Custer Park, SD Part 1

Sep 20   Deadwood - Custer Park, SD    74 miles   4 hours

We'll be staying a week at Custer Park in South Dakota. The 50th annual Buffalo Roundup is on Friday, it's a real big thing here at Custer. Over 14,000 people expected to attend. There will be a lot of festivities starting on Thursday.

We're staying at the Game Lodge Campground for four nights. Then we move to another part of the park. I made these reservations months ago and couldn't get a site for the whole week. This campground is really nice. Only electric though, $25 per night.




Sep 21    The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway

We spent most of the day sightseeing. The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway complements the parks three scenic drives and includes some of the most dramatic natural and historic features in the Black Hills.





The Wildlife Loop Road is an 18 mile loop that takes visitors through the open grasslands and pine speckled hills that much of the parks wildlife call home.

Burros begging for food

Tatanka hanging out

The Needles Highway is a spectacular drive through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen and rugged granite mountains. The roads name comes from the needle-like granite formations which seem to pierce the horizon along the highway.

Needle Tunnel

We did a hike around Sylvan Lake. Not too hard, only about a mile.

Tight squeeze

Joe taking a breather

Making my way down

So nice!

Iron Mountain Road is a winding road to Mount Rushmore. Along the highway there are wildfire exhibits, pigtail bridges, magnificent Black Hills scenery and tunnels that frame Mount Rushmore.

Joe standing under Hawaii's flag

Bad picture but this tunnel frames Mt Rushmore

This one too, but can't make out Mt Rushmore

Sep 22   Jewel Cave

Our guide

We took a drive to Jewel Cave National Monument today. There are four different tours offered. We took the Scenic Tour, cost $12. This is the most popular tour.



























The Scenic Tour route provides an opportunity to visit various cave chambers and passages decorated with calcite crystals and other beautiful, colorful, and rare formations. The tour is moderately strenuous and lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. The tour route involves walking up and down 723 stair steps along a 1/2 mile loop. The cave temperature is 49 degrees

On the drive back, we ran into this guy.

Sep 23

Didn't do too much today. Went on a hike on the Creekside Trail. Very easy hike but was 4 miles long. We enjoyed it, very scenic with all the leaves starting to change colors.

A little waterfall

Then got some bad news from Kimi....our friend Colleen Thompson Leong died today....so sad....still can picture her having a good time drinking wine and singing with us at Kimi's house.

Joe and I toasted her before dinner....
         Rest in peace my friend.

Deadwood, SD

Sep 17     Wall - Deadwood, SD     108 miles  2 1/2 hours

We drove out to Deadwood today and staying at the Steelwheel Campround. Very busy this weekend but they had 1 site left. Passport America rate for 1 night only $19.00, the other 2 nights at $38.00 each. The campground is located a few miles from Deadwood, it's nice here but a lot of ATV's around. There's a popular trail right behind the campground. There's the Deadwood Jam this weekend. Music all weekend in downtown Deadwood. Should be fun.

Our site for the next 3 nights

 This afternoon we took a walk around Deadwood, lots of history....
Though many gold rush towns died almost as soon as they started, Deadwood was different. The nearby mines went through boom and busts, but the gold kept coming. Generations of miners toiled underground, and when their shifts were over, they came to Deadwood saloons, brothels, and gambling halls to unwind and relax. It didn't matter that this was all mostly illegal; Deadwood had always been a town on the edge of the law, and the people who came for a good time didn't mind bending a rule or two.

Downtown Deadwood

Things changed in 1989. After more than a century of gambling on the down-low, Deadwood became the third place in the US to allow legal gambling. The card tables and slot machines came out from the back rooms, and the town boomed. Fueled by the new tax revenue, the town began an ambitious historic preservation effort that continues today.

Brothels....see the ladies in the windows

What's on your head

Sep 18  Deadwood

It's real cold and rainy today. We stayed in most of the day. Last night dropped to 38 degrees. Today the high was about 58 degrees. We bundled up and headed to town late in the afternoon. Walked around, gambled a little, won a little, and had some dinner. When we got back at 9pm the temperature was 35 degrees. We're making good use of our electric blanket!

Saw these babies in someone's yard

Sep 19  Deadwood

Boot Hill Tour Bus

The weather was very nice today. When we got up this morning it was 30 degrees but sunny. It warmed up pretty quickly and the high was around 75. We went on the Historic Boot Hill Tours. A one hour narrated tour of Boot Hill (Mt Moriah), city landmarks plus visited the graves of infamous outlaws Wild Bill & Calamity Jane.

Grave of Wild Bill Hickok

Although Wild Bill Hickok is Deadwood's most famous resident, he was in town less than a month before he was shot down by Jack McCall on August 2, 1876. The former gunfighter and lawman was famous long before Deadwood. He arrived by wagon train from Cheyenne in the company of Charlie Utter and Calamity Jane. Despite talk of prospecting for gold, Wild Bill didn't stray from the Badlands, a section of Main Street known for its bars, brothels, and gambling houses. He was playing poker in Saloon No. 10 when McCall walked in and shot Wild Bill in the back of the head. Jack was first tried by a miner's court in Deadwood and found not guilty. He was later tried and executed in Yankton, the territorial capital, and buried with the noose still around his neck.

Calamity Jane's headstone 

There were so many stories about Calamity Jane that were exaggerated or downright false -- especially the ones Jane herself told -- that it's hard to get a true picture of the legendary character. Martha Jane Canary was born in Missouri in 1852, the oldest of six children. By 1867, both parents were dead, and 15-year old Jane, living in Wyoming, supported her younger siblings as a dishwasher, cook, nurse, ox team driver, dance hall girl, occasional lady of the night and later Army scout. In 1876 she joined Wild Bill Hickok and Charlie Utter traveling by wagon train to Deadwood.She was a wild, hard-drinking woman who dressed like a man and swore better than most. But she had her compassionate side, tending the sick. Calamity Jane died in the nearby town of Terry in 1903, and was buried at Mount Moriah next to Wild Bill.

In the afternoon we took a drive on the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Very nice drive along a creek that winds thru the canyon. Fall is definitely here....the leaves are changing, my favorite season.

Bridal Veil Falls

Wall & Badlands, SD

Sep 15   Chadron, Nebraska - Wall, South Dakota       145 miles   2 hours 45 minutes

We're staying at a campground called Sleepy Hollow Campground in Wall, SD. They have a
Good Sam rate, full hook ups $33.00 per day. We'll stay for 2 nights. This location is perfect for visiting Badlands National Park.

We came through here 5 years ago with Mama Janet & Papa Rudy. Back then we rushed through everything so now we'll take our time and explore the area.

Wall is home to the world famous Wall Drug Store, which is the #1 Roadside Attraction in America. Wall Drug has been entertaining and educating the traveling public since 1931. In 1936, Dorothy Hustead came up with the idea of advertising free ice water on signs along the highway. Since then, Wall Drug has evolved into a 76,000 square foot wonderland of free attractions including a restaurant that seats 520. There is something for everyone at Wall Drug.

Riding a "Jackalope"

Sep 15   Badlands National Park

We spent most of the day at Badland's National Park. We drove the Badland's Loop Road, a state scenic byway. Made a lot of stops along the way, and did some short walks to see the sights.

A mama deer on the hillside 

Then the babies came along

This is a herd of deer.....have to look good

Not a very good picture but it's a prairie dog

Having lunch

Looking for rattlesnakes

One of our short walks

Deer on the mountain

Travelers come to Badland's National Park for many reasons. Some are lured by the unusual rock formations, others come to camp, photograph wildlife, or search for birds or flowers. Many are paleontologists who come to study fossil remains of Badland's ancient life. For all visitors there is much ground to cover, for the park consists of more than 240,000 acres.