TWISTED

Highway 16a that goes into Keystone SD from the South East is a scenic route and a engineering marvel, that will delight and amaze those traveling it. 16a curves, turns, plunges and loops over and beneath it’s self as it twists it’s way through the most amazing tunnels and bridges.

 

Our visit to the Black Hills National Monument was a pleasure that we always enjoy, with a couple of exceptions.

We had been to Mt. Rushmore before and were looking forward to our visit.

As we strolled out into the beautiful flag lined walk, we were astonished to see a gaggle of raucous street vendors  hawking their food cart’s wares. It was sadly obscene and totally out of place.

We expect that kind of blatant commercialism in holiday resort settings, read that as “tourist traps”, but not at a National Monument. It makes one wonder where the chase for a dollar will lead to. Will we soon see vendors on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial ?

Hey Memorial managers, this experience is about honoring our Nations founders, not hawking a cheeseburger ! This is such a “sacred ground” kind of a place that I am reminded of the time that Jesus ran the peddlers out of the temple. The managers might refresh their memory on those verses and apply them here.