PNW to the Berkshires: Little Bighorn, Badlands, Six Grandfathers, Crazy Horse, La Crosse

Little Bighorn, Montana, Crow Agency, Montana- The Battle of Little Bighorn. We all were silent and reserved walking on the land where this battle took place. The contrast of a beautiful landscape as the site of such a brutal event is haunting. 

Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota- We had no idea how much we would enjoy Badlands National Park! The rock formations and landscape are stunning. The girls did a great job on a 2 mile hike that included a climb up a ladder, some precarious rock scrambling, and a beautiful view. Definitely a new to us favorite.

Six Grandfathers& Crazy Horse Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota- The mountain range here was known as Six Grandfathers, named by Nicholas Black Elk (Lakota). Then Gutzon Borglum began carving it up in 1927 and now it's known as Mt Rushmore. We took pics in front of every state we have lived. We answered lots of questions from the kids about the territories represented along this path of flags. We looked at the president's faces. Then we left. We did not spend a lot of time here. It was a little creepy. It was way creepy. For lots of reasons. As you can imagine, knowing us, we had lots of convo before, during, and after this 20 minute jaunt about lots of layers around this monument. We were standing in a line in the gift shop where I was buying a parks patch, when a few people gave us some curious looks as I was answering a question...

Cassidy: Are we going to go the museum for the guy who carved the mountain?

Matt: Probably not. He was clearly very talented, but he was also friends with the KKK and was involved.

Me: Kinda like how nazis gather to honor Hitler at his childhood home, lots of white supremacist groups will gather around places dedicated to people like this guy, and it would not be safe to visit that particular museum.

Savvy: Are we done here, yet? I'm ready to go.

Me too, kid. And that was the end of that quick visit.

On to Crazy Horse Memorial. Wow it is an incredible story! We hope to return in a few years to see the progress. And it is more than just a mountain in progress. The Indian Museum of North America has lots of different rooms, indoor and outdoor. We were surprised and delighted by being able to watch a cultural experience presented by Star Eagle Chief. She, and a few relatives, shared history, language, and dances of her Lakota peoples, and we learned more about the Dakota and Nakota peoples. We had no idea there was a university here either. Chief Henry Standing Bear believed in education and today the university is home to students from over 40 Native Nations and 20 states. We could have spent several days here. So much to learn! 

Dignity, Chamberlain, South Dakota- I downloaded an app to see random points of interest along our route. Which has been super awesome and educational but sometimes a let down as some of the places of interest are too far off our route to go to. But, this one was right off an exit and I'm so glad we got to see Dignity.

La Crosse, Wisconsin- The Grandstay is a hotel right on the Mississippi River and if you ever get the chance, I totally recommend a stay here. The staff were so kind. This place had the best laundry situation! The laundry had two washers and two dryers...fully working...big capacity...only $1 each!!! And it was right across from the pool. Tiny pool, lovely hot tub. We walked along the river where conversation vacillated between imagining our ancestors being literally sold down the river we were walking along, to how the current house boats might pollute the river and what sustainable technology of the future could help clean the river. 

We have taken the girls on road trips before, but never like this one. We were not prepared for the onslaught of questions and how they would bring up all the feels. It's a lot. I don't think any of us are going to forget this trip. And if we do, thank goodness we wrote some of it down!