The Bavarian Inn in Custer, S.D. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
LARSO
When I was young, if you said someone was “trippin” that meant they were crazy.
After two years in a pandemic, we needed a real trip and something meaningful. Crazy to think that a trip to Mount Rushmore is a day trip, but we made it. If you stop halfway, make it Northglenn, Colo., just the loveliest place. If you do, you must eat at Cinzetti’s for cannoli, beet salad and arancini. Then visit the little park just to see the Veteran’s Memorial.
Once arriving in Custer, we day tripped for several days. We stayed at the beyond lovely Bavarian Inn, with the kindest staff, “Hi Henrietta and Nick”, and followed all the advice. A burger from Black Hills Burgers and Buns, the Hot Granny. When I told Tami the waitress I would buy the sauce by the bucket, she said they did have an 8 oz. size. Oh, and by the way, she also works at the Bavarian Inn. Did I mention they have cookies and milk from 3:30-4:30 p.m., we may get a summer home?
We did Mount Rushmore the first day and it was spectacular. They mentioned an evening event where they light up the monument. We felt old but went back! When Park Ranger Daniel mentioned that veterans were invited down at the end of the presentation, I whispered to my husband Chad, U.S.N, he should go. He’s not one for fanfare, but in the end, in my wifely way and maybe with an eye roll, I said, “You know you should go”.
He did and was asked to catch the flag as they lowered it and then fold it with seven other vets out of about 75 that went on the stage. It was glorious, made you feel good to be an American. I was especially proud of Ranger Dan, when he pointed out all of the reasons we may feel disconnected, but how this can make us see history in a new way.
The next day we visited Crazy Horse Monument and saw members of the Lakota Band dance. We saw history through the Native American lens, from a storyteller about how the Lakota tribe came from Mother Earth and was saved by the buffalo. We heard history from the First Americans that doesn’t always make the history books. Jessie Taken Alive Rencountre is Hunkpapa Lakota of the Standing Rock Tribe. I will never refer to someone as a Sioux Indian again. Then, we danced with her daughter.
I felt history at those events and will bring some of it to a flag retirement ceremony at the Betty Ehart Senior Center this Friday. The 1 p.m. event will feature a variety of community members who have assisted in the pandemic. It will be representational of our community and the efforts taken to get through it.
As a special tribute to those veterans willing to RSVP, Ambercare will have small gift bags. I hope you will join us.
Mt. Rushmore by day. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen
Lighting up the monument with help from veterans. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen
The Emergence point at Wind Cave where the storytellers share the location where the Lakota story begins. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen
San Ildefonso, San Juan and Santo Domingo Pueblo pottery on display at the Crazy Horse Museum. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen
Teacher, author and Standing Tribe member Jessie Taken Alive Rencountre dances while her daughter watches. Courtesy/Bernadette Lauritzen