"Those Guys In The Rocks."

On an afternoon in July, sometime in the 70's, I recall sitting in a Rapid City cafe with a harvest crew and thinking that our time could be better spent eyeballing Mt. Rushmore. That thought didn't materialize into action, but I have rectified the injustice in 2009.

The Iron Mountain road to Rushmore is 17 miles of captivating scenery, pigtail bridges, one lane granite tunnels and a couple of Fredisms. A delight to plains dwellers, pigtail bridges are shaped like...pigtails! You drive over them and squeal with wonder when you drive under them. Anticipation built as " those guys in the rocks" peered at us through the pines and prompted a comment from the navigator -"I don't know how we're going to get over to them rocks, there is a big ditch in between" but arrive we did and the awe began.

Wisdom comes with age and in many forms, so we think a fifth face would be a nice addition, but when the sculptor declared the work done on October 31, 1941 no changes could be made from that point on. A few facts - the mountain was accidentally named for a New York lawyer; 90 % of the work was completed with dynamite; Lincoln was originally supposed to have an ear and no one died during the 14 years of on again off again drilling and blasting.

The last remaining member of the crew to have worked on the faces was holding court in the gift shop. Nick the driller had no fear of heights, a chiseled face, short clipped answers and was possibly in the process of turning to granite. I think he was tired of tourist and just wanted you to buy his damn book and leave him alone with his memories. Snarfiness aside, it was an honor to shake the hand of living history and thank him for his contribution.

The idea, the task and the finished masterpiece defies adequate description. I still regret not seeing this granite symbol of America in the 70's but my hope is that no rustic logs were harmed in the building of the modern entrance, parking garages and tourist venues.