Hit the Loop!
8/8 and 8/9
The Black Hills are stunning.
The Black Hills are stunning.
* Sylvan Lake – my favorite Myst/Riven setting
* Needles Highway, and several one lane tunnels (my favorite highway. To do it in a Miata or motorcycle would be great fun).
* Burros!
* Bison traffic jam
* drove around Mt. Rushmore
* Custer State Park, Wildlife Loop – bison, burros, antelope, prairie dogs
Southern Hills
8/9
Scenic drive today through the Southern Black Hills;
Scenic drive today through the Southern Black Hills;
* Bison Center
* Hot Springs, Pringle, Custer
* beautiful sunny day!
All Aboard the 1880 Steam Train
8/10
Train Day!
Train Day!
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From Keystone to Hill City and back, aboard the 1880 steam locomotive on the original route of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.Engine # 110 is one of two 2-6-62T Mallets in service in the world.
* 
Dahls Chainsaw Art has workshops all over the many Black Hills towns including Bigfoot in Keystone and Smokey the Bear in Hill City.
Dahls Chainsaw Art has workshops all over the many Black Hills towns including Bigfoot in Keystone and Smokey the Bear in Hill City. * 
Just as in Hot Springs and Custer yesterday, both Keystone and Hill City were overtaken by Sturgis cycles. Most Main streets are blocked off to cars, limiting the streets to cycle parking along each side as well as the middle line. Excellent people and cycle watching!
Just as in Hot Springs and Custer yesterday, both Keystone and Hill City were overtaken by Sturgis cycles. Most Main streets are blocked off to cars, limiting the streets to cycle parking along each side as well as the middle line. Excellent people and cycle watching! * 
Grab a beer, sit a spell and enjoy the show – why yessir we did indeed at the Tin City Saloon across from the Harley Davidson store in Hill City, and at the red-velvet-wallpapered Ruby Rose Saloon upper balcony in Keystone
Grab a beer, sit a spell and enjoy the show – why yessir we did indeed at the Tin City Saloon across from the Harley Davidson store in Hill City, and at the red-velvet-wallpapered Ruby Rose Saloon upper balcony in Keystone
Lead, Neutrinos, and sky
8/12
Today’s theme was the awesomeness of Earth and Sky….
Today’s theme was the awesomeness of Earth and Sky….
* Traveling the Northern Black Hills towards the town of Lead, we experienced an intense 15 minute hailstorm. It came out of nowhere, so we just pulled over and kept our fingers crossed that the windshield wouldn’t crack (fortunately it didn’t).
* In the town of Lead, we were amazed at the Open Cut Deep Hole that is the site of the Homestake Gold Mine. Over 300 miles of tunnels going 2 miles deep!!! No longer mining gold since the early 2000s, it has found a super cool second life as a cutting edge neutrino science research center. It’s a fascinating place; James Bond kinda stuff!
* The heavens just kept on and on revealing jaw-dropping majesty all day long;
– meandering the hilly highways in the midst of rolling clouds
– a full rainbow, right over the Pactola Lake!
– a dramatic sunset closed out the day just as we arrived back at camp.
More of Sylvan Lake and Needles Hwy
The sunniest day yet in the Black Hills was calling us back to Sylvan Lake and Needles Hwy.
Picture album is on the way….