Sturgis and Deadwood

   

     Okay, here is the story for today.  Last night we were hanging around the trailer keeping out of the rain, when Ray asks me if I thought the RV park office sells things.  I said “yeah, things like t-shirts and maybe some RV things, why”.  He asked if I thought they might sell little notebooks.  Well when we arrived and I took my inventory of the store, I couldn’t honestly say “yay or nay.”  I asked him what he needed a note book for and he said “I would like to keep track of what towns we stop in, what RV parks and what highways we take”  At the time I was working on my Montana blog, so I pointed at the laptop and asked “you mean you want to keep a blog,,,,like this (pointing at the screen),,,,,, like our blog that I am working on?”  He said “yeah”.  I told him that I do try to capture that kind of stuff in our blog, but if you want to keep your own, then would you like one with or without lines? I have a notebook in the truck.  Two in fact, take your pick.  Whatever makes you happy."  So I ask you this, do you think Ray reads my blog?

     Now back to the blog,,,,,,my blog.  Leaving Crow Agency, we took highway 212 which is a more scenic route to South Dakota (hope Ray captured that in is blog)....lol.  It was a slower drive, only 70 MPH instead of the 80 MPH on the main highway.  It was a beautiful drive which also took us through the north eastern tip of Wyoming and right into Belle Fourche (pronounced “Foosh”) South Dakota.  Belle Fourche claims to be the geographical centre of the “Nation”.  We didn’t, however go to see the monument.  I absolutely love the area around Spearfish and Sturgis!  Rolling hills dotted with trees and very different shades of green.  It reminds me of the countryside in southern Quebec!  I think I could like here.  Not in Sturgis, but definitely in Spearfish.  More shopping.  I had chosen the Sturgis RV park to camp in and we were not disappointed.  They have about 280 sites and all have cement pads, so you are completely level which is important.  Clean showers if you need them and a nice new laundromat, which I did need.

     As we had arrived here at about 2:00 we decided to take the hour drive to Devils Tower.   Now I have seen many photographs over the years of this pinnacle jutting our of the ground, and others have said that we should go there.  I honestly thought “what is the big deal”.  In Ray’s words “well, let me tell you!”,,,,I was blown away by the immensity of the tower.  The drive there was beautiful with the red cliffs merging with the greens of the forest.  Off in the distance you could see the tip of the tower, which reminded me of the Bugaboos in the Invermere area of BC.  There are a couple of pull offs where you can stop and take some photos, which we did.  This tower  (which looks like a giant pillar) kept getting bigger and bigger the closer we got to it.  I can’t even describe how unbelievably massive it is and my photos do not do it justice.  It stands 1267 feet and is sacred to many of the Northern Plains.  Sacred ceremonies, such as sweat lodges, sun dances and prayer offerings are still held here.

Lakota legend tells this story: “tow Lakota boys who wandered far from their village.  Mato a massive bear spotted them and wanted to eat them.  He was almost upon them when the boys prayed to Wakan Tanka, the Creator, for help.  The rose up on a huge rock as Mato tried to get up from every side, leaving huge scratch marks on the stone.”

You can seen the cracks which divide the stone pillar into hexagonal columns.  There are large boulders and trails at the foot of the tower.  I am so happy that we visited one of America’s first National Monuments.

I love this photo with the long grass blowing in the wind! 

     We went back to Sturgis and decided to have dinner at one of the local restaurants, which was a bar.  That is where I saw this cowboy and snuck a photo of him.  Funny, but when he got up to leave I noticed that he had one of those funny waxed handlebar moustaches.    He is so far, the only cowboy I have seen on this trip, other then ones riding horses way out in the fields.

 

     Sturgis has some funny names for their bars, which are all pretty fun down looking.  We went into this one called the Knuckle Saloon, but then turned around and came right out.  Not my kind of bar that is for sure.  Cute name though!

There are a few things to do in Sturgis, two of which are to drink beer and ride motorcycles.    Well I don't like American beer and don't ride a motorcycle anymore.  But we did go to the motorcycle museum and it was very good.  Bikes from the early 1900's!  There was a 1937 Harley Davidson called "Knucklehead" (maybe that is where the Knuckle Saloon got its name?) But my favourite bike was the "Canada Bike".  It was a red and white Harley, but it had hidden things in it that you had to look for.  Like the RCMP Mounted on a horse, Polar Bears, Eh?, Maple Leaf, Lighthouse and even a Stanley Cup.  There were many more Canadian things on the bike, and it was really cool to see it there on display.

The Canada Bike

     I should clarify that there are other things to do in Sturgis other then drink beer and ride motorcycles. Everyone has heard of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally,  which is one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the world.  Next year is the 80th anniversary of the rally.  But did you know that at the end of August they also hold a huge Mustang Rally.  Hundreds of Ford Mustangs of all years line the streets.  We were talking with a young lady who happened to work in the local bank.  She said that it is sad that when the rallies are on, there are a lot of "pop up" stores that come for a month.  But as soon as the summer ends these stores close up and the main street ones again becomes almost like a ghost town.   It seems to be that way in small town America.  People move away to where the work is as the smaller towns don't have much to offer.

 Deadwood

     Aw my favourite little ghost town!  I am not sure really what draws me to this little town in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Well okay, yeah I happen to like a particular store there.  But it is a very well kept old town.  The buildings are all in fairly good shape, and most of them are occupied.  Flowers hang from street lamps down the main drag.  The town has a history of gambling, women, gun fights and drinking.  And not in that order!  Wild Bill Hickok was apparently shot playing cards! They still put on a gunfight in the streets during the summer.  There are casinos, bars and hotels (new and old) and a handful of interesting shops.  You want to buy cowboy boots?  This is the place to go!  So many pairs line the shelfs of half the stores.  Colourful ones with embroidery and bling, or plain ones.  You choose!  And yes of course my favourite store is called "Madame Peacock's Beer and Bling".  It is where the men can have a few beers, while their women shop.  

About there years ago we were there and just about everything in the store had some bling on it somewhere!  This time however, there was only a handful of things with 'bling". As Ray sat and had his beer, I browsed through every rack,,,,even scaring the crap out of myself at the back of the store when I saw a ghost.  A ghost of me!!  Oh wait,,,,that was a mirror!!  It did startle me.  I only bought a hat for myself......what the heck??

I will leave you here with this post as I am having computer problems!!   Will try and post more in a few days.  We are currently trying to get down to the coast in California as the elevations are playing havoc on me.  Ray is feeling it too.  so until then,,,,