The weather started out a lot cooler than yesterday but we were a bit paranoid about the intense heat so we stocked up on lots of water and ice in the morning. Running early in the morning, our team altered our route a bit and ran to the road called Arpan Rd. which led to the small community I described in yesterday’s story called Arpan. It is situated near a big reservoir called the Belle Fourche near a city called Belle Fourche where we stayed last night. I do not know the history of the whole area, but the vastness of the pastures and the huge reservoir that is surrounded by them inspires a tremendous feeling of harmony with nature and its fullness.

Moving on, as always, we made our way to the Black Hills of South Dakota in the western part of the state. From a distance, these small mountains which are densely populated with dark green majestic pine trees look almost black from a distance due to the richness of their green color. The granite mountains which have been shaped by millions of years of evolutionary geographical forces of nature are awe inspiring in their grand stature and stately beauty.

Two world famous man-made sculptures were inspired in these hills and we were lucky enough to have a little time to visit them both today. Mt. Rushmore is a huge sculpture carved into the granite hillside, designed by Gutzon Borglum, the son of Danish immigrant parents in 1926. It is dedicated to the leadership of four of the U.S. presidents: Washington, Jefferson, T.Roosevelt and Lincoln.

Nearby, in another section of these granite mountains sacred to the Native Americans, a likeness of a native hero named Crazy Horse is being carved by a dedicated family of the originator who designed and started the project over 57 years ago. His name is Korzcak Ziolkowski, born in Boston, Mass., of Polish immigrant parents in 1908. Inspired by Chief Henry Standing Bear, they wanted this memorial to symbolize the fact that the “red man also had heroes like the white man” in their native country.

Crazy Horse is a non-profit educational and cultural, humanitarian project built by the interested public and not the taxpayer, receiving no national funding. Korzcak died in 1982 and his family, led by his wife Ruth, still oversee the project which is still in progress.

I was fortunate enough to meet Korzcak in 1976 on my way through here then. There was no visitors’ center or any of the buildings as there is now. Just a small dirt road leading up to his small house where he was raising his young children and working on the mountain with very little help. He showed us the mountain in the distance which had some shape but no identifiable features to it like it has now.

I had the feeling that his true faith and dedicated hard work would some day become fruitful. Now, 19 years later, as I see the incredible manifestation that has taken place long after he has passed away, I am inspired to also follow my faith and dreams in the long and slow process of carving out a better and safer world as we work selflessly for harmony in the world and goodwill among all people.

We wish to express our deep gratitude to The Red Roof Inn,

The Imperial Hotel and

A Family Inn for combining to give the runners the rare opportunity of each having their own bed. Nice.

We would also like to thank the Millstone Family Restaurant for providing the team with a wondeful dinner. We'll need to add a few more miles to burn up those delicious callories.

Arpan (New York)

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