Day 5  – The Black Hills- Mt. Rushmore and Deadwood

First, I’d like to apologize to anyone who may have been directed to an “adult” site when clicking a link I included in a previous post.  I don’t have a clue why that link did that to a few of you, but I hope there were no kiddies in the room.  From now on, I’ll do my best to verify each link.  For those of you who were not offended, you’re welcome.

Started today out with a trip into the Spearfish “downtown”.   For those of you who love visiting quaint little towns, this area of the country would be paradise for you.  I then went to historic Deadwood – yet another quaint little town that was settled during a great gold rush. Wild Bill Hickok was shot dead here and it’s also named in the National Historic Register.  The town is done up with all the businesses having period facades on a quaint little main street that is loaded with shops and other tourist traps.  Of special note is the fact that every shop, restaurant, bar and hotel also seems to be a “casino”.  Now, these aren’t big Vegas or Atlantic City size casinos … they are all small casinos (some of them with just a few slots) and they all promise a pot of gold.  Certain members of my family and friends of mine (and you know who you are) could arrive here and be lost forever.  I’m not sure, but I think I saw a Dunkin’ Donuts that had a casino in it!  Anyway, a nice place to visit with some historical significance, but I don’t have a clue what you might do after being here for a day.

 There are casinos on either side of this casino ...

From Deadwood, it was on to more of the Black Hills – Sylvan Lake, Black Hills State & National Parks and of course, Mt. Rushmore.  If you are a biker, this place is loaded with the fun parts (also known to non-bikers as “curves”).  Lots of twisty roads to challenge ones ability but there’s only one problem.  It’s tough to run the curves when there is a guy in front of you towing his 30’ travel trailer with an underpowered pickup truck and nothing but double lines for as far as the eye can see.  Yes, I know that the road wasn’t built as a trial course for bikers …oh well.

For those of you who are not motorcyclists, the Black Hills consist of hundreds of verdant rolling hills and rocky tors.  There are beautiful landscapes wherever you go.  If you are a camper, this would be ideal, but my take of the place after spending most of the day there is that it’s overcrowded (and this isn’t the “busy” season yet) and spending more than a day there would probably get dull quickly.  That said, it is a beautiful park and a national treasure.

Of course, Mt. Rushmore requires no comment from me other than to say it is so much more impressive in person than it could ever be when viewed in any form of media.  It is truly massive and an accomplishment of monumental proportions (get it?  It’s big and it’s a monument … a little play on words … never mind …)

These are just a few of the new friends I've made on this trip ...

A comment on South Dakota.  Lovely place with lots to see and do, especially if you are an outdoor type of person.  The biggest problem is that everybody here owns a Harley (remember, this is the home of the annual Sturgis Rally) and every one of them has straight exhaust pipes, making them obnoxiously loud … seems like everywhere you go, you are assaulted by the ridiculous roar of an unmuffled engine, including throughout the Black Hills..  Don’t get me wrong … I like the throaty sound of a big bike engine as well as the next guy and I've got modified pipes on my ride, but there are limits.  Reminds me of the South Park episode about Harley riders … (Gary and Jose - not you Harley guys ... the other ones!)

Now for today’s interesting side story.  I took this picture of a motorcycle in the Mt. Rushmore parking lot but I didn’t see who the rider was.  Note my caption.

  “If you need a beaded butt massager for your motorcycle saddle, you might be getting to old to ride …”

So far, this has been a great vacation and a great ride.  Tomorrow, it’s on to Montana and Wyoming, with a stop at Devil’s Tower, completing the northern leg of my trip.