Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Day 16
Day 3 - July 1
Little America, WY to Rapid City, SD
Miles traveled: 662
Local Music:
Mormon Tabernacle Chior, Gotta here a little of this in SLC, but I didn't want to actually buy a CD. Fortunately I was able to come across it on a local AM radio station. Not really my style of music, but I can definitely appreciate the tight harmonies here. Still, after about a song and a half I put in a CD.
.
Amy & Annie, Wyoming chick-pop. I was expecting something on the Sheryl Crow - Shania Twain spectrum and wound up with a lot closer to Vanessa Carlton. Two thumbs down
.
Rich Cloud, Rockin' Blues from middle of nowhere Wyoming. Definitely a keeper.
Simply Jane, Imagine Melissa Etheridge jamming with AC/DC.
A Tribute to Carhenge, by the Auto Body Experience, This was a surprise winner. I bought this CD sound-unheard just based on the title, and expected it to just be corny badly performed novelty songs. Instead, it's good, well performed novelty songs. I particularly like track 2: Who took your pipe Mr. Potato Head.
You've no doubt noticed a lot more new music listed today than perviously. That's because there's nothing all that special to see in Wyoming. SO I spent a lot of time driving and listening. I used the day to catch back up to schedule. Sure, I could have stopped in Rawlins for the Frontier Prison Museum, or made the side trip out to Medicine Bow for the house made out of dinosaur bones. But there were more important attractions up ahead...
Scientist are still puzzled be how the ancient Nebraskans were able to get these cars all the way from their source in Detroit and errect them into place.
And, of course, by why they would.
For anyone who hasn't guessed already, Carhenge is a replica of stone henge built out of cars. One can only stand in slack-jawed awe at the complete randomness of this place. I mean WHY?
Turns out that this was built in 1987 as "something to do" at a family reunion.
From Carhenge, it's only another couple of hours up to the Black Hills of South Dakota. I got in about 8:30pm (back on schedule) and went right to the Crazy Horse monument.
It's hard to believe the scale of this project. Just Crazy Horse's eye is as tall as a man. The entire sculpture at Mt. Rushmore would fit just in his headdress! They've been at this for over 50 years and when pressed for an answer the guy at the info table will tell you that it'll be finished in between 50 and 100 years from now.
The reason I wanted to make it out here before dark was the laser show. The side of the unfinished monument becomes the world's largest screen, on which they tell the story of Crazy Horse, and of the monument's history and future all set to music that's heavy on the inspirational power chords. It was an impressive show, but not as impressive as the monument itself. I really hope it's finished (or at least close) in my lifetime. It'll be amazing.
Then I went and found a hotel with Wifi and started uploading pictures...
On to Day 4
