What a RUSH!

(Keystone, SD: 14-15 July 2010) I have always wanted to see Mount Rushmore. When we started plotting out this trip it was on my list of places to go. I had never been to South Dakota so I didn't really know what to expect. I have been told that some of it is not so pretty but where we were, mostly around the Black Hills, was absolutely beautiful.
Mount Rushmore was amazing and all the history behind the selection of the sculptor, the choice of figures and selection of the Presidents is all very interesting. It was a rainy day but we finished the audio tour there and headed out to the nearby tourist-trap-town of Keystone, SD where we loaded up on what someone told us was some of the best taffy and caramels ever made! It was good, but our vote is they are a close second to taffy-caramel from Cannon Beach, OR!
The next day, though it had already been a full day, (see Badlands and Wall Drug blogs) we decided to head back to Mount Rushmore for the evening illumination ceremony. It was well worth the effort. A Ranger gave a short talk then showed a movie about the history of the making of the mountain carving. Imagine this, you're sitting facing the mountain and by now it is completely dark. As the movie concludes spotlight, starting very dim and coming from different angles start to slowly illuminate the features of the four presidents etched in granite...it was eerie-pretty and very dramatic. They ended with a flag lowering-retreat ceremony involving a Boy Scout troop visiting the area combined with a tribute to veterans. The Ranger invited all veterans down to the front stage to be "thanked" by applause from the 300-400 folks attending. Ed went down with more than a hundred or so other soldiers-sailors-airmen-marines and coasties and the applause went on for about 5 minutes. As the colors were struck a Boy Scout trumpet quintet played retreat and taps. What made it an extra special moment for Ed was that it was a year to the day of his retirement ceremony back in Suffolk, VA!