I started out alone this morning at 6:30am, today was going to be a day to take pictures, there were several attractions I wanted to capture along our route and I couldn't be tied to a groups whims when I wanted to stop. We were doing 75 miles plus 5200 feet of climbing. Our route took us through Wind Cave National Park where we saw bison, dear and prairie dogs. It is an amazing area to ride in. The first 37 miles were a steady climb to the "Crazy Horse Memorial". Originally commissioned by Chief Standing Bear in 1924, work was started by sculptor Korczak Paderewski in 1948 who had worked on Mount Rushmore. When Korczak passed away in 1982, his family continued his work from detailed drawings and models. I don't know if it will ever be finished but its starting to look like an indian. Then it was a series of ups and downs to the fifty-two mile mark at Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore was designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum (who worked on Stone Mountain in Georgia) in 1927 and was originally going to show each of the presidents from the waist up, but plans were scaled back due to lack of funds. I squeezed in line for a picture with George, Tom, Teddy and Abe. They stood there all day as their fans snapped away. I met a couple doing a self-supported cross country ride, they started a couple weeks before us and will finish about three weeks after us. Not sure I could do without the hotel bed and a strict schedule of milage each day. Down the hill for a snack in Keystone, and then back up another monster climb before riding about 15 more miles to Rapid City. We are staying at the Super 8 and eating at Perkins here in Rapid City. We have cycled over 1638 miles so far and should be getting to the half way point in a couple of days. At this point the challenge is more mental than physical, we can do it, we just need to remind ourselves at the base of every hill.
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