19 September

Wall, South Dakota

Deadwood, South Dakota, is famous for at least three things. Gold, Wild Bill Hickok and Casinos. The TV series of the same name might also have added to the attraction of this 'tourist trap'? What is left of the old, late 19^th century, gold-mining town has pretty much disappeared behind the razzle dazzle of casinos and T-shirt shops. The saloon where Wild Bill was shot in the back of the head, is now a dress shop. Or at least the building that stands on the site is now a dress shop! Up in the old “Boot Hill' cemetery, the graves of Wild Bill and Calamity Jane have attracted tourists and souvenir hunters for over 100 years. Poor old Bill has had his grave marker replaced so many times that, at one stage, the grave remained unmarked to discourage trophy seekers.

Later in this trip, we plan to seek out “Big Things” (like the Big Pineapple) down Old Route 66. Here in South Dakota, there are a couple of world class “Big Things” - right up there with the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Well, so the local advertising goes. Of course, we are talking about Mt Rushmore and the lesser known Crazy Horse Memorial. Both are Very Big things. Mount Rushmore is so iconic that it is one of those places where you feel that you have been here before. The four Presidents, Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt loom out of the rock in what will probably forever remain an unfinished work. (The original plan was to carve them out at full body height, not just as busts.)

Crazy Horse's Memorial is a much more recent and far more ambitious project. It was commenced in 1948. Mt Rushmore was started in 1927 and finished in 1941. To date, Crazy's head is all that is complete. To give some idea of the scale, his head is bigger than all four Presidents combined. And, he will finally be a half-body, horse-mounted sculpture.