Sturgis 2013 Continuted

The following day we took our friends on the grand tour of the Black Hills and showed them Mount Rushmore and the surrounding area. I'm always stunned by the shear beauty of western South Dakota with the majestic mountains, the foreboding badlands and the dark green pine trees that give the Black Hills there names.  The Lakota Sioux named the hills Pahá Sápa, which means black hills because from a distance the hills have this dark appearance. 

Our first stop was Mount Rushmore.  You get such a feeling of freedom on the open road riding through the trees. It's such a pretty ride. 

This time of year motorcycles out number cars and we just had to stop to take a picture of all the bikers stopping along the side of the road taking in the view and taking pictures of their own.  

 Arriving at the monument I took this picture of hubby and noticed afterwords how the windshield on the bike framed the heads in the background. 

Walking around we got an added bonus to see a herd of mountain goats grazing in the area.  I've been to the monument many times, but this was the first I had seen the goats.  What a thrill!! 

After several hours of touring and getting a bite to eat our friends saw a pamphlet about Devils Tower in Wy and we couldn't resist making the 2-1/2 hour trip to the tower, which every time I see it I'm just awe struck how mother nature made such a unique land mass.

Pictures do not really do this justice as how big this really is and the ridges are so much bigger that the people rock climbing look so so small. 

We had such an amazing trip with a wonderful couple that was so over joyed and so glad they had made the trip to experience the Sturgis rally and outstanding views. I'm always so humbled by the land that God made and how one man Gutzon Borglum had a grand vision to put the 4 presidents on the side of a mountain. Everyone should at one time in their life make the trip to the Black Hills and get a chance to see it and walk through the museum to learn about the men that made mountain monument and see the love and sacrifices to create such a wonder. 

I'll blog more of our trip home, going to the Badlands and Crazy Horse Memorial.