Mount RushMore

Mount Rushmore. A mountain with carving of four of our greatest presidents, some of our greatest leaders:

George Washington: George Washington lead our country toward Independence as he was a wonderful General and then later became our country's first president. Truly a great leader.

Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and later became America's third president, and he bought the Louisiana Purchase, striving toward new frontiers and making America bigger. A wonderful man at his pen and a smart president.

Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln preserved the U.S. in the Civil War, and also freed slaves from being slaves. A powerful speaker, and an even greater man.

Theodore Roosevelt: Roosevelt helped make America emerge as a World Power, and connected east and west in the Panama Canal. A great conservative, an outdoorsman, and a man with a sharp instincts.

These were all great presidents, great leaders, and even greater men. They were all very inspiring. I mean, they did what many failed to do... to establish themselves as legends. Who here would know the name Rutherford B. Hayes or William Taft? Exactly. Although I'm sure they were great men and leaders, they did not make their mark or do anything of wonderful velocity. The four on the mountain, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, did make their mark. And that's why they're there.

Three days ago, on the 21st of the 10th month (October) we rode in the jeep up a huge hill and parked in the parking lot of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. We paid, and walked into the place. Even from a distance, I could see the wonderful faces by the ticket booth and in the entrance. It was big, and the mountain was of a curved square type, and Washington was bulging out far and outward, Jefferson behind him, Roosevelt squeezed in by, and Lincoln barely more than a face, off to the right, looking out. Washington was proud, Jefferson contemplating, Roosevelt distraughtly looking forth, and Lincoln looking before him. All were crazy to look at, and as we walked into an open threshold with two small buildings with 3 blue little awnings that were curved. One said Mount Rushmore Information Center and Bookstore, and one said men and women restrooms. Before going further onto the Mount, we went into the bookstore, a little area of sales. I expected to see biographies about the four great men and I wished to get some, but the only things in that place were books like: Jeffersons Women, An Abraham Lincoln Conspiracy, and other things of the sort. They had a bio on Roosevelt, but no bio on his WHOLE life. There was a lot of good stuff on G.W., but since I went to Mount Vernon and other places about him I knew too much to get a book about his life, as I would not be learning much, just agreeing with what I already knew. But anyway, we got out, went to the restroom, and continued further on.

In front of us was a long wide walkway, of stone. We walked through an outside hallway of flags, and saw columns with four sides that each side of the columns had flags on it, flags of all the 50 states. I even saw my state's flag, Georgia!

We came up to a very wide area, with a long, long stone railing, and there was an observation looker. When we looked down we could see a stage and audience chairs, and up farther was a great rocky slope and ditches of grass going through it. Still farther up the mountain was many many many little gravel rocks, and a little up further was the four heads. It was very cool to look at, and surprisingly, I saw people climbing the slopes, regular people, even a few kids. I asked Mom and Dad if I could go check it out.

Rebecca and I traveled down some stairs on that area, and went down the audience bleachers-that's the word! I had forgotten it before - and went down all the way to the bottom of the mountain. It was very exciting, and I was ready to climb and have an adventure. (I mean, you can't trap a twelve year old boy inside of a car for 30 minutes and allow him to just be standing idly by! It is just impossible!) Mom and Dad wanted to climb up on a large grey rock and so we did, carefully placing our feet on the right places. There was a path of rocks, and when we got on the big rock, we were very tired already. Still on that big area far away right above us, Mom and Dad waved and we waved back. We made a picture from that far away, and I do not doubt it was a terrible picture. No matter. On with the blog.

Rebecca kept persuading me to go up the easy walkable way, but partly accidental and partly deliberate I went a more steeper route. I went along slick steep long large rocks stuck to the ground, and a few tiny ditches helped me balance my footing. Of course, for much of the time I was on all fours, jumping and gaining ground. I remember the feeling well. I had to jump onto a very tall jump, and that is when I got to where Rebecca was. A few bruises and scrapes and scary moments emerged out of that jump.

We then went the more walkable way, but from time to time I did something which I felt was adventurous. It was a hard climb, and I was almost exhausted when we got to the top by all the little rocks right under those so famous faces. It was so crazy to think that we did that.

So much sweat, so much sores, but many adventures. One time I fell back and slammed Rebecca back, and she almost fell also. Another was when I was in a jeep and a tree pricked me in the foot, and when I stepped on it, it came up and hit me.

The scariest part came when I jumped on a big rock, and it happened to shake and make me lose my balance. I almost fell on a sharp rock, but thanks to my loving sister I was pulled up again.

Yeah, it was pretty rough, but the way back down the walkable way was a little more easy. Rebecca met an acquaintance named Elizabeth, and her father gave me a huge white rock of crystals and told me to lift it up and dash it strongly on the rock. I did so, and a hand size came into my reach. It was a most remarkable rock, and I enjoyed having it.

We went back up, then went down into the second level I didn't know about before, and saw exhibits about how they made the carving and about the men's lives. We saw a movie about it, and then went back to the car. Mount Rushmore was so amazing, and it was so cool for people to see and know our nation's leaders for so much longer because they were carved there. It was very interesting, very informational, and very fun. I had a lot of good times, and I wondered whether or not Abe winked at me...

Goodbye, for now (there is another blog about the second half of the day).

"A house divided against itself cannot stand"(Lincoln) "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"(Jefferson) "Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth."(George Washington) A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards (Roosevelt),

Andrew.