Saturday, June 11, 2016 ~ We’re leaving Gillette, WY this morning for a short trip to Mount Rushmore, near Rapid City, SD.

As we’re traveling, we see signs for Devil’s Tower, a place Jacob has always wanted to visit.

It was well worth the time it took to drive to Devil’s Tower. The sky was a clear, blue backdrop for Devil’s Tower and prairie dogs were everywhere. AJ wanted to catch one and bring it home, which was all we need in an already over-packed car.

From Devil's Tower, we went straight to Mount Rushmore. It was getting cloudy and we were afraid it would begin raining. 

The mountain was so impressive. We walked around for a while, read the information, and visited the gift shops. It was then time for us to go to our hotel for a short rest before coming back to the mountain for the evening lighting ceremony. 

We ate a light dinner and made the trek back to Mount Rushmore. I was expecting standing room only, but there were plenty of empty seats. The program was patriotic and moving. At the very end, all present and past military personnel were invited down to the stage area to retire the American flag.

Collecting Memories - Not Things, Summer 2016 ~ Paula, Jacob, and AJ