Pullin' Chocks: June 2014

Spearfish, South Dakota

Our time in the South Dakota Black Hills area has come to an end for now. We made our last excursion to the Spearfish, SD area, concentrating on Spearfish Canyon. The beauty was stunning.... again. We get this feeling that the scenery was more spectacular with each trip we took, not possible to out do the last trip, but indeed it seemed so.

As we entered into Spearfish Canyon we spied a Rest Stop so we pulled in. It perhaps is the most beautiful Rest Stop in the world. Certainly the most beautiful that I have ever seen or ever imagined.

We proceeded up the road a few more miles and came upon Spearfish Canyon Lodge at Spearfish and Roughlock Falls.

Spearfish Falls and trails...

Gari loves the rocky outcroppings!

Roughlock Falls and Trails...

On toward Spearfish SD with a stop at Bridal Veil Falls

In Spearfish we wanted to visit the historic fish hatchery,

D.C. Booth National Fish Hatchery

Feeding the 10 lb Lake Trout

A tank of little 1lb Rainbow Trout

Keystone, Hill City and Deadwood, South Dakota

We are just loving the Black Hills area. There is so much to see and do. we have mainly stuck to the government or civic type attractions, a lot of the private attractions are just no so much for us. Many of these are more targeted at families with children. Over the last couple of weeks we have visited the three towns and did little walking tours in and around these areas. We also drove through Custer, South Dakota, but didn't stop to walk around town. Custer is also a neat looking little western mountain town, but we spent our walking around time in Custer State Park looking at the natural surroundings and at Crazy Horse Mountain.

Keystone, South Dakota

Keystone is a pretty little mountain town that is in the path of Mt Rushmore National Monument, Custer State Park, Jewel Cave National Monument and Stockade Lake. Like the others, the main industry here is tourism. That makes for lots of places to eat and stay and gifts to take away with you. We tried to drive up to the local cemetery on the hill; we heard there was a good view of Mt Rushmore from there, but the road was was not wide enough to allow our F-450 to pass. We took a few pictures around town during our walk.

Shadow Pointing at the Rainbow Trout under the bridge, hard to see in the picture but they really were there...

See?!?

More Keystone beauty...

Hill City

On the way to Hill City we discovered a small National Forest Picnic Area, Strawberry Picnic area. We stopped for a look and found secluded beauty.

Main Street Hill City

Curiosities in Hill City...

We stopped to get a photo of the old steam engine on display...

... when all of a sudden this guy comes around the corner blowing his whistle!

To our delight we found that there are many Wineries in the Black Hills area and on this day were visited two. Naked Winery...

... and Prairieberry (home of the famous Rhubarb Wine), where we stayed for a snack with our wine.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Perhaps the most beautiful and I was attracted to the wild history of the town. There we saw the famous Boothill (Moriah) Cemetery, Roosevelt Peak and the Saloon #10 where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back with his black aces and eights.

Deadwood

We rode up to Boothill, and I mean up! It is a very large and well maintained cemetery. There is abundant history there of the hearty people that made Deadwood. The most famous were Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane buried right next to Bill per her last wish. We discovered Seth Bullock who met President Teddy Roosevelt by chance and came to forge a 30 year close friendship. Seth became a Legislature Senator and later Sheriff of Deadwod. The two built the Friendship Tower on Roosevelt Peak.

Dash Cam shot riding up the steep street to Boothill Cemetery

Gari & I found a nice shady spot up on the hill overlooking Deadwood where we enjoyed our picnic lunch before our tour of Boothill.

Boothill Cemetery

Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane's grave sites

At the top of Boothill there was even more. Seth Bullock wanted to be buried at the very top so he could keep watch over Deadwood. We climbed a steep trail another 1000+ feet to find his beautiful gravesite.