Epic Road Trip - Day Three

It was a struggle to get up and moving this morning to make our way to Rapid City, South Dakota.  We managed to leave the hotel at 10 a.m. to start on our trek to Mount Rushmore.  When we first started planning this trip, we heard about a place called Carhenge that was an attraction along the way.  We planned for that to be our stop midway to Mount Rushmore.  Unfortunately, we had to make a pit stop on the side of the road for Cristina before we made it to Alliance.  Living on the east coast, it is a little hard to think that you could go over 100 miles and not pass any place with an available restroom.  I hope the horses didn't mind Cristina mooning them.

We finally made it to Carhenge sometime after 1 p.m. and the girls had fun walking around taking pictures.  For awhile, Charlotte had the camera and she was chasing after butterflies trying to get close enough for a picture.  After a bit, Cristina got the camera and decided that she needed to set up a photo shoot for us.  She directed Brian and I to kiss on the lips next to this pink car and she even gave Brian a purple flower to give me.  Emma got a picture of Cristina taking our picture.  (I really want to see the picture Cristina took, but first, I will have to find the camera!)

Around 4 p.m., we made it to Mount Rushmore.  The girls enjoyed earning their Junior Ranger badges by completing a workbook with facts about the monument.

I love this picture that Cristina took with my camera - it shows her view of Mount Rushmore.

We weren't able to stay there long because the girls were finally starting to feel the lack of sleep and long days.  So, we headed to our hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota.  We ended up getting a free upgrade to the Presidential Suite at the Howard Johnson, which is quite lovely. (As I type this, the girls are all snoozing in the king-sized bed, which means Brian and I are going to be on this pull out couch. Fail!)

On the way to the hotel, we saw a rainbow.  Just one of the amazing sites we have seen along the way.  The country is so different out here.  I love the expansive views and for some reason, I am really taken by all the giant stacks of hay everywhere!  Clearly, I don't get out much.