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Published: June 25th 2008
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Roughlock Falls near Savoy, SD
The term, "roughlock" comes from the era of difficult travel trough Spearfish Canyon. Travelers during the time of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok would "roughlock" the wheels of their wagon with logs or chains so they would not turn. They would then hitch the horses to the rear of the wagon and slowly slide down the slopes.
T-minus 3 days and not holding!
I've had my Goldwing loaded and unloaded and loaded and unloaded, making small changes to weight, what I can take and/or leave behind...even driving around the area to get used to the extra weight and feel of the bike. All in all with my weight, gear and bike, I come in over 1000 lbs...not too bad for a 30 day outing!
JoLynn and I made a short trip to Spearfish this past weekend to visit my parents before I depart on Saturday and to spend some time together.
The Black Hills of South Dakota are an oasis and only 5 hours from Bismarck. We used to live in Rapid City and it is always great to return to an area that is so beautiful. A weekend in the Black Hills is very affordable in this age of $4.00 per gallon gas.
We always try and take in the Savoy area in Spearfish Canyon, eat at the Latchstring Inn, explore Roughlock Falls and walk through the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish in Spearfish.
I love the history of this area so here's a small recap:
ROUGHLOCK FALLS: is a place
D.C. Booth Historic Fish Hatchery, Spearfish, SD
Established in 1896, D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, formerly Spearfish National Fish Hatchery, is one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country dedicated to fish culture and resource management. you need to go for romance, a picnic, or even a family photo, which over the years we have taken several...in fact that's a picutre of my mom and dad at the falls. Some advertising say it is one of the most beautiful locations in the Black Hills. The falls tumble over limestone cliffs, giving the area a rustic ancient atmosphere, that cinematographers for "Dances with Wolves" decided to shoot its final scenes here.
The term, "roughlock" comes from the era of difficult travel trough Spearfish Canyon. Travelers during the time of Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok would "roughlock" the wheels of their wagon with logs or chains so they would not turn. They would then hitch the horses to the rear of the wagon and slowly slide down the slopes.
SAVOY, SD: A visit to Savoy is to enjoy a scenic drive on SD 89 from either Spearfish on the north or Lead to the east. The town, located in Spearfish Canyon, is well known for the hospitality offered by the LATCHSTRING INN. The Canyon itself is worth seeing, especially in the early morning or at sunset. Check out this Savoy website with some old photos
Now that's a HUGE trout!
Dad has always tried to catch a big trout like this...they all seemded to get away. You can actually view the trout in an underground viewing area at the Hatchery of the area and the Latchstring Inn, which opened in the early 1900s. I actually stayed at the Inn in the early 70s for a Chi Alpha retreat. http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~gulino/ghosttown/savoy_sd.htm
D.C. BOOTH HISTORIC NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY: If you love trout then this is a place you will not want to miss. Established in 1896, tha hatchery was one of the oldest operating hatcheries in the country dedicated to fish culture (didn't know there was such a thing!) and resource management. The hatchery was constructed to propagate, stock, and establish trout populations in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. It ceased operations in the mid-80's and reopened with a new mission and partnerships to help preserve the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's historic and cultural heritage.
I will try and make one more entry before I leave...my wife is sponsoring a Biker Send-Off for me to push me out of town in style.
BTW, I was ready to leave last Saturday....a person can do only so much planning.
Make it a great ride and stay safe everyone.
Rob
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Jessica Brokaw
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You are so great!
Rob- I tried to think of every excuse in the world to come to your retirement party, but work just didn't get done in time. Congrats on your retirement and then congrats again for getting your old job back. I have enjoyed reading your blog and the best is that you do it in true PR form....cutlines for your photos and all of the necessary background to make the reader feel like they were there! I hope you have an absolute blast on this trip. And for JoLynn, you have to remember how wonderful it is when Rob arrives at home! I'm so glad you included me to receive your blog. I can hardly wait until you're gone! Stay safe and remember digital pictures are free---take lots of them! On a side note, I volunteered for the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis as a "media something-something" (they won't tell me my title until it begins). I'm really excited to see all of the action unfold. And even better, I will be on the outside looking in. I hope it gives me a whole new perspective. Love, Jessica Brokaw