7/6 - we got here on Saturday and since we're not big on crowds we decided to sit out Sunday and just kick back. So the touring starts on Monday -

7/7 - of course the big attraction of the area is Mt Rushmore, so that was the first place we headed for. We walked through the monument and took a look at the museum and read some on how it was done. It was interesting, but it was the natural beauty of the area that really captivated us.

We headed down the back was from Mt Rushmore and found this pull out where you got a profile of George Washington. Turns out, from what we read, that it wasn't planned this way. In fact so and so was supposed to be in that spot, but it turned out after they started the sculpture that there wasn't enough rock for his nose, so they blasted the face of the rock and put George there instead and so the profile was just an accident.

But we found a shady spot there for lunch, so we stopped for a bite to eat. We're taking out lunch with us most of the time here as we like to eat on our schedule rather than wait to find a resturant we might like.

7/8 -

We had gone past Custer State Park yesterday on our second ride for the day - a short trip down to walk around Custer and see what it had to offer - so we decided that we wanted to go back up to the park and go in this time to see what it was there and to take a ride down the SD87 which runs through the park and looked pretty interesting. This lake is right by the entrance and we'd gotten a late start so we stopped here for lunch. As with all plans they changed as we chatted during lunch and decided to return to the bakery we'd found in Custer for some bread. So this was a short visit to the park and we skipped the ride down the rest of the SD87.

And as you can see from this shot there were several of these switch backs on this road. In fact the SD87 earned a special place in our hearts. It's one of those windy twisty roads that we love to ride - trees, views and a lean every couple of seconds as the road takes off in a new direction.

7/9

After discovering the SD87 I wanted to go do it again and see the other half of it this time, so we headed out early to see what the 87 on through the park was like and we weren't disappointed. The shot at the top of the page was along that route along with a few tunnels. This is the approach to one of those tunnels.

And here's the tunnel, and yes that is my head in the shot, we decided since stopping along the way for every photo op was probably not feasable that Sheila would just take the pictures as we rode so she's getting the hang of trying to shoot pictures around the fat head in front of her :))

See the motorcycle in front of us - use him to get a little perspective of the size of this tunnel. I think the sign said 8.5' wide and 10'4" high. Now move to the next shot -

Yep, that's a bus. He pulling into the entrance and backed up a couple times to get straight and then came on through. His mirrors were pretty scratched up, but he made it - and since it was a tour bus, I guess he does this on a regular basis.

Of course traffic was a little backed up in both directions by the time he got through, but it was a show worth seeing.

7/10

Today it's going to be 90 which is a little warm for the honey riding, so we're taking a day to get some groceries and see a movie that's been at the top of our list- WallE :))

After the movie - if you get a chance go see it, it's a great movie.

The picture is a spot we stopped yesterday for lunch. Streams abound in the Black Hills.

The next couple of days are going to be devoted to work :( - gotta keep the piggy bank filled.

7/13/08 - back out on the roads again.

There are quiet places to stop everywhere in the hills here. This shot was on a back road, one of the many gravel roads that take off to points unknowns. We didn't get a lot of time to explore them on this trip but this area is on our list for an encore presentation next year.

It's not just the granite and the spires and peaks, there are also meadows that stretch out for miles. We stopped at one place where they talked about how the meadows are more the natural habitat the way it was back in the 1800's when the settlers first came here. As the roving herds of animals were reduced the pines came in and took over the land filling the meadows.

The Galena fire in 1988 burned 16,000 acres and removed the pines from much of the area leaving the meadows behind. Now as the Natl Forest Service and the Custer State Park people manage the land they are trying to preserve some of the meadowland and bring back some of the natural species.

While we're on the subject of resources and restoring things, here something that we flat-landers don't see any more - clear water. That's the bottom not a reflection that you're looking at. Up here in the mountains where we still have trees and grasses covering the ground it doesn't all get washed into the water and the streams are crystal clear.

We'll take care of that problem as the water moved down into more populated areas - I remember when the rivers used to look like that in the flat land as well. Ah, progress ??

7/15/08 - Bear Country

This is an attraction here. It's one of those drive through wildlife parks and I doubt that we'll do it again. There were some critters to look at but not really enough of an attraction to be worth the $15 a person they charge to get in.

The bears were the main attraction and there were a lot of them. It was warm so they were mostly just hanging out in the shade, but we did catch these two younger bears in the pond cooling off and playing. Another one walked by the car and it was interesting seeing a bear up close.

They also have a "baby zoo" where you can see young ones but we didn't stop for it. It was hot out and we didn't see the point in walking around in a zoo seeing how they domesticate the animals that will be in the park as they get a little bigger.

7/16/08 - Our last picnic here -

Today is our last ride here for this year. We decided to do the SD16A loop the other way and stopped here alongside this stream for lunch. I tried to perch the camera on a rock (too lazy to walk up and get the tripod) to get us both in the shot but couldn't find a place where it would stay put, so just got the honey. That stream is the "clear water" shot above.

And of course if there's a river or stream I've got to go move a few rocks around and send the river on a new course. It would really be fun if I could stick around for 3 or 4 hundred years to see what affect my changes made down the road.

That's me descibing the new course to the honey (I think it's called "goofing")

:))

Well it's been a really great 2 weeks, but it's just about time to move on. Here's a final shot of the Black Hills. It's a bikers heaven here and we'll be back next year and possibly stay longer so we'll have more time to explore the area. There are many things that we didn't get to this year - many roads still unexplored.

We leave for the bandlands Friday. It's only about 100 miles drive, but it'll reposition us to see more of this wonderful land.