Mount Rushmore is about 17 miles from Crazy Horse and took about 30 minutes to get there. We walked up the “Avenue of Flags” to the viewing point of the monument. Very impressive. It is carved so intricately that you actually believe that there is a monocle on Theodore Roosevelt. Engineering marvel. But you can tell it is much smaller than the Crazy Horse Memorial. Al said that this memorial will fit on the forehead of Crazy Horse. I don’t think he was kidding.
We walked through the Visitor Center and read the information about the creation of each of the monument busts. It was nice and cool in the building.
Sculptor
We walked back down the Avenue to have some lunch. Chuck enjoyed the bison chili. I had the plain chicken sandwich. The place started to get very crowded.
We walked back up the Avenue, went to a different viewing area for a different perspective, and then took the nature trail loop back to the bus parking area. Some of our fellow passengers took the long loop trail all around the park. It was hot and they seemed pretty worn out by the time they got back. I am glad we did the short loop.
Creatures of the Nature Trail
We all got back to the bus by 2:00. We are heading back to the Lodge.
Next Up – Buffalo Safari & Chuckwagon Cookout
Travel Trivia
Mount Rushmore National Monument
Mount Rushmore was named after New York attorney Charles E. Rushmore, who had visited the area in 1885. As the story goes, Rushmore was visiting South Dakota for business when he spied the large, impressive, granite peak. When he asked his guide the name of the peak, Rushmore was told, “Hell, it never had a name, but from now on we’ll call the damn thing Rushmore.” Rushmore later donated $5,000 to help get the Mount Rushmore project started, becoming one of the first to donate private money to the project.
When carving first started at Mount Rushmore on October 4, 1927, sculptor Gutzon Borglum had his workers try jackhammers. They were too slow and ineffective. They decided to try dynamite. A worker trained in explosives, would place sticks of dynamite and sand into each of the holes, working from the bottom to the top. Ultimately, 90% of the granite removed from Mount Rushmore was by dynamite. Not a single worker died while carving Mount Rushmore.
Borglum intended the sculptures of the four presidents to be from the waist up. It was Congress that ultimately decided, based on lack of funding, that the carving on Mount Rushmore would end once the four faces were complete. The head of George Washington is 60 feet tall with a nose that is 21 feet tall. Theodore Roosevelt’s head is slightly smaller, Abraham Lincoln’s is slightly taller. Each of the eyes on Mount Rushmore are about 11 feet wide. Each mouth is about 18 feet wide.
The four faces represent four stages of America’s history: Washington, the birth of the nation; Jefferson, the growth; Lincoln, the preservation; and Roosevelt, the development.
Borglum was an interesting character. In 1925, on his previous project at Stone Mountain in Georgia, disagreements about who was in charge of the project (Borglum or the head of the monument association) ended with Borglum being run out of the state by the sheriff and a posse. Though Mount Rushmore was his greatest creation, he did not live to see it finished. Borglum died from a blood clot in Chicago on March 6, 1941, just seven months before it was completed. It was his son, Lincoln Borglum, who finished the project.
The last living worker on Mount Rushmore, Nick Clifford, died at the age of 98 on November 26, 2019. At 17, he was the youngest man hired when he went to work as a winch operator that took men up and down the mountain so they could drill holes for the dynamite.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia, Mount Rushmore documents, and Globus
As Chuck and I were going down the aisle looking for our seat assignment, another couple said “you are in the front!” Surprise! Not expecting to be up front, we had overlooked the name sign, so we backtracked up the aisle. Chuck and I are in the first seat of the bus on the door side. The view out the front window is excellent. We don’t have a long travel day today, but we’ll be first off the bus for the sights (and the bathrooms).
We have not really had a problem sitting anywhere on the bus. The sound system and the video system has worked well so we can hear Al clearly even if we are in the back of the bus.
Crazy Horse Memorial is only 16 miles from the Custer State Park, but it takes about 40 minutes to get there. We went back through the town of Custer, and it wasn’t long before I could spot the Memorial in the distance.
When we arrived, Chuck and I decided to take the shuttle to the base of the Memorial before we toured the Visitor Center. That choice was a good decision because when we got back, the line for the shuttles was very long.
There was no construction going on today as it is Labor Day. However, our guide said that they now have 15 people working on the Memorial – the largest crew they have ever had. They work on any nice day available all year long. But he said there are not that many nice weather days in South Dakota. Today was perfect weather-wise and according to him we got very lucky.
We could see the scaffolding and the heavy equipment up there. He told us that they are currently concentrating their work on the arm of Crazy Horse. He showed us some of the tools that they are using. I was surprised to hear that they use very little dynamite now. Much of the work is very precise.
As he said, it is better to take longer and chip away small bits because it would be very difficult trying to fix a spot where you took out too much. Chuck being very familiar with the granite industry recognized and understood the processes the guide was discussing.
The inevitable question of “when it is going to be finished?” was answered by “we have short-range plans” and “long-range plans” that we are working from, but we don’t have an exact end date. When it is finished, it will be 641 ft long and 563 ft tall.
You can take guided hikes to the top of the Memorial for $125. However, twice a year (September and June) they hold fund-raising 10K hikes and the entrance fee is much cheaper. He has been on three of those hikes.
Hikers follow dirt trails and gravel work roads up to the Crazy Horse Mountain Carving. The turn-around point is on the Arm of Crazy Horse directly in front of the nine-story-high face. The next 10K hike is to be September 26th. Don’t think we will make that one (or any future ones).
The whole complex and its employees is funded by gate fees, sale of items, fund-raisers, and private grants. The sculptor’s family, who run the complex and oversee the construction, have continued to honor his wishes, and have refused both state and federal government funds because they want to avoid any government control.
Al told us that the federal government has funds available for the Lakota tribe but so far, the elders have refused to access it. He told us they believe they will have to cede control of what they have if they ever accept those funds.
Before we left to go back to the Visitor Center, one of the shuttle passengers took out a ram’s horn from his backpack and spent a few minutes blowing it. Mournful sound. He said blowing the horn was a “healing ritual for the nations” that he was doing at as many national parks as he could. Interesting. I hope it helps.
Once we got back from the Memorial, we took time to walk through the Visitor Complex. There were many rooms and exhibits that featured the sculptor, his family, and Native Americans in the complex. We could have spent a much longer time studying the items in each room if we had the time.
There was even a display where you could take a chunk of granite that came from the Memorial with you. Wade would not have been happy if I suddenly stuck a large rock into my already 45-pound suitcase. Some people were getting them. I bought a very light weight Christmas ornament. Don’t think Wade will notice the extra ounce in my bag.
I took random pictures throughout the complex:
Indian Museum of North America:
Veranda Area:
Original Sculptor and Family Log Home Area:
Sculptor at different stages of his life.
Nature Gates (207 Brass Silhouettes of Animals):
We really enjoyed our time here. Would love one day to be able to see the finished Memorial but I’m being overly optimistic.
Next up – Mount Rushmore
Travel Trivia
Crazy Horse Memorial
The purpose of the Crazy Horse Memorial is to honor the culture and traditions of living Native Americans. Its creation was the dream of sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski (who had worked with Borglum on Mount Rushmore), and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear. They dedicated the memorial in June of 1948.
It is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain. The elevation on the Mountain is 6,532 feet above sea level and is the 27th highest mountain in South Dakota. It is made of pegmatite granite and was chosen by Ziolkowski and Standing Bear for the Crazy Horse Memorial
Ziolkowski died in 1982. His family buried him in a tomb at the base of the mountain he was carving.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia, Globus, and Crazy Horse Memorial documents
This morning I told Chuck I would meet him at 7:00 at the Lodge restaurant when it opens for breakfast. I wanted to walk around the area and see if I could get some photos of some early morning animals. First animal I saw was a young buck just crossing the road.
Then, I walked past the pavilion and saw 3 bison eating in a field near the church. I stayed on the footbridge and used my telephoto lens. I was the only one out there and I was getting great pictures of the 3 bison. Yay me! I was so smug. I bet nobody else was going to get as close today as I did.
I have been trying to say bison instead of buffalo. Al told us the difference between bison and buffalo –
Bison
Buffalo
Have a hump
No hump
Small, sharp horns
Medium, sharp horns
Thick fur and thick beard
Light fur and no beard
Native to North and South America & Europe
Native to Africa
Used for meat, clothing, weapons, and shelter
Used for meat
Met Chuck at the Lodge a few minutes before 7:00 Breakfast service at the Lodge was slow. They had a buffet but were still trying put items out at 7:00. They only had one person serving coffee. We just ended up getting one of the carafes and serving ourselves.
Once we got our breakfast, I was excited to tell Chuck about the 3 bison and I was two bites into my breakfast when someone yelled “herd of buffalo outside.” I abandoned my breakfast and grabbed my camera.
I went outside and was awestruck. There were hundreds coming down the road and running and walking through our parking lot heading for the same field that I saw the first three. I snapped off quite a few pictures before I decided to go back to my breakfast. So much for my smugness.
Once we finished eating and walking back to our room, more bison came down the road, and more, and more. Most people estimated 500 in all. Some stopped in the parking lot and ate on some of the bushes and grass. Most walked through and went to the field near the church or the field across the street.
Some cars honked at the bison that were in the street to get them to move. If I were in a Prius, I don’t think I would have honked at an animal bigger than my car.
We also had a member of our group wander down to the parking lot and stand by a small group of trees to watch the bison go by him. A number of people were yelling at him that he was too close (we had been warned numerous times by Al and the park literature). A really large bison spotted him, came close and was snorting.
Just then, a park official came driving up in a jeep and got between the man and the bison and told the man to get back to the porch. I think Al would have fainted if he had seen the man. I wonder if anyone reported it to him?
We watched the bison until it was time to go to the bus which was parked behind another building at the Lodge.
As I got one last look at the hundreds of bison in the field, I wonder what I would have done while I was photographing the three and then heard the thundering of all the hooves behind me. I don’t know if I would have frozen on the footbridge or jumped into the little creek and run toward the woods. Glad I didn’t have to choose.
Just like yesterday, the hotel breakfast buffet started at 6:00 and bags were to be ready for pickup at 7:00. Think we really have the morning routine down pat now. I had plenty of time before we left to take advantage of Denver’s high-speed internet and paid some bills online.
As we made our way to Wyoming, Al entertained us with stories about growing up north of Denver in the Loveland area. However, this drive out of Denver was not as exciting as the time we left Denver in 1972. I wrote on Sunday, July 30, 1972:
“On our way out of Denver we saw two brush fires. One was really going with firemen and everything!”
The time went by quickly and by 10:00 a.m. we were stopping at the Wyoming Welcome Center near Cheyenne. First thing I noticed was how windy it was – relentless. The flags were flapping loudly. Apparently, the wind was also the same thing I noticed on the evening of Sunday, July 30, 1972 – “We drove around the city of Cheyenne. It seems the wind blows constantly.”
The Wyoming Welcome Center was like a mini museum. We spent about an hour looking at all the interesting artifacts and displays.
As we continued to South Dakota, we passed over the Continental railroad, saw the Capital Dome, and Warren AFB which oversaw the missile silos during the Cold War. We passed the Cheyenne Rodeo grounds that was still advertising the July 2021 Frontier Nights.
We even passed the Wyoming Governor’s Mansion. I was surprised at how small it was – just a ranch-style. Al said it had a basement as did many of the Wyoming houses because this area is known as a tornado alley. We have also seen small herds of bison and antelope along with many large herds of cattle.
At 11:00, we got off the interstate and are following parts of what Al said was the Cheyenne to Deadwood Stage route. We are seeing more snow fences and clumps of trees planted around houses – Al said the trees are meant to break the wind and snow. He also pointed out large dusty shallow indentations in the prairie – “wallowing holes” for bison and cattle. They roll around in the dust to get the bugs and flies off of them.
We stopped for lunch in Torrington, Wyoming. Today being a Sunday, few shops were open. You had a choice of Subway, Arby’s, or walk a block or so to a grocery store. We chose Arby’s as it has been a long time since we have eaten at one.
Once we were finished eating, we decided to walk around the downtown area. We discovered that there was an open restaurant but one of our fellow passengers said the cigarette smoke in there was thick enough to cut. I’m so used to restaurants being smoke-free that I was really surprised to hear about this restaurant. The parking lot was full so it is very popular.
I was disappointed that the bakery/ice cream parlor was not open.
Once back on the bus, we watched the miles and miles of Wyoming ranchland go by and entered the Black Hills of South Dakota at 3:00.
Wyoming Landscape
South Dakota Black Hills
We passed through the town of Custer and arrived at the Custer State Game Lodge at 4:30. We even saw a herd of bighorn sheep hanging out at a campground not far from the Lodge. I was on the wrong side of the bus (again) to get a good picture of them.
We had another included group dinner tonight at the Lodge. Earlier Al had told us our choices and then called ahead to let the Lodge know how to prepare. Most people chose the Walleye fish option. I don’t like too many kinds of fish, so I didn’t want to take a chance on it. I ordered the pork chop which was excellent. Chuck ordered the bison sirloin steak which he thought was kind of tough and chewy.
I am glad to have 2 nights at one place but our room at the Lodge is small. We are tripping over the suitcases. I do like the view from the front porch area. There is even a seating area/fire pit on the porch near our room. We spent some time after dinner chatting with our fellow travelers and enjoying the cool, starry night.
However, it almost wasn’t a pleasant evening. One of our new friends nearly had a bad accident coming back from dinner. She stumbled coming down the outside concrete steps from the Lodge restaurant to the rooms. Luckily, she caught herself on the railing and didn’t tumble down the steps. But I know it must have hurt her arm grabbing the railing as it was the only thing that stopped the momentum. Scary.
There is a wedding reception going on at the Lodge pavilion. All lit up and we can hear the music and laughing from the porch but not from our room. According to the Lodge literature, the Lodge is a popular place for a destination wedding.
It was a long travel day today – breakfast in Colorado, lunch in Wyoming, and dinner in South Dakota. Tomorrow we won’t travel many miles, but it will be a busy day – visiting Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore during the day and then a Buffalo safari/chuckwagon cookout that evening.
Travel Trivia
Custer State Park – State Game Lodge, South Dakota
In 1897, President Grover Cleveland created the Black Hills Forest Reserve as public land “reserved from entry or settlement” to protect the land from fires, wasteful lumbering practices, and timber fraud. In 1919, the state legislature voted to transform the preserve into Custer State Park—making it South Dakota’s first and largest state park.
Custer State Park is known for its free ranging bison herd. With some 1,500 animals, it is one of the largest bison herds in the world.
The State Game Lodge is a native stone and wood lodge built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It served as the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge in 1927 and was visited by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953.
South Dakota – The Mount Rushmore State
In the early 19th century, the Sioux were the dominant people of the land to be known as South Dakota. In the late 19th century, European-American settlement intensified after a gold rush in the Black Hills and the construction of railroads from the east.
South Dakota became the 40th state of the union on November 2, 1889.
One of the most famous dinosaur skeletons in history, Sue the T. Rex, was discovered near the Badlands area in 1990. This T. Rex is 42 feet long and 12 feet high.
The satellite pictures one sees from space are all processed at the US Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science Data Center, near Sioux Falls, SD.
Born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in 1938, William Mervin, was the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meter race. He won the gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The 1939 Nobel Prize for Physics was won by Ernest Lawrence from Canton, South Dakota.
It is illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a South Dakota cheese factory.
Pierre, South Dakota is the only example of a state and capital in the U.S. that do not share any letters.
A prospector in the Black Hills named a mining claim after his neighbor’s daughter, calling it “The Little Allie”. The prospector’s wife got angry because he had never named a claim after her and she demanded that the mine be renamed in her honor. The prospector agreed and renamed the mine “The Holy Terror” which is what it is still called today.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia, Custer State Lodge literature, and Globus
The hotel breakfast buffet was to begin at 6:00 and the bags had to be ready to go at 7:30 so another early morning. At least this morning I had time to transfer pictures from my DSLR camera to my laptop. My phone camera pictures go to the Cloud pretty easy, but I take so many on the DSLR, I prefer to use the USB transfer to the laptop. I would hate to lose all of my pictures if something happened to the camera.
The hotel really had the COVID protocols in place for breakfast. Everyone had to don plastic gloves, all the fruit was wrapped in cellophane, and all the pastries were individually wrapped. The breakfast area was small, so it was crowded as 40 plus people were trying to find items to eat.
We got two surprises this morning. The morning temps were in the 60’s and our new bus was waiting for us. Al calls it “Bumblebee.” Both were nice surprises. We have more legroom to stretch, and the overhead bin space is larger. I am not mashing and shoving the backpacks as much as I had to do prior to this bus. We have now rotated to the back of the bus. There is an empty row behind us so we can spread out even more if we want.
We left promptly at 8:00. Our group has been very conscientious of the allotted times and have done their very best to not hold us up. Very appreciated.
We are taking Hwy 70 toward Colorado and the speed limit is 80 miles per hour. Can’t remember the last time I saw 80. The landscape is barren but there is a train track running parallel to us. Al says it is used by the Amtrack Zephyr and the Rocky Mountaineer for scenic travel.
At 9:20, we stopped at the Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction, Colorado. I was expecting some sort of structure, but it is a huge, beautiful gorge area. Why was this area not a national park?
Al told us the main difference is that National Parks are created through acts of congress and must be large enough for broad use by the public. National Parks should have inspirational, educational, and recreational value. National Monuments are made through declarations from the president and have historic, prehistoric, or scientific interest. Currently, there are 129 protected areas known as national monuments.
We hiked a short way down the Canyon Rim Trail to enjoy the cool breezes and stunning scenery. Once we got back, we toured the Visitor Center. I was surprised at how uncrowded this Monument area was. In addition to the short hiking trails, it offers backcountry trails, backcountry camping, rock climbing, and picnic areas.
The landscape is changing to more mountainous. We have crossed over the Colorado River several times and we have passed through some tunnels already. Al said this area is known for landslides. Oh, yay.
We stopped in Glenwood Springs, CO for lunch. Before we arrived, Al told us a lot of interesting facts about Glenwood: ex – it is located at the juncture of the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork River, has many hot springs to enjoy, is home to the historic Hotel Colorado, was named one of the most walkable cities in the US, was one of the first cities to have electricity, and is a stop on the scenic routes of the Zephyr and the Rocky Mountaineer. In addition, Doc Holliday spent his last days at Glenwood Springs. He had hoped that the springs would help his tuberculosis but the springs made it worse. He is buried in the town’s original Pioneer Cemetery.
We ate lunch at the Doc Holliday saloon and then walked along the river toward the Hotel Colorado. We saw the Amtrack Zephyr at the station. We walked back through the downtown and visited some of the shops. Really a nice town. We both said it is the first town we have stopped that we could consider living here.
We drove through the Vail Pass. Bicyclists travel the 18-mile, 10,603 high mountain pass almost daily during good weather. We saw many bicyclists peddling furiously along the trail including a man that had a dog sitting behind him in a basket. The scenery in this area was remarkable. Chuck sat in the row behind me so we could both sit by the window and stretch out some. Typically, we take turns sitting by the window.
We went through the Eisenhower Tunnel and started the steep decline into Denver. Saw some runaway truck ramps. Glad Wade didn’t have to use one of them. He got us safely into Denver.
Before we got to the hotel, Al handed each of us a Palisade peach. The peaches are grown in Palisade, Colorado and are supposed to be very juicy and extra sweet. The peaches were very large. He just doesn’t want us eating them on the bus.
We got to the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Denver about 5:00. Al told us that this weekend was the Taste of Denver festival and there would be music, food trucks, and a lot of activity at the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall. Since it was only two blocks from the hotel, we walked there. He was right. We had a good time looking at the shops and people watching. I thought there were an inordinate number of people walking dogs. So many dogs – great danes to teacup yorkies in purses.
Instead of looking at all the people with their dogs, I should have been watching where I was walking. I stepped off the curb suddenly. It stung but luckily, I didn’t turn or break my ankle. Finishing the two weeks on crutches would have been a bummer.
We had a great dinner of carne Asada soft tacos at the Yard House. We were able to sit outside and continue the people-watching.
By the time we made it back to the hotel, our bags were in the room and it’s time to get ready for tomorrow. I ate my peach. It was delicious, but Al was right not to let us eat them on the bus.
Onward to Custer State Park.
Travel Trivia
Colorado National Monument
The canyons were single-handedly explored by John Otto, who built many miles of trails through the area in the early 20th Century. He and citizens from Grand Junction campaigned to make the area a national park. On May 24, 1911, Otto got his wish. President William H. Taft established the Colorado National Monument with presidential proclamation No. 1126, under the authority of the Antiquities Act. It became the 17th National Monument in the United States.
Otto was named the park’s caretaker. He did the job until 1927 for $1.00 per month.
The monument spreads over an area of 32 square miles.
The drive along the plateau provides the view of the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-topped mountain in the world.
Its main attraction is Monument Canyon, which runs across the width of the park and includes unique rock formations.
The Independence Monument is an isolated 450-foot tower of sandstone at the junction of two canyons.
Denver, Colorado
The name “Denver” was not actually the first name for this city. Originally, there were three different names, including St. Charles City, Auraria and Montana City.
The very first permanent structure in Denver was a saloon.
Katherine Lee Bates wrote “America the Beautiful” while visiting Pikes Peak looking out towards the Denver skyline.
Denver is responsible for an American classic – the cheeseburger. In 1935 a man named Louis E. Ballast created and trademarked the combination for his drive-in, the Humpty-Dumpty Barrel.
Denver is home to one of the highest populations of high school and college graduates, baby boomers, and health-conscious individuals.
The Denver Mint officially opened in 1906 and now produces over 40 million coins per day.
Colorado – The Centennial State
In its beginning, the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route that was important to the spread of early peoples throughout the Americas. The Ancient Pueblo people lived in the valleys and mesas of the Colorado Plateau. The Ute Nation inhabited the mountain valleys of the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Western Rocky Mountains. The Apache and the Comanche also inhabited Eastern and Southeastern parts of the state. At times, the Arapaho Nation and the Cheyenne Nation moved west to hunt across the High Plains.
The Spanish Empire claimed Colorado as part of its New Mexico province prior to U.S. involvement in the region. The U.S. acquired a territorial claim to the eastern Rocky Mountains with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803.
Mexico surrendered its northern territory to the U.S. with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo at the conclusion of the war in 1848.
The United States Congress passed an enabling act on March 3, 1875, specifying the requirements for the Territory of Colorado to become a state. On August 1, 1876 (four weeks after the Centennial of the United States), U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to the Union as the 38th state.
The state was named after the Colorado River.
The Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado is the highest vehicular tunnel in the world. The tunnel crosses the Continental Divide at an average elevation of 11,112 feet.
Colorado has the highest elevation of any U.S. state.
Colorado is the only state in America to turn down the Olympics.
Colorado’s famous Red Rocks Amphitheater took over 300 million years to form and is world-famous for its natural acoustics. Musicians such as the Beatles, Nat King Cole, U2, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, and John Denver have all performed there.
The Colorado Trail is a 500-mile-long hiking trail from Durango to Denver, crossing eight mountain ranges, seven national forests, six wilderness areas, and five river systems.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia, Colorado National Monument literature, and Globus
Glad I was able to sleep well last night because I was up at 4:00 again. Felt like I needed another shower just to be sure I got all the red sand dust out of my hair. We were treated to a colorful sunrise over the monuments as we waited outside the Lodge for the restaurant to open. Before we walked to the restaurant, we had to put our bags outside the doors for pick-up.
We sat with the California couple and waited to be served, and waited, and waited. It was a limited menu, but it took the servers quite a while to get to all the tables. The schedule said the bus was going to depart at 8:00 but I didn’t see that happening with so many people not getting their food until 7:30.
When we did get the food, Chuck and the wife got each other’s omelet. She was the first to realize it because she discovered meat in her vegetarian omelet. They didn’t send them back, but I guess she would have if she had been a true vegetarian. We had to eat fast and went back to our room so we could brush our teeth and grab our backpacks. There were still people eating when we left the restaurant.
We ended up leaving about 30 minutes late. Just couldn’t be helped. The Arches weren’t going anywhere so it wasn’t a real problem.
Our first photo stop was the point in the road where Forrest Gump finally stops running across the country and decides it’s time to go home.
Flag marks place where Forrest stops running.
We stopped for a restroom break in Blanding Utah, a small community. Had a very nice Visitor Center and the woman working the desk gave us all Kind bars – energy bars made of dark chocolate and peanut butter. Nice treat.
The drive had a long stretch of brown land with nothing but scrub bushes. However, we did have our first sighting of a prairie dog community.
Al said we were now entering an area known as canyon land and is a Ute Nation area. We saw our first Arch.
We arrived in Moab around noon and parked at the Visitor Center. Al told us about several restaurants and then let us “scatter” again. We walked down to the Moab Diner – a 50’s style restaurant. I had the Veggie sandwich and Chuck had the Kokopelli Chicken sandwich – chicken with Spanish seasoning and topped with a green chili. Too hot for me. Chuck thought it was great.
I ordered a scoop of Bunny Trax ice cream, but a server mistakenly brought me Praline ice cream. The manager noticed I got the wrong ice cream and brought me the right one. I had told him it was fine, and Praline was okay, but he told me to have both. I gave Chuck the Praline one. Wish mistakes were all as good as this one was.
While we were walking back to the Visitor Center, I got a call from our Holland America cruise consultant who let us know that our South America/Antarctica cruise for January 2022 was being cancelled and did we want to be moved to 2023. Yes, we did. We first booked for Feb 2021, but it got moved to Jan 2022. Now it is Jan 2023. I sure hope I finally get to go. So disappointing for it to be moved again.
After lunch, we drove out to the Arches National Park. We got to see the Balanced Rock, Double Arch, North Window, South Window, and the Turret Arch. They were certainly impressive structures.
Again, the heat was oppressive and just sucked the breath right out of you. There is a reason that the literature says the best time to visit is April and May and if you plan to do any of the strenuous trails you should carry one gallon of water per person per day. Some people hiked all the way up to the farthest ones. We chose to go to the closest ones and hang out in the little bit of shade there was. We were also warned to stay on the trail. No tripping into the Prickly Pear cacti.
Before we left the Park, we went to the Visitor Center and I was able to find my Christmas ornament as well as study the information provided. I enjoyed my time at this unusual national park, but I was glad to go on to the hotel to get out of the heat.
We stayed at the Hyatt Place Moab which was a mile from downtown Moab. It was a new and very modern hotel – much different from the Goulding Lodge. Some people chose to go back to Moab for dinner and others decided to take the shuttle up to the Sunset Grill behind the hotel on a hill which was said to have wonderful views.
We just wanted to relax so we decided to sit out by the pool and then eat at the Hotel. The pool area had some comfy couches as well as loungers. I only stuck my feet in it, but the water was cool. There were a few people swimming.
When we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant, there were two other couples who had the same idea, so we all ate together. The hotel had a limited menu and because it was Utah, I had to go back to the room and get my driver license so they could scan it before I could have a beer. Al had warned us that Utah had a variety of laws about serving alcohol and depending on the license-type an establishment had, we would face different requirements.
On our way to the restaurant, I realized that the hotel laundry was down the hall from our room. I had thought about waiting until Custer State Park or Yellowstone to do laundry, but I checked this one out. It wasn’t busy and better yet – it was free to guests. I had brought laundry pods and a few dryer sheets, so I didn’t even have to buy them from the vending machine. I decided to take advantage and got 2 loads done after dinner. We shouldn’t have to do laundry again until we get home.
Went back out to the pool for a little while longer but we didn’t last long. The day has been a fun one, but we have another long day tomorrow. Onward to Denver.
Travel Trivia
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park covers an area of 120 square miles. It lies atop an underground salt bed that is responsible for the arches, spires, balanced rocks, and sandstone fins.
A natural arch is only considered as such if it has an opening at least three feet wide.
The park contains the highest density of natural arches in the world.
Airplanes aren’t allowed to fly over Arches National Park because the vibrations from the planes could potentially break the fragile features of the arches.
Delicate Arch is the most famous arch in the park and in the world. It is a 60-foot tall freestanding natural arch. The arch is depicted on Utah license plates and on a 1996 postage stamp commemorating Utah’s centennial anniversary of admission to the Union. The Olympic torch relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics passed through the arch.
Balanced Rock is one of the most iconic features in the park. The total height of Balanced Rock is about 128-feet tall, with the balancing rock rising 55 feet above the base. The big rock on top is the size of three school buses.
The Old Spanish Trail, a trade route between Santa Fe and Los Angeles, was traveled for centuries. Its route went directly past what is today’s Arches visitor center.
Wall Arch, the 12th largest in Arches, collapsed overnight in 2008. No one saw it happen. It is said that all of the natural arches will one day fall. But other arches are always forming. Whoever discovers a new natural arch gets to name it!
Moab, Utah
The name Moab comes from an ancient Biblical kingdom.
Moab is a mountain biking mecca. Its Slickrock Bike Trail is one of the most technically challenging ones in the world.
Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch gang got into many robberies and shootouts with Moab’s lawmen. Their Robbers Roost hideout was in a wild maze of canyons east of town.
Moab hosted a uranium boom in the 1950s after prospector Charlie Steen hit it big.
A living crust called “biological soil crust” covers much of the surrounding area in Moab. Composed of algae, lichens and bacteria, this crust provides a secure foundation for desert plants.
*Trivia provided by Wikipedia, Arches National Park literature, and Globus.
After leaving the Grand Canyon, we headed toward Monument Valley (valley of the rocks) Utah. Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes. It is located on the Arizona–Utah state line near the Four Corners area. The valley lies within the territory of the Navajo Nation Reservation.
The landscape was pretty desolate as we drove – mostly just wild sagebrush and sand. The Colorado River was very muddy in places. Only wildlife spotted were some cows, sheep, and horses. We watched a train that was running parallel with us for a while. Al said it was carrying coal from the mesa to Page, AZ.
During our travel, we had two stops before we reached Goulding’s Lodge that afternoon. One stop was a photo opportunity of the Painted Desert. The other stop was a lunch stop at the Trading Post at Cameron, AZ.
The Trading Post was a popular spot. They had a large area set aside for our group. Al had told us that one of the best meals they offered was a Navajo taco – A traditional fry bread topped with a chili-style meat and bean mixture and toppings like shredded Cheddar cheese, chopped lettuce, and sour cream. He warned that even the small was big enough for two people – he was right. Chuck and I split one and it was plenty to eat.
Typical Navajo Taco
I enjoyed looking at the Native American art that was located throughout the restaurant and the gift shop.
Handwoven Navajo Rug
I also went around the back of the restaurant and looked at the Colorado River. At this point, it was just a very muddy creek. Hard to believe that this small creek is part of the river that carved out the Grand Canyon.
The Painted Desert colors seemed more muted to me than what I remembered from 1972. On Monday, August 7, 1972, I wrote “The Painted Desert was so beautiful, it looked like a picture.” – Profound, I know. But still I remember there seemed to be more of a mixture of colors than it appeared now.
We arrived at Goulding’s Lodge around 3:30 and we only had about 30 minutes before we had to get ready for our open-truck tour of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. According to the signage, people could only go far into the Park by being on a guided tour.
Thank goodness the truck had padded seats because the road was bumpy, and we were jostled around. It was also so very dusty. I was being covered in a fine coat of red sand that was sticking to my sweaty skin. I only brought my phone to take pictures and I was constantly wiping the red sand off. I was hoping it wouldn’t get ruined. But the buttes and towers were nothing like I had ever seen – a very stark beauty. They were massive.
The buttes and towers are called monuments because they resemble structures created by humans and because they are higher than they are broad. Each tower and butte had a name. The guide rattled them off so fast that I can’t remember them all but what I remember: East and West Mittens, Three Sisters, Elephant Parade, Totem Pole, and the Rooster. There were many more. We made a circle around the Park and there were plenty of stops for photos, including one that we could pay and sit on a horse at the edge of a butte – Nope.
Three SistersTotemsElephants on ParadeMittens
Monument Valley was the scene of several John Ford westerns. Our guide said Ford met with the Gouldings who convinced him to check out Monument Valley for his movies, and he and John Wayne stayed at their Lodge every time they came to film. One of the stops on the tour was to see the trailer that John Wayne used when filming on set. Because of COVID restrictions, it wasn’t open to tour (despite the We’re Open Sign on the window).
Our next stop was to leave the Park and head for an outdoor cookout. Al had asked us earlier that day what we wanted to eat at the cookout – steak, chicken, or vegetarian. Chuck and I chose steak. He radioed ahead to the Lodge so they would know what to provide.
As we rode out there, I couldn’t help but wonder about all the boulders that were sitting haphazardly all over the mountains surrounding the Lodge and other buildings. What made them stop rolling? What might make them start rolling again and over the edge? I hoped the trigger wouldn’t be a bunch of open-air trucks bumping up and down the road.
There was already another tour group getting their food before us. We were under a large pavilion seated at picnic tables. We all got water, lemonade, or tea. I was so thirsty and hot, I got two bottles of water. I drank the first bottle quickly.
Once the cooks put our steaks on the grill, they called out the temperature of the meat – rare, medium rare, etc. Once your temperature was called, you lined up and they gave us a plate filled with salad, pinto beans, corn on the cob, fried bread, and a piece of spice cake for dessert. The steak was large, and Chuck and I would normally split one this size. But it was perfectly cooked, and I tore into it like a hungry hyena and ate it all.
After the meal was over, they brought us back to the Lodge. Chuck and I sat out on the balcony for a while looking at the stars. I still felt so gritty, hot, and tired that I went in and took a cool shower so I could sleep. Chuck said he saw a coyote slinking around the rocks. I was too tired to stay up and see if it came back.
It was a very interesting day, but the heat really took a lot out of me. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow also. Onward to Moab.
Travel Trivia
Harry Goulding was a sheep trader looking for a new business opportunity and a place to call home. In the early 1920s, Harry and his wife Leone, whose nickname was “Mike,” visited Monument Valley and were enamored with the area. Although Monument Valley had once been part of the Paiute Indian Reservation, the reservation relocated and areas of land opened up for sale. The Goulding’s jumped at the chance to purchase a substantial plot of land in Monument Valley.
Monument Valley is popularly used in media due to its prominent symbol of the Wild West. Numerous films have featured the valley and monuments including Stagecoach (1939), The Searchers (1956), Easy Rider (1969), and Forrest Gump (1994).
When we did board the bus, I noticed that we were all there. We should have been missing about 6 or 8 people who were supposed to be waiting for us at the helicopter landing area. And they would have been there except that the rides had been cancelled due to fog in the canyon. Fog – helicopters – steep canyon walls: good call just to cancel.
We are now making our way to the Desert View section of the South Rim. We found our assigned seats – door side of the bus in the middle. Yesterday, we were on the driver side and missed the animals spotted on the door side. This morning, Al announces “on the driver side you will see some spectacular Canyon views.” Okay. I understand how this trip is going to go. Sigh.
At the Desert View section, the feature is the Watchtower built very close to the Rim edge. It was designed by, and the build supervised by architect and interior designer Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter in 1932. She is often referred to as the architect of the southwest for her inspirational buildings.
Before her retirement at the age of 79, she designed and over saw the building of five other buildings on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Watchtower was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1987.
Al said from the top of the Watchtower you can see for 100 miles on a clear day. I will have to take his word for it. Because of COVID precautions, the Tower is closed, and you can’t climb the stairs in it. It was an impressive structure though. You go Mary C!
We had an hour in this area so Chuck and I strolled to different spots along the Rim. There were several benches available all along the rim to sit and take in the view which we took full advantage. I really liked that you could see the Colorado River so clearly from this area. With the binoculars, we could even see rafters on the river.
Sadly, this spot is also the area of the 1956 TWA – United Airlines crash. In the 1950s, commercial airplanes often took detours over the park to give passengers a look at the Canyon. These two planes were doing just that and collided. It was the worst commercial airline disaster up to that time and killed all 128 people onboard. The disaster led to the creation of the Federal Aviation Association.
Once our time was up here, we boarded the bus for our next location – Monument Valley, part of the Navajo Nation on the Utah/Arizona border.
As we were leaving it gave me time to reflect on my first visit here – 1972. According to my Sunday, August 6, 1972, trip report, we spent the night in Kingman, AZ and arrived at the Grand Canyon at 12:35 Rocky Mountain Time. About the Grand Canyon I wrote – “The Grand Canyon is a gorgeous sight to see. The temperature is 92 degrees. We drove around the east and west rims of the South Grand Canyon and looked at the Canyon from various sight seeing areas. It is so huge and deep and pretty.”
What I remember is that after four different stops my sister and I were tired of looking at it and told my parents that we wanted to go. They were furious and rightly so. We were showing no real appreciation for the grandeur of the place or their efforts to share it with us. Shame on us.
Given this second chance to see it, I was appropriately awed, grateful for the opportunity, and embarrassed for my 12-year-old self. Mom and Dad, sorry we were brats. Thank you for taking us.
Travel Trivia – Grand Canyon
Designated a national park in 1919
Total acreage: 1,215,375
The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, and the only one located within the United States.
Total miles of trails and of those trail miles that are maintained: 30 to 7
From the rim of the canyon to its lowest point, the temperature can change by more than 25 degrees.
There are an estimated 1,000 caves within the canyon, but only 335 have been recorded. Only one cave is open to the public.
In 1909, The Arizona Gazette reported that archaeologists had discovered traces of an ancient Tibetan or Egyptian civilization in an underground tunnel in the canyon. The Smithsonian denied this entire story, claiming that they had no knowledge of the archaeologists. To this day, conspiracy theorists still believe this may have been a government cover-up.
Though none of the fossils are from dinosaurs, since the canyon layers were formed long before dinosaurs walked the earth, the canyon is home to fossils of ancient marine animals that date back 1.2 billion years.
Would be great if every hotel shower worked the same way. I never remember the night before to figure out how to turn on the shower, adjust the temps, check the water pressure. Is it a lever or knob? Is the water not getting hot or am I turning it wrong? Can I adjust the shower head to get more water or is this it? Is the shower head even taller than I am or will I need to scrunch down? And why do the shampoo, conditioner, and lotion bottles all look alike?
So, once again, at 5:30 a.m. and still tired, I am trying to find my glasses so I can study the bottles and the shower knob. Push up for water on, pull the diverter valve on the faucet to get the shower to work, turn the knob and wait for hot water. Put the look-alike bottles left to right in the shower – shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Only way I am going to remember without my glasses in the shower. Starting the day.
Why am I up so early for a 9:00 a.m. departure? One, Al changed the departure time to 8:30. Two, I have never been someone who could just roll out of bed looking like I am ready to meet the day. I roll out looking like the day has already rolled over me. Three, I move slowly in the mornings and since I cannot be late or the last one on the bus, I have to give myself plenty of time to get ready.
Four, our large bags need to be packed and outside of our room by 7:30 to get loaded on the bus. Five, I need to transfer my yesterday pictures from my camera to my laptop as backup. Six, I am going to walk a few trails around the buildings to look for early morning elk. Getting that picture today! I had to get up at 5:00 to get all this done.
Chuck decides he needs to go with me to look for elk, so our bags are in the hall a little after 7:00, and we start walking. We take the path toward the Rim like we took yesterday as I had hoped they would be in the same spot. Not today. Go towards another path that Al had said they use to go back and forth to feeding spots. I see no elk, but I do find evidence that they have taken this path or at least my shoes found the evidence. It is everywhere. Yuck. I am really beginning to despise elk.
We see a couple who have big coffees in hand. Wait. I thought the restaurant wasn’t serving breakfast and the Market is not open this early. They tell us there is a small coffee shop in the Lodge lobby that is open and serving coffee, pastries, and hot sandwiches. The coffee in the room was so-so and the donuts were eaten for dessert last night. Okay, the elk are officially forgotten. Onward to coffee and food.
It is a small coffee shop – closet small. We have 4 people in line in front of us. The time is getting closer to getting on the bus. Shouldn’t be a problem… no, it’s going to be a problem. The four customers in front of us are two men and two women and they appear to be traveling as a group. The conversation among the 4 and with one of the two baristas goes something like this:
“What sandwiches do you want. (there are only 3 choices) I don’t know. Do you want to split one? Can we get it without cheese? Do you have any other kind of bread? You only take cash? OMG. I don’t have cash. Who carries cash? My wallet is in my room. Don’t worry – just Venmo me and I’ll pay. Hey, Derek never did Venmo me from the other day. He better do it today. Do you have almond milk? What about soy? I don’t see caramel listed. I want a caramel latte not a vanilla latte. I hate vanilla lattes. Maybe I should just get a macchiato. Are the muffins fresh? They look gluteny. What are we doing today?”
I am now wondering what the penalty will be for leaping on their backs and clawing like a crazed mountain lion. I think not getting coffee and being late for the bus should give me a solid defense. But I suppress my claws and we finally get to the front of the line – two small black coffees, one blueberry muffin, one bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on whatever-the-hell type of bread you have, and we have cash – exact change in fact. The bleary-eyed baristas look at us like we are dinosaurs. Sigh.
We take our coffee and food outside to sit and enjoy the quiet morning. I am so ready for the coffee. Sip. OMG. The coffee is too hot. Chernobyl hot. I waited all that time, and I can’t drink it. We have to take the tops off the cups and let the cool morning air take the heat down to a burn-the-tongue level.
And the crows and pigeons (which were not here a second ago) have suddenly gathered around us, and I swear they are all looking directly at me and my muffin. We’re leaving and heading back to the room. I will not be in a remake of The Birds.
As we are walking, we meet another couple from our tour who are making their way to the coffee shop. She asks me if I have gotten any pictures. I tell her I think I have some decent landscapes but no elk. Oh, let me show you my picture – a mother elk and her baby walked right by me last night so close I could touch them. I was just relaxing on the bench over there. They didn’t even care that I was there.But we see deer and elk all the time where we live so really no big deal. I almost didn’t even bother taking the picture – My smile is so wide and forced I know I must look like the Joker (Heath Ledger, not Joaquin Phoenix). Her photo is absolutely great. I really really hate elk.
I just want to get on the bus. The day will get better.
What was our choice? Of course, Market. It had shortened hours and we needed stuff. Off we go. Cross the road, walk by the Lodge restaurant – seems to be busy, cross the parking lot, and there is the Market. Very busy. It has 3 distinct sections – Hiking, Camping, and Grand Canyon merchandise section, grocery store section, and deli section. People are everywhere. Some of the grocery section shelves look like Walmart shelves if they call for snow in the South.
Luckily, the wine section is nicely stocked. Unique local brands that I would love to try. We would except – we didn’t pack a cork screw and we’d have to pack bottles in the suitcases which might leak or break open. What to do?
Hidden on a bottom shelf we find merlot and moscato – packs of 4, in small plastic bottles with screw top caps – do they know tourists or what? May not be the unique brands we were hoping for but wine snobs we are not. Sutter Home to the rescue – we buy 3 packs.
Finish our shopping by getting some donuts for breakfast, a postcard, and a Christmas ornament Grand Canyon souvenir. The walk seems longer retracing our steps back to the room – must be the heavy bags of stuff we purchased. I should have probably offered to carry one of them. We check the Lodge restaurant times, and they are open until 9:00. Drop our purchases off and figure out on the map how to walk over to the Rim.
Head in that direction. Ooh – Some more elk across the street. Going to get that Instagram worthy picture now. Nope. Just as I focus, they turn away. No problem. I’ll just move down the sidewalk a little more. Nope. They continue to turn – keeping their backsides to me at all times. And I am not even close to them. I am using my zoom lens across the street and on the sidewalk. How do they know? I give up.
About a ten minute walk past the Ranger Station and we are at the Rim. Sun will be setting in about 30 minutes. Find a nice spot to sit and take some photos as the light changes. Didn’t really get a good one of the sun actually setting behind the canyon. Seemed like too much glare from it. But it was peaceful. Not very many other people at this area. I think there is a more popular spot in the park for sunsets, but I couldn’t remember which bus took you there – orange or red line – yada, yada, yada.
Start the walk back to the Lodge restaurant. Shadows are deepening and I can only hear some crows in the distance. What was it that Al said about mountain lions? Why aren’t there more people on this path? Why does it seem to take longer to get back to the road? Did I hear a branch snap? Can I sit on Chuck’s shoulders to make ourselves look big?
I had myself worked up to a cold sweat. Just great – I know they can smell fear so if they weren’t in the area before they are really heading this way now. I was glad to finally see the Ranger Station.
The restaurant is still busy. COVID protocols dictated that you took a menu, stood in line to wait to order, order, paid, and then took your number and your drinks to one of the outside tables to wait for your food. Actually, very efficient.
A server brought you the food when it was ready. It was a cool evening but there was a fire pit and some standing heaters. The server couldn’t get our heater to work. Of course. Glad we were near the fire pit. We split an elk burger (teach them to not let me get a picture). It was surprisingly good.
Short walk back to our Lodge rooms. So dark now I had to use my phone flashlight to see. I have the flashlight pointed to the sidewalk. Now, I am not as worried about mountain lions jumping on me from a tree as I am about twisting my ankle by stumbling over the sidewalk. I’m playing the odds of which scenario is more likely.
Make it back to the room in one piece. Get organized for tomorrow and face down in the bed by 10:00. Going to be a long day tomorrow – more Grand Canyon and then a drive to Monument Valley. Once at Monument Valley, a tour of the monuments and then a cookout for dinner.
People who are taking the helicopter tour have to be ready to go by 7:00. The rest of us have to be ready by 9:00. Another reason not to get on that helicopter.
