Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore in the same day.

We got up early this morning and drove to Sturgis and then to Rapid City.  We stopped at Ellsworth AFB to see if they had a room available for us to stay tonight and they did.  It was almost full but we took the room with 1 queen bed and a pull out couch, the lady at the desk made it sound like it was tiny.  So we drove to the building and found our room, it isn't quite a large as the room in Cheyenne, but it has a bedroom, a full kitchen, a living room and breakfast bar with 5 stools.  This is amazing.  It has helped make this trip comfortable and memorable.  After we found our room we headed out to see Crazy Horse and all they have to offer.  Here are some pictures.

You can see the white paint where they are marking the ear and the eye which will be 16 feet wide.

 This is the scale model of Crazy Horse 1/34 size of the Mountain Carving.  

Look how small Steve looks standing beside it.

 These sculptures were just amazing.

 This is the old Rapid City Stage Coach.

 This is a Bronze that the artist made too.

 This gate has over 270 animals on it.

After we left Crazy Horse we drove to Mt Rushmore.  Here are some pictures from there.

 Steve and Mom standing just inside the entrance to the Monument.

 These carvings were just amazing, it is unbelievable how they did all this.

Steve and Mom looking at the scale models of the actual monument heads.

We had such a wonderful time today, it was awesome.  I would like to come back and spend more time looking at all the other places we didn't get to go see.  

Tomorrow we head back home.  I don't know which way we are going, but I'm sure we will find something interesting on the way. 

Thanks for checking out my blog again and I hope you check back often to see what I have been up to and to see the pages I create with all these pictures.

Happy Scrapin',

Janice

We made it to Deadwood, SD

 we had trouble with our brakes last night so steve changed them this morning which put us behind schedule getting out of cheyenne.  we drove till we got to deadwood, sd.  tomorow we get to go to mt. rushmore and crazy horse if we can.  sorry I dont have pictures, i am posting from my phone.  hopefully I will have pictures to post tomorrow.

thanks for checking out my blog and i hope you will check back when i start sharing my scrapbook pages from this trip.

Happy scrapin,

Janice

Denver Congestion! Yuck!!!

We left Grand Junction, CO about 9:00 am this morning and drove toward Denver, CO.  We got just passed Vail and the traffic almost stopped.  We crawled for about 20 miles, it took over 1.5 hours to go those miles, needless to say the sun was out and hot.  No shade to crawl into, so yes I have a sun burn.  Mom got a little red too.  We stopped at Denver to eat lunch at 2:00pm then got back on the road and drove to Cheyenne WY.  where we are staying at the F.E. Warren, AFB.  Steve asked for a room with two beds and we got a complete house.  This is by far the best place we have stayed on our trip, make that any trip.  The buildings are from 1867( This base has quite the History it's self.)  and when we walked up the stairs I wasn't sure what we were getting into.  

Steve opened the door to a complete living room, 2 love seats, a coffee table, a chair and ottoman, a desk and TV with DVD player sitting on an antique credenza and three lamps.  

  You walk around the corner to the dining room table and 4 chairs 

and strait into one bedroom with twin beds. 

 Turn the corner and you have the full complete Kitchen(except for Food) on the left

and a bedroom with full sized bed on the right.  Strait ahead is the bathroom.  

This kitchen has a stove, full sized refrigerator, a  Microwave and dishes, pans and bowls just about anything you would need to cook.  This is almost the size of our house.  Sorry the pictures are dark, Mom was already sleeping and I didn't want to disturb her with the lights.  

After we brought our luggage in Steve took us to Red Lobster for dinner to celebrate our 30 Th Anniversary today.  It was wonderful, The waiter was very nice and helpful, making sure to take notes about my diet so I don't get sick.  That is always nice when you have several restrictions.  I was good and ordered the Salmon with steamed Broccoli and a garden salad.  I really wanted the lobster and shrimp but I refrained.  Steve had a steak and shrimp scampi and Mom had Shrimp Bruschetta. 

Tomorrow we are off to Rapid City and Mt Rushmore.  

Happy Scrapin',

Janice

Monument Valley and Arches National Park.

Today we drove through Monument Valley, and saw some wonderful sites.  Here are a few pictures.  I don't know all the names of the rocks but I will share them as soon as I find out.  If you know the names, please leave me a comment. 

 then on the way to Moab, UT we ran across some other interesting sites.

 Mexican Hat just outside of the town of Mexican Hat, UT.

 Navajo Twins,

 and "Mater"

 We were actually driving through Monticello UT when we passed by "Tow-Mater" and I had Steve turn around so we could get a picture with "Mater".

 Church Rock

 We drove to Arches National Park and here are a few interesting sites we found there. 

 Mom thinks this looks like the 3 wise men.

 Mom and Steve.

Balance Rock

 Double Arches, I think.

 Elephants on Parade.

 Delicate Arch.

Devil's Garden.

After we left the park we drove to Grand Junction, CO. where we are going to stay tonight and then we plan to drive to Laramie, WY. where we will celebrate our 30th anniversary.  

I hope we can find a nice place for dinner.  

Please leave me comments if you know the names of the rocks or if I have confused them.  It has been a long trip and I am feeling a little rummy from all the activity.

Happy Scrapin',

Janice

Zion National Park and The Grand Canyon!!!

 Yesterday we went through the Zion National Park and saw some wonderful sights.  

Here are a few pictures of our trip.

It was so beautiful and we spent so much time there that we drove to Jacobs Lake near the turn off for The Grand Canyon but it was getting late and we wanted to make sure we could see all of the sights, so we went to see this little place called the Cliff Dwellers and this is what we found.  A rock house that was built around one of the giant rocks that had fallen from the giant rock wall behind.  This is the front, and it even has a covered patio.

 This is the back side, the rock acts as the roof.

 Watch your head the ceiling is a little low.

 I don't know what this was maybe a place to keep food cold or maybe a fire place.

 One of the Navajo ladies was set up to sell her hand made jewelry just behind this rock and she said this rock is an Ice Cream cone.  It  really does resemble one.  Steve thinks it looks like Taz from where he took the picture.

Mom bought a beautiful handmade Turquoise necklace from the lady.

We drove back to Kanab, UT for the night and got up early to go to the Grand Canyon.

Well we finally made it to the Grand Canyon today and I am so glad we waited, the temp was a lot cooler this morning when we started out.  When we first got through the entrance we saw the magnificent Beefalo.  This herd is not native to the park but migrated here from the northeastern edge.  

 Look at the baby, there were several.

 This guy was massive.

 Then about a mile in we saw wild Turkeys.

 2 Hens had about babies and half were crossing the road in front of us.

 This was a look out above the Angels Window, Mom didn't want to go at first but then decided she wouldn't be getting the whole experience if she didn't, so I made sure to get a picture.

 This is called The Angels Window.

 This is the Lodge. While at the gift shop I met a family from Ohio who also likes to scrapbook.

 Mom and Steve sitting on the railing overlooking the Grand Canyon.

I took over 100 photos today, so I should have plenty to scrapbook.  Tomorrow we drive through Monument Valley and see some more awesome sites.  Hopefully I will have WiFi available to post again.

Thanks for checking out my blog.  I love to get comments on what you think, and hear if you have been to these places too, so be sure to leave me some comments.

Happy Scrapin',

Janice