05/18 Big day today. Mount Rushmore was the reason for coming up this far north so to finally get to see it was thrilling. The climb to get up to it was far less thrilling. 
That was one of those ones you have to stop and take a break every couple hundred feet. Didn’t matter though. Once I spotted the 4 presidents for the first time you could have thrown an 18% grade in front of me and I would have crawled up it. It was quite awe-inspiring in any event. Hopefully no one gets in trouble but the lady at the gate let me in for free and the park ranger turned a blind eye when I walked with with my bike to the viewing platform. Technically no bikes are allowed past the parking lot so it was cool that they didn’t make me leave it well out of eyesight.
I was kind of hoping I wouldn’t have too many more big climbs after that but there were a couple that had me looking for shade. The temperature probably reached 85 F and you can sure feel that climbing a heavy bike up a hill. I was also sporting a new lightweight long sleeve jersey that I picked up this morning at Two Wheeler Dealer Cycle & Fitness. Great bunch of guys working in there. They even managed to track down a buckle for my chin strap so I can wear my helmet again.
Staying at the mother of all KOA campgrounds tonight. It’s called KOA Mt. Rushmore/Hill City. It has a Ponderosa onsite (skipped–went with beans and wieners), a huge store, a pool and a tonne of other things. The best part was that I was able to get a load of laundry done. I’m almost looking forward to wearing my bike shorts now.
And on a completely unrelated note, the total miles I’ve ridden so far is the same as if I would have ridden from New York to Los Angeles.
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Awesome! I have always wanted to go out west. Did being at Mt. Rushmore give you a rush? I might have gotten emotional if it was me just thinking about what they would think, about the way this country has become over past 100 years. More like the past 25. I am so proud of you and wished that I could do something like that, well, maybe in a car! LOL Good luck!
Hey Aunt Lynn. Mount Rushmore was very cool. I would recommend a car though. The hills are wickedly steep.
I can’t be sure but it looked like all the presidents had tears in the shape of George W. Bush. Very weird.
I love the shots of Mount Rushmore today and the Badlands yesterday; awesome stuff. Looks like you had a couple of perfect days for picture taking. That close-up of Washington is amazing.
The weather for the last few days has been abnormally pleasant. Just when I was getting used to wind advisories and frost.