Amazing
DETAILS
When — May 27, 2O22
Where — Deadwood, SD
Mileage — 133
Compliments on my motorcycle - 4
Sabrina from Italy asked to pose with the bike - I included her pic below
Presidents, crazy horse, and the black hills
On the fifth day of the trip I decided to rest. It has always been my plan to ride four days and then rest on the fifth day. I think that is a good plan because I was ready to be off the bike. So my rest day was scheduled to be in Deadwood, South Dakota. This is a gambling town that is near Sturgis, the home of a very famous bike rally that a number of friends and I will be attending this August. So this was a bit of a preview for me to come here and take one of the rides that we’re planning as a group.
So while this was going to be a low mileage day, it was a day to get some things done. I needed to wash my laundry and also reprovision food for camping and picnic lunches on the road. I found a laundromat a short walk from the hotel and met a woman from Seattle who had plenty of advice for my visit there next week. A small world.
The nearly 50 mile ride to Mount Rushmore was absolutely gorgeous. The weather was fantastic and the Black Hills did not disappoint. Plenty of sweeping curves, beautiful vistas, and mountain lakes. I am looking forward to coming up and doing group rides in this area in August.
The approach to Mount Rushmore is fantastic. There is great parking for which I only had to pay $10. The National Park Service does a fantastic job. The monument was utterly amazing, the walkway to the viewing area was breath taking. When you reach the view platform you see an amphitheater down below. The majesty of that mountain and the massive granite sculpture is dumb founding. You ask your self, how did this happen?
Well those answers and a number of artifacts are down below in a museum, bookstore, and movie theater. These exhibits told the story of the sculptor who was commissioned to do the work, but also honored the over 400 men and women that worked on the monument for a number of years.
Mount Rushmore is a truly fabulous representation of America. I have a better understand of why Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln were selected. They each made a pivotal contribution to protecting the foundation this country; freedom and democracy.
I then rode about 26 miles to the Crazy Horse Memorial. This is another massive sculpture in a mountain, but not exactly what I expected. I knew that the Crazy Horse monument was still under construction, but little did I know the touching story of the sculptor and of the Lakota Indian tribe that commissioned the massive undertaking. This remarkable site has transformed into a center of cultural remembrance for the history of the indigenous people of the land. There is an Indian heritage college located at the facility and an amazing museum of artifacts and pictures. The most fascinating were some of the stories and portraits of the Lakota survivors of the Battle of Little Bighorn who were led by Crazy Horse. This was a unique visit and is something that is going to take probably in another lifetime to complete. I would like I to come back in 5 or 10 years and see the progress. Most likely not on a motorcycle! Maybe in a RV with grandchildren and grand dogs.
Hot weather was bringing thunderheads into the area, so it was time for me to head back to the hotel. I wanted to look for a few more groceries, gas up, and eat dinner. I found a greasy spoon in Deadwood that served breakfast and that hit the spot. This brought my day to a close and a round-trip of about 133 miles. Even though I feel a little tired tonight, I’m not saddle sore at all and I do feel mentally rested.
I will be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning with my target being Harlowton, Montana via Billings. Weather forecast is cool and cloudy with some chances of rain showers. This should be a good ride, but it’s not going to be an interstate ride at all, it’s glowing through some of the back country of Montana. I’m looking forward to seeing the countryside.
On to Seattle.
