Sturgis

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Wednesday and Thursday, September 9 and 10

We took our time departing Sundance Wednesday morning. The drive to Sturgis, South Dakota took hardly an hour. It took awhile to find our RV campground; the Voice on our computer Street Atlas got confused about some turns and such and placed us on a dead end road which we had to back our way out of.

This was the second time we have been dead ended by the Voice. Nan jumped out The Beast with her walkie-talkie and walked and talked the rig back down the street, through an intersection from which we could extricate ourselves.

After receiving directions from a woman crossing the street, we arrived at Mount Rodney RV Park, a big rig friendly Passport America, half-price discount establishment. My ideal! We paid $40 for an annual membership to PA, and we are already earning dividends on that investment.

Mount Rodney has three levels of sites. We selected the highest, third level and backed Uncle Joe into the full utility, 50 amp site for a back picture-window-view from the rig of the Sturgis valley stretched out below.

After setting up at Mount Rodney, we headed for the closest liquor store to restock our scotch for toddy time and supply of wine for dinners.

We day tripped to nearby (less than 30 miles) Deadwood and Lead, historic gold rush towns of the old west, haunted by the likes of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

In Lead, I personally toured an old railroad round house where iron horses were once repaired and serviced. These days it serves as an upscale fancy restaurant and gift shop. It has a lot of what I call alcove dinning tables. It seemed that many of the premier tables had a plasma television screen on the wall next to it. I wondered if it was some kind of fancy sports bar or betting parlor? Or worse?

“Why, no,” I was told. “These here plasma screens are really windows of a railroad passenger train chugging down the track, with all of the beautiful scenery of the mountains in different seasons of the year.”

“Boy, howdy,” said I! Afraid to ask the price for some’um like that, I skedaddled.

This morning, after a bagel breakfast with a cup of Joe, I was lugging cameras, maps and such from Uncle Joe when I was accosted by a small rattlesnake coming at me from under The Beast. Talk about a Texas two-step; mine was more like a four step stumble. All trip, I’ve been reminding Nan and Shad to watch for snakes. That goes for me too.

We drove west to Spearfish and turned south on the scenic byway through a beautiful, narrow, winding canyon. It was a slow, lovely drive. Along the way at the top of the canyon we saw was is purported by our campground hosts to be where the winter scene of Dances with Wolves was filmed. A course it is summer now, but lovely views nonetheless.

After the canyon, we made our way back through Deadwood. Today, we parked The Beast and walked the streets. We enjoyed some chocolate ice cream cones on shaded benches along main street. We kicked the curb and took in the local flavor. Took a couple of pictures.

We returned to Mount Rodney for lunch and a nap. Rested up, we headed out to visit a petrified forest of sorts. When we arrived at the petrified location, we put The Beast in 4 wheel drive to climb a loose, uneven gravel road. Back wheel drive in that long buggy didn’t provide enough traction.

We decided to forego the petri’ place and backtracked along some winding, undulating state roads through the beautious Black Hills National Forest. Back in Sturgis, we fueled The Beast and treated it to an automatic truck wash.

We are back at Uncle Joe enjoying Toddy Time. You can see where we are in Sturgis on Google Maps at:

Uncle Joe at Sturgis

We are grilling shrimps on the Weber for dinner. We hit the road again tomorry, but it is hardly an hour drive.

More to come.

Paddy

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Photos

UJ at Sturgis
View from top level of Sturgis at Mt. Rodney RV Park.