Sturgis, SD
Right before we left Fort Worth at the end of July, we really weren’t sure of our destination. Will and Shawn had talked about meeting in Sturgis, SD. Since Shawn is a Harley guy, and was planning on going up there for the annual bike rally, he suggested that we join him. Well, neither of us had been to South Dakota, so why not? Shawn had set up an RV spot for us at his friend’s place. Apparently, this guy rents out his land to RVers every year for the rally. It was inexpensive and he didn’t mind dogs. It was a win-win! We arrived during pre-week and there wasn’t much going on, except people setting up for the rally. It’s a small town but man, they go all out for these bikers! They even jack up their prices, from what we understand. It’s kinda crazy! 😉
There were a couple of days we decided to be tourists, so one of those days the three of us went to Mount Rushmore and The Crazy Horse Memorial! If you’re interested, you can find some info here…
https://crazyhorsememorial.org/faq-main.html and https://crazyhorsememorial.org/the-mountain.html
And all I can say is…WOW! I wasn’t sure what to expect, because most of the time things seem larger in photos. Not Rushmore. It’s exactly as I imagined…and totally worth it!
The next day we went to Spearfish Canyon to have lunch, then Deadwood! Now, I must say that day was spectacular, too! Shawn’s friend Tim agreed to show us the sights, so we bought him lunch. I’d say that’s a pretty great deal. He’s lived in South Dakota for decades so he was a wonderfully informative tour guide! He even showed us a few hidden gems in the mountains so we did some hiking. Ok, here’s the coolest thing…I got to do this on the back of Shawn’s bike. I LOVE motorcycles and I always feel very safe with him. Basically, he’s not an idiot, so there is that. 😉 Tim led the way, Shawn and I were behind him, and Will followed in his truck. It was truly fantabulous!!! The weather was perfect, too! Apparently, I am also a very cooperative passenger. Shawn said he forgot I was back there a few times. LOL Go me! So, I got to feel the fresh air as we rode through the mountains of South Dakota. It is probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Spearfish Canyon is a beautifully scenic drive and the little cafe’ where we ate lunch was yummy!
Deadwood is awesome because, well…it’s Deadwood, and there is so much history! As most of us know, it’s where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back, holding the “dead man’s hand” (aces and eights). Now, there are a few stories as to exactly where in the saloon it happened, but the building is still there..and amazingly enough, it’s still a saloon…and souvenir shop, of course. 😀 The cemetery there is amazing! We saw Wild Bill’s gravesite and Calamity Jane’s. She wanted to be buried next to Wild Bill, so that’s where she is. We also made the hike (seriously, it was a hike) to the top of the cemetery to see the gravesite of the first sheriff of Deadwood. Apparently, he requested to be buried on top so he could oversee the town…and he achieved that. What I don’t get is how the heck they got him up there. Mules and wagons, I suppose. We weren’t pulling anything and it was definitely not easy. 😉 Also, we were there August 4, 2017, almost to the day Wild Bill was killed, which was August 2, 1876. That’s kinda cool…
This was a fantastic trip and I’m so glad we were able to do this, and it was especially fun with my brother since he’d been there before and could be our tour guide. 🙂
Until our next adventure…