and then carved I heart USA into? Jefferson represents expansion, which means the taking of land that did not belong to us, and the breaking of every single treaty ever signed with a tribe. Go America!
Although the way I look at it, I can recognize that they were all great presidents, and I can stamp my own personal reasons on there.
Alright, I just killed a cricket the size my thumb and even though I’m now terrified of what will be crawling on me in my sleep, I am going to bed.