OK, I now get why so many people come here year after year with their motorcycles to ride in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Breathtaking beauty, roads with curves and corkscrew/pigtail turns, a couple of amazing sculptures on the sides of mountains AND beautiful weather. We left around 8am and rode to Rapid City where one of the guys wanted to shop at the Harley dealership. I have to admit every vendor imaginable was there. I found a pair of black Harley jeans which was great because they quit making them. Short stop there and then on to the Black Hills for a full day of riding. Got back to the campground around 10:30pm.
I rode the Iron Mountain road and for that I bought a tshirt that will remind me I rode: 17 miles, 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails, 3 tunnels, saw 4 presidents, 2 splits. I want to do it again tomorrow! Also rode Needles Hwy, through Custer park to Hill City, and finally through Deadwood where we stopped for bio break tonight. Went into the Deadwood casino and saw the chair that Wild Bill was in when he was shot (or so they say) . Saw very little wildlife – one giant buffalo (actually it almost seemed like he was stationed where he was beside the road – just looking at the humans like we were nuts. I think he should have charged a buck for every photo that was taken just in the short time we stopped. He would have hay for life)
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| yes that is me riding past the buffalo - totally staged |
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| Needles Hwy where there are small tunnels This RV won't fit (apparently didn't see/read the signs warning about the size limits of this tunnel!) |
-bikers are the best – or at least all of the ones I encountered. Get your camera out and there are lots of offers to take a photo for you (of you). When I was parked a little downhill and wasn’t sure I was going to be able to back up my bike, two guys immediately jumped in and rescued me (I may have to try that again :). Friendly, fun, sharing info (like the latest weather update or where to eat)
-not every business stays open during bike week. Terry S recommended dinner at Alpine Inn in Hill City (he says the best pan fried steaks ever). Well, much to my surprise, they are closed on Sundays!
-IPhones are the cat’s pajamas. When you see a storm in the distance and you wonder where the heck its headed, pop up the weather radar, put it in motion and there you go. We didn’t get wet all day even though there were storms around us – some looked pretty nasty
-its not nearly as crowded as I expected. Only hit one stop sign where there was any wait at all to get through (and actually that was due to an accident at the bottom of one of those curvy roads. A guy went off the side of the road down about 3 feet into the wooded area. He had a head injury and I was just about to hop off my bike to see if I could help (nurse here) when we heard the ambulance. No helmet. It never ceases to amaze me how many people ride without them. )
-it was raining when we got back to the campground. That little extra screened room on the side of my tent makes for a great bike garage!
-when riding in a group, you shouldn’t abandon the group….I’ll just comment that I find it pretty funny that someone got irritated because I stopped to gas up the bike (only because it was showing red) when he told me there was no way I needed gas cause his tank was half full...and that was 5pm and off he rode and that was the last we saw of him. Life’s too short for drama!
More tomorrow! I’ve got tent photos so you can my home away from home.
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