Christina Holmes

I've lived in the Rapid City area since early summer 2009. Two years.


Guess how many times I had been to Mt Rushmore which is located about 20 minutes away.


mmmmm

Zero.

Now, it hasn't necessarily been because I didn't want to. Because I have, it was even on my "Bucket List" Seriously, my luck is absolutely horrid.


The first time we tried to go, we got hit by a freak storm (Pouring rain, thunder, lighting and....sunshine. WTF SD?) and turned around when it was next to impossible to drive further.

We scheduled a time to go again and Nate had emergency 12 hour shifts so that's a no go.

Then winter hit. It was after all September. And here, September means snow. Evil Snow.

After that we got busy with the deployment and wedding. And lets toss in a move.

While Nate was overseas, I tried to go a few times. Getting all the way to the entrance...when Sami vomited. All over the car, herself and her seat. Sooo we went home took hot baths and slept.

My friend Jamie and I drove past it once....

I tried to go again before he got home but by the time I got into Keystone, I realized it was getting really dark and while it is lit at night, It's not necessarily "child fun" at night in the early South Dakota spring (read: Winter's bitch slap) that and Sami was passed out anyway.

When Nate returned from deployment last year, we totally meant to go during his block leave.

buuut we were rather occupied with other...entertainment venues.


We've tried to go a few times since. But things have always come up. Rain, snow, holidays, work, snow, illness, snow, bombing Libya, snow. You get the picture.


So since Nate is leaving soon on deployment, it has become his life's goal to get me out to Mt Rushmore before he leaves.

Our schedules tend to conflict pretty much often. I usually work evenings from 15:00-23:00 and every weekend. He works during the week on mids, so he's getting off and going to bed around the time I get up and he wakes up when I'm clocking into work. Oh the joys of a dual income family!

Last weekend, we were going to go....but then we remembered the Air Show.

So Saturday, I got off early in the afternoon and we decided. This is the day! Today we will go to Mt Rushmore!


Then I read the forecast. Storms. Lots of Storms.


We went and played mini-golf instead because that is totally the better alternative. Metal sticks on a hill in a lightning storm! (It didn't rain until we finished our round)


 Sunday, I realize I had double booked. I had promised Nate we would go to Rushmore rain or shine. And I had also said I would go to wine and tapas with some friends.

I canceled the wine and tapas meet up. We loaded up the car with spare clothes in case Sami became ill again, sunscreen, water and bug repellent.

And started off!