Custer State Park & Black Hills 07/05-07/06

I wish I was a better writer so I could more accurately describe the beauty around me here in the Black Hills. If the winters weren't so harsh, I would probably live here. It amazes me also to learn that many people come here only to see Mt Rushmore and never visit Custer State Park just a few miles away. They are missing the best part of this area. I started Sunday by driving down the Needles Highway which has pigtails and many 180 degree turns. It is a great bike road but the scenery is also magnificent with the rocks jutting out of the earth in a phallic display unlike anything I have ever seen. This road led immediately to Iron Mountain Road which is another biker's dream road and also very scenic. I then headed to Hill City several miles away to find a road my camping neighbor told me about. It runs between Hill City and Keystone along the railroad tracks. Once in Hill City I asked a fellow biker and he told me where to find the road. This road curves it's way along the tracks and crosses the tracks at least a dozen times. I was enjoying the ride and then I came upon the train which is one of only a few steam engine trains that is still active. I passed the train and stopped to take a picture while the tourists on board waved to me. I stopped in Keystone to check out the shops and bought a few souvenirs. I also went to an ice cream shop and indulged myself with 2 scoops of praline pecan. The girl actually gave me 3 scoops and it was delicious. I headed home exhausted and happy after riding over 200 miles and being in the saddle for 5 hours.
Monday, I went back to Sylvan lake to hike the Sunday Gulch trail that someone else had told me about. It is about a 6.4 mile hike. I started down the trail which was not marked very well at the beginning as you climbed over the rocks but I managed to find the main trail. I climbed the top of a small peak and the view was incredible. This was my first and probably last solo hike but I wasn't worried because surprisingly there are no bears in this area. When I get to Glacier National Park I will be sure to hike with other people who are slower than me so I don't have to outrun the bears, just them. Anyway, I stopped at the peak to rest after the climb and all I could hear was the sound of the wind rustling through the trees and it was so peaceful & serene. I ate some trail mix that a very close friend had given me in a care package before I left on my trip. One of the good things about hiking alone in the woods is that it lets you get in touch with yourself and nature. I moved on and the trail was mundane for a while and then I came near the end when the trail became very difficult as it climbed back up to the top. I had been going steadily downhill for some time so I knew there was a price to be paid at the end. This trail was a little shorter than Harney Peak but it was more treacherous. The final climb was steep and there were rails to use at some points as you climbed up the rocks. The landscape was really nice because there was a creek spilling it's way down the mountain right beside me the whole way. I didn't run into any other hikers until I got to this part of the trail. I finally made it up and back to my bike exhausted but victorious. These hikes, while amazing on their own, are a warm up for my big hike to Half Dome in Yosemite which is a 17 mile round trip hike with a very steep ascent up the rock to the top of Half Dome. I drank a Powereade and then jumped on the bike for a nice long ride. I decided to head toward Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock was murdered and buried. From there I planned to go to Sturgis just to say I had been there. I arrived in Deadwood and was a little surprised to see that it was only a gambling town. Hotels with casinos everywhere. I was hungry so I stopped and asked a local where to eat. She directed me to a restaurant and casino a block away that turned out to be owned by Kevin Costner. There were all sorts of memorabilia from all his movies on the walls. I ate at the bar and when finished. I asked the bartender if there was anything else in this town besides gambling and he said no. I asked him if there was anything worth seeing nearby and he said if I had the time, a visit to Spearfish would be a nice stop. He said there were 3 waterfalls there as well as Spearfish Canyon so I forgot about Sturgis and headed to Spearfish and I'm glad I did. The canyon was just so beautiful that I could have ridden on that road all day. The canyon walls on both sides were part of the Black Hills National forest so the black rock was mesmerizing me at every turn. The road down the canyon was winding and a biker's dream. It is no surprise that you see lots of bikers in this area. I stopped at each of the 3 falls and 2 were impressive with Spearfish Falls being my favorite. There used to be a train track above the falls but it was washed out years ago. I finally decided to head home as there were some storm clouds building nearby. I thought for sure that I was going to get wet but I was able to outrun the storms. I rode another 5 hours and over 200 miles and was ready for some rest. Tomorrow I am going to do some laundry and rest a bit. I decided I need a day's rest at each of my stops so I don't wear this old body out. I actually might try to do a little trout fishing as there are lots of good places to fish in this area. I'll see how I feel tomorrow. Wednesday I head for Wyoming and my next adventure. If it is any better than this place, I don't know how I will stand it. The Black hills of South Dakota have ensnared me and satisfied me far above my expectations. If you ever get a chance, you should come here and experience it for yourself.