Crazy Horse and Sylvan Lake

Crazy Horse

In 1977 my family took a trip to the Black Hills and my dad wanted especially to see the site of the Crazy Horse Monument. All there was to see was the flat spot for the top of the arm and the hole, smaller than it is today.  In 2006 we took our children to the Black Hills and stopped here and were lucky enough to witness a blast. By that time the face was finished.  This year, though from the distance it looks the same, the top of the hand is finished.  This time, we took the bus to the base of the sculpture, giving us a slightly closer view and an informational talk about the stone, the vision and the future.  I won't see it done in my lifetime.  My opinion is that they should finish the arm and the horse's head and call it good.  

The original air compressor--Kaput

Sylvan Lake

In 1986 after Jim helped me move my things to Rushville for my one year of teaching before we married, we took a day trip up to see Mt. Rushmore and stopped on the way at Sylvan Lake.  I remembered it as a beautiful, quiet place with no one around.  This year, after paying a state park permit, we drove all around trying to find a place to park; parking lot, full; sides of the road; full. Eventually we saw someone pull out, and we found a place.  There is a huge gift shop, an eatery, a place to rent canoes and kayaks, and a walkway all around. And people!! Scores of them! It's still a beautiful place, but not as beautiful when it wasn't commercialized.  

We decided to see if we could walk around the lake and found this little slit in the rock.  On the other side were steps down to the bottom of what used to be the waterway until it was dammed and turned into Sylvan Lake.  

After we got home my daughter reminded us that she went rock climbing in this same place one time with her friends.  I don't think I ever had any picture in my mind that it was HERE.  Sylvan Lake to me was the calm, blue, pristine place I saw in 1986 and my family trip in 1977.  At the right side of this photo is the easier place to climb.

Swimming place.