27/05/10

This morning we head off early towards the monuments of South Dekota. The first was the Crazy Horse Memorial. It is an ambitious project, they aim to carve a monument of Crazy Horse sat upon a horse out of a mountain. The size of it is the most impressive thing, when it is finished it will be taller than the great pyramid in Egypt, carved out of pretty much a whole mountain. So far they have carved the face and removed a lot of rock down to where the arm and the top of the horse’s head will be, but this is after 60 years, it’s going to be a hell of a long time before it’s finished. I have to admire the ambition, but the cynic in me is doubtful that it will get finished and also thinks that starting this project so close and so soon after Mt Rushmore was completed is really all about one-up-man-ship. Maybe I’m far too pessimistic and should concentrate on the fact even in its current state it is an amazing site and that people are genuinely passionate about the cause.

The second monument was the aforementioned Mount Rushmore National Monument. Although on a smaller scale than the Crazy Horse monument, it really is an amazing feat to carve such perfect depictions of the founding fathers into the side of a mountain. I was really hit by some of the dates mentioned throughout the monument. The United States really isn’t very old. Some of the states and areas joined less than 100 years ago. I knew this, but seeing it literally written in stone alongside one of the most famous images of America, which too was only completed 71 years ago made me think of how young this nation as I know it really is.

Anywho, we are now heading across South Dakota towards Chicago. It’s going to be a good few days on the road before we get there.

Cube out

A quick note: we are currently watching a full moon rise and it is an amazing orangey red. The photos are really blurry, so you will have to take my word for it.

Cube out