Congratulations! The winner is ----

Congratulations!  The winner is Mike Wilson!
Mike, you correctly identified the formation as Devil's Gate, and your $1.00 prize is being sent to you today via US MAIL.

I am sure you will be anxiously waiting at your mailbox, for the arrival of your mailman.

I was surprised to find out that both Mormon and Oregon Trail pioneers passed by this landmark although the actual routes of travel did not pass through this gorge.  It was carved out by the Sweetwater River.

Devils Gate - Pic taken from Martin' Cove.

Mike & Debbie

The trail comes through Rattlesnake Pass in the distance hills.

Bev & John pose in front of  'the gate.'

Modern youth pioneers prepare for a 'trek' experience.

I don't know about you, but I'm glad I live in a day when transportation is so efficient.  We traveled in a car made in Japan, getting 30 + miles to the gallon.  I think the handcart people probably were lucky to travel 5 miles a day.

This is desolate country.  The carcass above was laying just over the fence, separating it from a little rest area.

Ah, Wyoming rest areas!  On this road, they were just little turnouts with no trees, tables, or running water.  So we 'made do' the best we could - eating out of the trunk of the car.

We didn't spend much time at Martin's Cove because we wanted to reach Devil's Tower before sundown.  It is located in NE Wyoming, so off we went, rolling over this vast state, wondering how those 19th century pioneer ever made it on foot.

This is a Devil's Tower "wannabee."

Okay!  Next posting will be of Devil's Tower.  This astounding formation is more spectacular than I ever imagined, so be sure to check back in a few days.

CONTEST!

CONTEST!

ENTER NOW TO WIN $1.00

No kidding!  I will send $1.00 by U.S mail to the first person who correctly identifies the formation in the picture below.

Contest ends Friday,  May 28th, 2013, at 12 o'clock noon!

You must identify it in the COMMENTS section of this blog.

CONTEST BEGINS NOW!  

Crazy Horse

The sculpturing of Crazy Horse began in 1948, and is yet to be completed.  I was visiting a neighbor last week and told him of our trip.  He told me that he went to                  the monument 10 years ago and all that was completed was the head.  As you can see from the pic below, nothing has changed.  Ha ha.  

I understand the Feds offered the sculptor, Ziolkowski, $10 million on two different occasions, but he turned the offers down, preferring private funding.  I understand his reasoning and also that of the Indians, but with Federal help, the project may have been done by now.

The finished product will look like the model above, without the kid of course.  By the way over 1,000,000 visitors entered the visitors center last year.  Hey, this project is a money maker, for sure.

You can see the outline of the horse in the above pic.  When this is finished it will be spectacular.  At night they do a laser light show on the rock.  It is fantastic and lasts for about 45 minutes.

Debbie and Mike at the visitors center.

Korczak Ziolkowski, the sculptor.

Grandma Zucc proudly wears my desert hat.

Mike & Debbie watch performing Indians. 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial!

"The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite  face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States. Sculpted by Danish-American Gutzon Borglum and his son, Lincoln Borglum, Mount Rushmore features 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of four United States presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt   and Abraham Lincoln."   

Okay, I copied the above quote from Wikipedia; so what are you going to do, sue me?  Ha-ha, just kidding.  Really for not only a great description and also a comprehensive history of this wonderful landmark, you need to check out the following link:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rushmore

I personally took all of the following pics in this posting on my little camera, and I believe I got some that are a little different than the thousands found on the net.  Take a look and see if you agree!

Grandpa and Grandma Zucc.

Debbie and Mike.

Rushmore from inside the visitors center.

A model at the site depicting Mount Rushmore's intended final design.

Presidents framed by a tunnel opening.

The tunnel.

I love this pic.

Great shot of George and Abe.

I think this pic is artistic.

They look pretty serious.

Take note of Teddy's glasses.

Did you know that George had wooden teeth?

Abe would never tell a lie.

Jefferson is quite a handsome man.

These men were real statesmen.

Notice the pines growing on the talus slope.

Our trip to visit Mount Rushmore was fast-paced, but turned out great, as this was our first time in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Trust me when I say that pics do not do justice to the magnificent beauty of this area.  You have to experience this place in person to really appreciate it's splendor.

Work on the Monument stopped in 1941 so one can assume that the pines on the slopes are 71 years old.  I wonder how a zucchini plant would do?

My next posting will feature Crazy Horse and Devils tower, so be sure to check back in a week or so.

Ghostly image appears to be lurking!

Okay!  I have really enlarged this pic, so that you can see the ghost.  Obviously the house is empty.  The windows and doors have been boarded, so who know what is lurking on the inside?

Notice the upstairs window.  The bottom part of it is dark, but a whitish ghostly image appears to be lurking behind what may be crisscrossing bars.

Actually, the town of Eureka has many, old and vacant ghost  houses.  It is quite fascinating to drive just on the historical main street.  Some day I must go back and get more pics of not only the business district, but also pics of the now boarded mansions of the mining barons.
 

Need a good hot dog and coffee?   Many years ago you could have rode your horse right up to the the front of this place, hitched him to one of the rails in front, and walked right into the the front door.

Mother's day would not have been the same, if Matt had not put on Nick's Helmet of Salvation.

A couple days earlier, If he had had access to this and his great great grandpa's masonic sword, he could have marched right into one of the old Eureka houses, defeating any ghostly force.
  

Speaking of Mothers, here are three of the best.  Notice that only one of them knows where the camera is!