Crazy Horse Memorial

Fifty years after work began, the 87-foot-tall face on the massive Crazy Horse Memorial will be unveiled Wednesday at ceremonies in Crazy Horse, S.D. Still unfinished is the body of the famous Sioux warrior and the horse he sits astride, all being carved out of the granite Thunderhead Mountain. When completed--and no one predicts when--the memorial honoring Native Americans will be 563 feet high and 641 feet long.

South Dakota's Black Hills region encompasses Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, several majestic state and national parks, magnificent roads, incredible scenery and wonderful wildlife. It was one of our best trips ever. South Dakota Office of Tourism, (800) 732-5682, www.travelsd.com Joe and Sue Berk Upland

South Dakota's Black Hills region encompasses Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, several majestic state and national parks, magnificent roads, incredible scenery and wonderful wildlife. It was one of our best trips ever. South Dakota Office of Tourism, (800) 732-5682, www.travelsd.com Joe and Sue Berk Upland

Borglum or Ziolkowski? Within a day of arrival in the Black Hills of South Dakota, you'll run into this question, probably somewhere along U.S. 16 as you roll between two of the largest sculpted mountains on the face of the Earth. Gutzon Borglum's Mt. Rushmore, of course, is your old friend from elementary school, and you think you know it well. Begun in 1927. Completed in 1941. Scrambled upon by Cary Grant in 1959's "North by Northwest."

The completed face of the colossal Crazy Horse Memorial was unveiled on Thunderhead Mountain, 50 years after the project began. The face, 87 1/2 feet by 58 feet, was revealed from beneath a white parachute-like cover in a ceremony that drew several hundred people. The finished work will depict Crazy Horse astride his horse. The sculpture will be 563 feet high and 641 feet long, taller than the Washington Monument and almost twice the size of the Statue of Liberty.

The area surrounding Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial is full of classic scenery, Old West echoes and contemporary roadside kitsch, including the 19th century storefronts of downtown Rapid City and the rolling hills and granite mountains of Custer State Park and Harney Peak. * Rapid City has a Main Street full of 100-year-old buildings, 63,000 residents and great one-stop shopping for regional art, crafts and books (Prairie Edge at 6th and Main streets; www.prairieedge.

AUTUMN is a pleasant time to travel in the United States. Crowds are smaller, hotels usually reduce their rates and airlines compete for your business. Recreational vehicles are not fully booked and are often available for rental at half the summer price. In sunny locales, including Southern California, the deal is simple: Rent for three nights, get three extra free; rent for seven nights, get an extra seven free. A 24-footer with a three-night rate of $425 would cost $425 for six nights.

Borglum or Ziolkowski? Within a day of arrival in the Black Hills of South Dakota, you'll run into this question, probably somewhere along U.S. 16 as you roll between two of the largest sculpted mountains on the face of the Earth. Gutzon Borglum's Mt. Rushmore, of course, is your old friend from elementary school, and you think you know it well. Begun in 1927. Completed in 1941. Scrambled upon by Cary Grant in 1959's "North by Northwest."

Details are emerging in the face of Crazy Horse, the world's largest sculptural undertaking, in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In recent months, the eyes have been refined, eyebrows carved, lips roughed in and the bridge of the nose cut. So far, about 8.4 million tons of granite have been removed from the project, which was started in 1948 and has a target completion date of 2000.

UKRAINE Cruise the Crimean Peninsula Explore Ukraine on a 16-day land and cruise tour from Odessa to Lvov aboard the 300-passenger Dnieper Princess. Itinerary: Towns along the Dnieper River including Kiev and an excursion to the Galician countryside. Dates: Aug. 27 to Sept. 11 Price: $1,860 per person, double occupancy ($670 single surcharge), including lodging, most meals, guides and a folklore show. Airfare from Los Angeles is not included. Info: Adventureland Travel & Tours, North Hollywood; (888)

The area surrounding Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial is full of classic scenery, Old West echoes and contemporary roadside kitsch, including the 19th century storefronts of downtown Rapid City and the rolling hills and granite mountains of Custer State Park and Harney Peak. * Rapid City has a Main Street full of 100-year-old buildings, 63,000 residents and great one-stop shopping for regional art, crafts and books (Prairie Edge at 6th and Main streets; www.prairieedge.

AUTUMN is a pleasant time to travel in the United States. Crowds are smaller, hotels usually reduce their rates and airlines compete for your business. Recreational vehicles are not fully booked and are often available for rental at half the summer price. In sunny locales, including Southern California, the deal is simple: Rent for three nights, get three extra free; rent for seven nights, get an extra seven free. A 24-footer with a three-night rate of $425 would cost $425 for six nights.

The completed face of the colossal Crazy Horse Memorial was unveiled on Thunderhead Mountain, 50 years after the project began. The face, 87 1/2 feet by 58 feet, was revealed from beneath a white parachute-like cover in a ceremony that drew several hundred people. The finished work will depict Crazy Horse astride his horse. The sculpture will be 563 feet high and 641 feet long, taller than the Washington Monument and almost twice the size of the Statue of Liberty.

Fifty years after work began, the 87-foot-tall face on the massive Crazy Horse Memorial will be unveiled Wednesday at ceremonies in Crazy Horse, S.D. Still unfinished is the body of the famous Sioux warrior and the horse he sits astride, all being carved out of the granite Thunderhead Mountain. When completed--and no one predicts when--the memorial honoring Native Americans will be 563 feet high and 641 feet long.

MT. RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. -- Call it a makeover of monumental proportions. A crew began a project Thursday to wash the granite faces of Mt. Rushmore to remove decades of dirt, grime and lichens that could damage the complexion of the four presidents. The workers began scaling the mountain and offered a demonstration of the pressure washing Thursday. They plan to start the full-scale cleaning today, on a job that could take five weeks.

ROUND UP the boots and Stetson and head to Texas for some roping, herding and horseback riding. The six-day trips beginning Sunday are offered year-round at the Wildcatter Ranch just south of Graham near the Brazos River. "It's not a dude ranch," said Karen Lancaster of Cross Country International Equestrian Vacations. "It's a really luxurious place to stay where you can do everything that Western horsemanship entails," including reining, roping and riding.