Bring the Assault Rifle...Leave the Pepsi...

Currently living in South Dakota, the inevitable question gets asked every 3rd day. "Have you been to Rushmore?!" It is always asked with a surprising amount of flair and excitement, and when I would answer, "No, we've not gone to Rushmore ever. We've driven PAST it a few times", we were met with a bevy of questions as to why we wouldn't go see this fantastic wonder of America. Le Sigh. So, Dan and I decided that in the interest of no longer needing to explain we felt no pull towards going to Rushmore we would stop off there on our way to vacation in Montana.

Here we are...we DID go!!!

                                                                

Driving up the winding road leading to this apparent wonder, we were met with billboard after billboard proclaiming the next brilliant tourist trap on the way. Finally we got to our intended destination and realized that you could not even VIEW Rushmore unless you paid $10 to park your car and enter "their way." So, we paid and parked. We had been given a flyer about Rushmore and the rules and regulations of the park. This is where it got intriguing. 

Among the list of things that were strictly banned from the monument are: Smoking, beverages of any sort, animals, and food. What WAS allowable, however, were firearms. This was very clearly stated and laid out for you in bold writing lest you forget to leave the soda in the car while grabbing the assault rifle from the back seat. The fact that we had received such a brochure at all was amusing to us. The fact that they ENFORCE this is even better. Oh...there was a LOAD of people bearing weaponry. Men with rifles slung over their shoulders, those who had chosen to strap a pistol in their waistbands, and I myself was even carrying my typical SWAT knife. However, the couple with their little dog carrying a Coke? NO! 2 armed security officers approached them and instructed them to return to the car and leave the contraband there. 

Now maybe it's just me (although I suspect not), but it strikes me as an odd set of rules to have instated. I am all for the right to bear arms. I just don't know why I can't do so while sipping on a refreshing beverage. Then again, maybe we as a country have not been informed of the terrible tragedies that can arise when one is allowed to run free with a bag of chips and some Pepsi. Who am I to judge?!

So we did, in fact, view Rushmore and take the obligatory photos. I, however, feel I missed a little bit of the experience. Should I return, I'll be sure to leave the cigarettes and bottled water at home...but make sure that M16 has ample ammo.