Close Encounters and Presidential Profiles

We began our day headed towards South Dakota...but couldn't resist a side trip to Devils Tower National Monument!  It was our nations first National Monument, and some of you (older folks) may recall it from the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".  It is an interesting piece of geology and adds a bit of intrigue to an already beautiful setting.

Next stop, another side trip...to the town of Deadwood.  You might recall that Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the #10 Saloon in this wild west town!   It has lost much of its charm to tourism, but the valley that the town sits in is still beautiful.  Much of the old town, many structures and the Main Street are still there if you look hard enough.

Lastly, we stopped in Keystone, SD to visit Mt Rushmore.  It was the first time for my daughter, and I never tire of looking up at that incredibly detailed, super sized sculpture!  The entire facility was beautifully restored/improved since my last trip there almost 20 years ago.  The Presidents looked great!

We spent much of the day on "side trips" and made little progress towards Chicago, finally having to stop to get some sleep in the little town of Koduka, SD.  The motel, well...it looks kinda like the "Bates Motel"...but its home for the night!