Day 4: Billings, Montana continued p.3

And of course Gabi needed to be in the picture, but since she wasn't allowed anywhere near Mt. Rushmore, we took her to a nearby mountain and took her picture with Indiana Mo.  She loved it and didn't realize that she was being denied the "real" thing.

But, of course you might want to see the real thing without all these people.  It is really a sight to behold.  The scale is amazing.  Each of the presidents would be over 400 feet tall if they were full figures rather than just the heads.  The presidents are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.  Hard to imagine that these heads were carved on the side of a mountain by a group of men working over a number of years.  Truly something to see!

Day 4: Billings, Montana continued

Indiana Mo wanted to get in the picture as well so...

Day 4: Billings, Montana

Today was very eventful.  I hardly know where to start, but I guess I'll start at the beginning.  

We got on the road early since we knew that today we would be driving 750 miles from Sioux Falls, SD to Billings, MT via Rapid City, SD--the town closest to Mt. Rushmore.  Gabi was ready to get on the road so she could get some shut-eye.  She is really a great traveler as she sleeps or sticks her head on the console between us to get hugs and kisses.

The terrain didn't change much all the way through South Dakota.  It was small, rolling hills the whole way...

We finally got to Rapid City, South Dakota--the start of the Black Hills and the Badlands.  The terrain finally changed into larger rolling hills surrounded by mountains.  We got to Mt. Rushmore around noon and I was really excited to see it in person.

Day 3: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Today we drove through Iowa.  Iowa is a very long state with lots of flat farmland.  The view did not change for hours.  However, I learned something very interesting about Iowa when we stopped at the Loess Hills Interpretive Center.

The entire time we were driving through Iowa I noticed these hills along the right side of the road.  I thought they were just hills, but I found out they are Loess Hills and a unique geologic feature of this area.

The Loess Hills are about 200 miles long and up to 15 miles wide.  They are made up of windblown soils that formed these dunes (hills) towards the end of the last ice age.  The only place on the planet that has equivalent deposits to Iowa's is China.  Probably the most unique characteristic of these deposits is that you can cut through them vertically and they form sheer drops hundreds of feet high which are interlocked and virtually indestructible.  If you remove the topsoil from the slope, however, the exposed loess will erode like sugar when saturated.  These are amazing hills and I would have thought nothing of them if we had not stopped to check out a visitor center.  Traveling the scenic Loess Hills Byway is an interesting way to spend some time.  I hope to get back here one day to check everything out in more detail.

We got to Sioux Falls, SD without incident and had a great dinner of ribs and burgers.  We are hitting the sack early tonight in preparation for a long day tomorrow.  The trip to Billings, MT is about 11 hours long and we plan to stop at Mt. Rushmore.  Should have some great pictures to share tomorrow.

Day 2: Independence Missouri

Today was about driving around 450 miles from Paducah, Kentucky to Independence, Missouri.  The land between these two cities is mostly rolling hills with no mountains to see.  We crossed two rivers, the Ohio and the Missouri.  Both were large rivers with lots of activity on the water.  

We did go through St. Louis and saw the famous arch (see picture) as we drove by.  Tomorrow we will make our way to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where the sights should be more interesting and photographic.  

Gabi slept most of the day in the car.  She is full of pep and vinegar so I hope she gets sleepy tonight.  Right now she is pacing the floor, drinking water, and wondering why we aren't out in the car riding.

Day 1: Paducah

Gabi woke up well rested, but Mo and I, according to her, took forever to get dressed. Then we had to load the car and clean the house.  Mo and Gabi waited patiently for me, while I checked everything out and made sure I was ready to go. After all, I was leaving my home in Atlanta for the last time.  It was emotional, but I locked the door and made my way to the car.  Finally I was ready to go.  Gabi and Mo were in the car already waiting for me to come out of the house.  

First I greeted Gabi.  

Then Mo.  

The car trip was an uneventful 368 miles.  It rained most of the way and the temperature dropped with each mile.  Gabi slept most of the way, either on the floor or with her head between us on the console.  Needless to say she was ecstatic when we got to the Residence Inn in Paducah.  

We are all finally resting at the Residence Inn.  We plan to leave early in the morning for the next leg of the trip to Independence, Missouri.  Gabi found her spot in the room under the desk (very cave like).  She seems comfortable and ready to go to sleep.  

We are too.  

Good night.