I didn't fall asleep until about 01:00 am mainly because I wasn't tired; however, when I did sleep it was good and thankfully there were no nightmares. I woke up around 05:30 and put on my black jeans that I wore yesterday and climbed on out of my camper. It was a chilly morning but I knew that it could be colder so I was not about to complain. As my vehicle heated up I mixed together Greek yogurt, honey, muesli and blueberries together for breakfast. As the sun rose in the sky I left the Flying J's parking lot and drove south towards Custer State Park where I hoped their shower facilities would be open.
As I entered the park there were signs about paying $20.00 just to be in the park and since I was planning on camping there was no way I was also paying an additional $20.00 so we shall see if I get in trouble. The Game Lodge Campground was completely empty but thankfully one of the bathroom/shower facilities was still open so I decided I would stay there. The visitor center was not yet open (it was 08:15) so I decided to reserve my site online. There was some confusion with the pricing and I tried to call to get it straightened out but in the end I paid about $35.00 for one night which in my opinion is too much.
Once I backed into my site I called my mom to tell her where I was and then I proceeded to the bathroom area. The building was quite large and had lots of room to work out so I did a Core de force workout in the comfort of a heated building. Afterwards, I took a shower which felt nice to get clean though the water was not really warm; however, beggars can not be choosers. Once I was all clean I made my shake, unhooked my camper and set off for the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
When I pulled into the memorial area I had to pay $10.00 to park and then was granted permission to proceed. The park was pretty void of people (maybe 15) and honestly there was not too much to see. I went to the viewing area and saw the presidents carved out of the granite mountain which in itself is an amazing feat but I have to say for some reason I thought it would be...I don't know..bigger? I think that like most other things people have talked it up so much that I was expecting something "more" but do not get me wrong I think it was still amazing and I greatly appreciate the work that went into it. It is such a remarkable feat for someone to be able to carve that out of a granite mountain. Descending the stairs, I went into the museum and read a majority of the information and watched a short clip. There was a plaque that explained the meaning of Mount Rushmore and it read:
"The four American Presidents carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore were chosen by the sculptor to commemorate the founding, growth, preservation, and development of the United States. They symbolize the principles of liberty and freedom on which the nation was founded. George Washington signifies the struggle for independence and the birth of the Republic; Thomas Jefferson the territorial expansion of the country; Abraham Lincoln the permanent union of the states, and equality for all citizens, and Theodore Roosevelt, the 20th century role of the United States in world affairs and the rights of the common man."
When I left it was only about 13:00 so I drove the forty minutes back to my camper to begin my food prep. I cooked first the asparagus and when that finished I steamed broccoli for I found that using both burners at the same time slows down the process. From there I cooked the chicken in the oil from the asparagus and then cooked some oatmeal. I did all of this while listening to the Nathaniel Rateliff station and drinking the last of my tequila. Soon I was racing with the light to get all the dishes done and laid on the picnic table to dry. I had to finish the rest in the dark with my head lamp and then changed in my vehicle for it was freezing cold at this point and I couldn't feel my toes. After changing, I picked up some more and then took all my water bottles to the restroom to fill them up. Before going to sleep I wrote in my journal while talking with a good friend of mine as a lilac candle burned in the background. I do not know what I will do tomorrow but I will figure it out.
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