Rapid City & the Black Hills

After our morning run into the Badlands we moved to Box Elder east of Rapid City. We are staying at the American Legion right outside the gate to Ellsworth AFB. It is a very small post but with a big heart. After arrival we took off for a drive of 117 miles to Deadwood. We stopped at Silver City which is named after Silver City, NM but there was gold found there not silver. A dirt forest road took us to Pactola Lake and another one back to the main highway. At Deadwood we toured Mt. Moriah Cemetery where Wild Bill Hickcock and Clamity Jane are buried. A new statue of him has been placed and a tour bus was there. Not a peaceful scene. In town we toured the Adams Museum. It was real hot so we left and drove to Sturgis along a scenic canyon. Checked out a BLM campground and went home. After a quick dinner we went into the post to cool off until after sunset when it cooled down so we could go home. Did I mention we don't have electricity.

Our next excurison into the Black Hills started with a stop at Hart Ranch to see our friend John Priest III. He gave us a tour of the park. We then headed to Keystone. Very crowded and touristy. We found a geocache in the cemetery along with a great view of Mt. Rushmore.
We continued on a drive on the Iron Mt scenic road.
In addition to having 2 pigtail bridges there were 3 single lane tunnels
and tons of cars. We geocached along the way and got off the beaten path. This was called Fairy Window Cache.

Many views of the "faces". Near
and far.

We entered into Custer State Park. Didn't see one buffalo.

Took the Needles Highway. It started to rain and at the higher elevations the temp dropped to 50 and we were in a hail storm.

We stopped by this pretty lake with the clouds hanging over the water.

We stopped at Piedmont for a steak dinner that was out of this world at the American Legion. $10. Lots of homemade desserts topped off the meal. Back at the MH we again went into the friendliest post we've been too.

Sunday morning Bob went golfing with some of the guys from the post. We then met the John Priest's, father and son, at the Firehouse Brewing Co. for lunch/dinner then drove John Sr home to his lovely condo. The afternoon brought more rain but we finally found a geocache and the Elk's Lodge.