Utah Family and Friends

We did A LOT of driving today but we did make one stop - Martin's Cove, the location where the Martin handcart company and the Hunt and Hodgett wagon companies sheltered while awaiting rescue in the fall of 1856. It was in the middle of nowhere and there was no one else in that lonely spot, just us. Since nothing was open we quickly looked at everything there was to see.

A memorial to the pioneer women who are buried there in unmarked graves.

We were soon back out on the road!

We arrived at the Mason's house in the late afternoon and spent a couple hours catching up; even Michaela stopped by to say hello. I realized it had been about 8 or 9 years since I had last seen them so it was so good to have this time with them.

Sisters...

and cousins. We were just missing Hannah, Brandon, and Kate.

Then it was off to the Pierce's for dinner. The whole gang was there!

Maddilyn wasn't too sure about me...

but the boys seemed to like me.

Later that evening I hung out with the Yens. It was a night full of laughs and good memories! Love Pete's grumpy old man look!

Day 4

Several people had told me that Mt Rushmore was one of those places where you go, you see, and you leave but that didn't stop me from wanting to go. And boy, was our experience so different! Savannah and I absolutely fell in love with Mt Rushmore and the surrounding Black Hills area. We spent several hours at Mt Rushmore walking around and learning all about this magnificent monument.

We loved reading the information about each president.

Abraham Lincoln, one of my favorites! The artist of the monument, Gutzon Borgium, chose Lincoln because he held the nation together during its greatest trial, the Civil War. Lincoln believed his most sacred duty was the preservation of the union and it was his firm conviction that slavery must be abolished. Borgium chose Lincoln to represent the preservation of the United States.

The forest was just so beautiful! 

George Washington, another favorite of mine! He was chosen because he led the colonists in the American Revolutionary War. He was the father of the new country and laid the foundation of American democracy. Because of his importance, Borgium chose him to the most prominent figure on the mountain.

What a view!

Thomas Jefferson - he was chosen because he was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He also purchased the Louisiana Territory from France which doubled the size of our country. Borgium chose Jefferson to represent the growth of the United States.

Teddy Roosevelt - he was chosen because he provided leadership when America experienced rapid economic growth as it entered the 20th Century. He was instrumental in negotiating the construction of the Panama Canal, linking the east and west. He was known as the "trust buster" for his work to end large corporate monopolies and ensure the rights of the working man. Borgium chose Roosevelt to represent the development of the United States.

We spent some time listening to a ranger talk about the fascinating history of Mt Rushmore.

Time for some ice cream! While relaxing we watched some kids run amok while their parents looked on and met a lovely older couple from New York.

Love spending time with this cute traveling partner of mine!

A cool side view of George!

Our next stop of the day.

We took our time driving through the forest, getting out and taking pictures when we felt like it. So many beautiful spots! We just fell in love with the area.

There were a few tight spots...

We had decided to take a road that had stated we would see some wildlife but it was awhile before we spotted any. We did find three of these big guys along the road...

and then we ran into a bunch of wild donkeys. They came right up to the cars begging for food.

Good thing we had some Belvita cookies to share!

We drove for quite some time and, although the scenery was beautiful, unfortunately there just wasn't much wildlife.

And then we turned a corner and there they were!

We even hit some traffic jams as they walked all over the road.

What a feeling, to be THAT CLOSE to these amazing animals!!

We did have once tense moment when a huge bison walked past our car and as it started to walk in front of us, it paused and looked back right into our eyes. It turned towards our car a bit and I thought for sure it was going to ram our car - it just had this look and stance! Savannah and I were extremely nervous until it decided it didn't want to mess with our car and started walking away. Phew!

We even saw more of our favorite litte guys - the prairie dogs!! They're just so dang cute!

By the time we made it through the park, we were starving! We found a pizza place on google but when we got there, it was closed! We looked up several other restaurants but all of them ended up being closed. We were desperate for food and eventually ended up going to a grocery store and getting our dinner there. You do what you gotta do during this crappy Covid time!

The last leg of our drive for the day as we headed to Casper, Wyoming, where we spent the night.