AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
After a long long time I am trying my hand at this again. Not for you two or three that come here but for me so I don't forget anything along the way. This was a Road Scholar On the Road (read many hours on a tour bus) adventure packed full of surprises, tidbits I would never have thought of nor had ever heard of before. It was one of the best trips I've taken with Road Scholar, and by far the best group of fellow participants, and one of the top three leaders. Floyd, our bus driver, and my knight in shining armor helping me on and off the bus, was an expert at manipulating that behemoth bus around tiny curves, narrow turns and at avoiding the idiot tourist that pulled out in a RV just as we were passing - I can understand that, it is hard to see a giant tour bus, right?
The first two nights were spent in Rapid City, South Dakota or in the Lakota language, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City" My apologies to the town because I thought it would be a boring little place and couldn't understand why we were staying there for so long...not so, grasshopper, it is quite an interesting place and wish I had stayed longer.
First things first...food and drink after a day of travel at the hotel bar. After we decided we were going to live and not waste away and not starve to death, we wandered over to the Memorial Park Rose Garden next to the hotel. Drought conditions have affected the roses some, along with being later in the season, however there were many beautiful beds and blooms. In the park is a memorial to the victims of the Flood of 1972. The worst flood in South Dakota history and one of the most devastating and deadly in US history. Stats taken off Wikipedia: Deaths - 238, Injuries - 3,057, Destroyed homes - over 1,335, Destroyed automobiles - over 5,000, Estimated value of property damage - $160 million dollars based on 1972 value, well over a billion by todays valuation.
The man you can see on the opposite side of the pond was fishing. That is Dakota Mills in the background.
THE CITY OF PRESIDENTS
Rapid City is known as the City of Presidents. Forty life sized bronze presidents are scattered in downtown Rapid City. The usual turn around from the time a president leaves office until his statue is erected is a year. Each president is depicted in a natural stance, not standing straight and tall as a lot of statues are. Gerald Ford even has his dog, Liberty, with him. Easy walking tour and bonus artwork along the way. Fantastic sculptures that were very large and very in the middle of crowds of people. You need to go see those on your own. The project was begun in 2000 to honor the legacy of the presidency. Great care was taken to not show favoritism but to maintain an orderly structure with no signs of political gain.
A random sampling of the presidents, the only two that were photographed on purpose were LBJ (from across the street) and Papa Bush. Gerald Ford just happened to be in the picture of Liberty :)
 |
| Liberty and her dad |
 |
| James Madison |
 |
| Lyndon Johnson |
 |
| Thomas Jefferson |
There is an alley downtown that is called "Art Alley". You may be the judge of whether that is apropos. You have to get a permit to paint there from the city. Here are the two sides of the alley.
But enough fine art for a moment. This one is spectacular especially in real life. Painted by "Aaron AMP Murals" of Rapid City.
 |
| John Adams |
 |
| George H. W. Bush |
Dale Claude Lamphere from Sturgis City, South Dakota did this bronze sculpture of a older Lakota woman placing an eagle feather in a young girl's hair. Some how (I am neither a sculptor nor a Lakota)this depicts the Lakota Sioux philosophy that there is a symbiotic relationship between two and four legged creatures of the earth. Whatever, it is beautifully done.
MITAKUYE OYASIN
(We are all related)
Also by Dale Claude Lamphere is this statue
-from the placard on the statue keeping in mind I was unable to get all sides-
This sculpture represents hope for reconciliation, dignity, and all the human race. The earth itself is in the shape of a hoop or circle of life. The crossed pipes represent world peace. The eagle symbolizes all flying creatures, and communication with Tunka Sila. Wisdom and the healing arts are represented by the grizzly bear, and a long and productive life is symbolized by the turtle. The bison reminds us of our ancestors healthy lifestyles, free from famine, and also of the White Buffalo Call Woman who brought us the pipe.
- Original Drawing by Richard Under Baggage
After a full day of travel it has to be 5:00 somewhere....
stay tuned for Mt. Rushmore.....
