DAY 2

We wake up about 9:00 this morning and start loading the motorcycles. When I walk outside I noticed the skies were looking dreary and it appeared rain was imminent. I’m sure glad I purchased good rain gear the day before. I take a quick look on the weather channel app on my phone but it doesn’t indicate a huge chance of rain just yet. We both decide to hold off on the rain gear for now and just chug on down the road. We probably didn’t make it twenty miles and the rain started. So much for the weather channel (it’s not an exact science ya know). We pull over and quickly don our rain gear.

On the road again, we continue in the rain and stop in Sioux City and get a quick breakfast at McDonald’s (breakfast of champions). Then we’re on the road again and in the rain. Not long after we’re on the road I noticed that my external power cable for the GPS had failed once again. I didn’t have an extra fuse so I just turned it off. I didn’t really need at this point anyway. It was a strait shot to Sioux Falls and then due west to Rapid City. Then finally, on the north side of Sioux Falls, it stopped raining and we shed our rain gear. Then it was beautiful weather and great riding.

Since the time we had crossed into Missouri, we noticed copious amount of road side signs that said Wall Drugs. “What the heck is Wall Drugs?” I asked Gary over the intercom. He responds “Oh, I was told that’s a place we must stop at on the way”. From all of signs that we passed along the way I imagined it must be someplace spectacular. So we stopped to fill up with gas and looked around just for a bit but we didn’t spend much time because we wanted to make it to our cabin before dark. We decided to fit Wall Drugs in when we ride the Badlands. 

We continue cruising down the road and finally make it to our destination for the day, Holy Smoke Resort in Keystone, SD just as it was getting dark. We were greeted at the front desk by the manager and she gets us checked in. I noticed the restaurant off to the side and asked if it was still open. She replies yes and said the restaurant was famous for their BBQ Ribs. She was right, those ribs were excellent tasting, and the meat just fell off of the bone. 

With our bellies full we find our cabin for the week, unpack the bikes, give thanks to God for getting us here safely and chilled out a bit before calling it a day.

Our Route for Day 2 (519 miles)

DAY 3

We slept in to about 9:00 AM today knowing it was going to be a rest day except going to Mt. Rushmore late afternoon. After getting up and about I walked outside to get a feel of the fresh mountain air abroad and got a view of what our cabin looked like from the outside during daylight.

Then we road into Keystone for breakfast, and then back to the cabin for a little bike maintenance. Gary had noticed the day before that one of my front marker lights was not working. So I removed the lenses only to find that the bulb was welded in the socket from rust and corrosion.

So we located the nearest Wal-Mart outlet in Rabid City and configured the GPS to take us there. I picked up a new bulb, PB Blaster and a fuse for my GPS power cable. Afterwards Gary wanted to wash his motorcycle so we found the nearest carwash and gave the bikes a bath.

We still had some time to kill so we rode over to the Rapid City Harley Dealership and drooled over some nice rides. Then we rode over to a Cabela’s Outlet and shopped around.

A couple of hours later we were back to the cabin. After performing delicate surgery for 30 minutes trying the get the bad bulb out of the socket without destroying it, I finally succeeded in getting the old bulb out and the new bulb installed and working. Next I installed a new fuse for the GPS cable. All was good with the bike again. Working on a motorcycle is not what I really wanted to do on vacation but at least these were minor issues and were easily fixed. 

We then headed back to Keystone for lunch. After lunch I wanted to ride up the road just so I would know where Mt. Rushmore was and how to get there, it wasn’t hard, only two or three miles up the road. Just before getting there we rounded a corner of the road and there it was in the distance in all of its glory.

We continued to ride up to the entrance just to verify how to get to it. I didn't want to go inside just yet because it was still a little early in the day. I wanted to go during the evening hours to watch the night ceremony and experience it being lit up at night with the lights.

So we rode back into Keystone and visited the Rushmore Borglum Story Museum. If you want to know about the artist behind Rushmore (Gutzon Borglum), this is a good place to visit. It has an audio tour, a short film and a museum that displays many pieces of Borglum's work and tools and techniques of the trade during the construction of Mt. Rushmore.

The first thing we noticed when we pulled into the parking lot was a replica statue of the "Sitting Lincoln" in front of the building. You simply can't resist getting a picture setting with him.

Once inside we bought a ticket and proceeded through the museum. With a set of headphones on our heads, looking as cool as Lil Wayne wearing his $1 Million dollar Beats only not quite as much bling, we walked through the museum listening to the audio snippet for each display.

Then we proceeded into a theater to watch the short film (30 minutes or so) about the history and the players of Mt. Rushmore. After the film we hung up our headphones and proceeded into a few more rooms filled with more artifacts created by Borglum. When we were finished looking around we followed exit signs that conveniently lead us out of the museum into a well stocked gift shop enticing us to spend more money for souvenirs.

After we get out of the museum we ride back up to Mt. Rushmore so we can relate our new found knowledge to the actual monument. But not without one more stop for another roadside picture before entering.

Oh, if you continue west, past the entrance, you come to an area where you can see Washington in a solo profile. Cool.

We pay our parking fee (although admission is free) and find a parking space very close to the entrance (lucky us). Once at the gate we get our obligatory mug shot with the ex-presidents (can you name them?)

 

 Then we proceed inside and check out the sights. Here’s a shout out to our home state.
 

More pictures of the Monument.
 

After awing over the sculpture we hike along the Presidential Trail to get a closer look from the base of the mountain carving. Hint: If you walk the trail clockwise you don’t have to climb near as many stairs (mostly downhill).

If you hang around the Black Hills long enough you’ll see a lot of these.

Continuing our walk around the Presidential Trail.

The evening ceremony was very touching, almost brought tears to my eyes.

After the ceremony we leave the monument and ride back into Keystone for a little more relaxing.

Our Rout for Day 3 (62 miles)

As we’re sitting in Keystone with a cold drink reminiscing the day, checking e-mail and reviewing pictures we had taken, I was thinking to my self “wow, what a great day”. Then out of the blue, BAM!!!, I get this deep sharp pain in the center of my back. I immediately look behind me thinking someone had stabbed me in the back. But that wasn’t the case and I realized that the pain was strictly internal. I asked Gary if he knew what a kidney stone felt like and he started explaining his experience with them. Before he finishes describing it I interrupted him and said “I think I have one…I’ve gotta go. See ya at the cabin”. I get out of my chair and walked quickly yet very awkwardly back to the motorcycle, crawled onto it and didn’t waist any time getting back to the cabin. Luckily the cabin was only a couple of miles up the road. And just so you know, riding a motorcycle while passing a kidney stone is not recommended.

Back at the cabin we refine my diagnosis and feel assured that I do have a kidney stone. Using my phone I locate the nearest hospital and Gary called them to se if they could help me if needed. The nearest hospital was in Rapid City which was 18 miles away. Of course I would have to ride with Gary on the back of a motorcycle to get there, and that simply wasn’t very appealing. By this time I could tell that the stone had already moved some so I decided to hold off on the hospital. Gary was getting tired watching me agonize over the pain so he laid down in his bed, with his boots on and ready to ride, and told me to wake him if needed. With the ordeal of this pain I just couldn’t help feeling somewhat bummed out, this is an obstacle that can ruin a vacation.

The rest of the night was pretty much a blur. I had already vomited everything that I had eaten that day. But one thing I can remember was that every time the stone would move I would get out of bed, pray for God to take the pain away, pace back and forth on the front porch, continue to vomit even though I had nothing left in my stomach, lie back down and repeat every 15 to 20 minutes. The porch rail outside the front door became my best friend for the night. The last time I remember looking at the clock it showed 3:30 AM. Shortly after that the pain had resided enough so that I could lie still and simply passed out from exhaustion.

DAY 4

Not surprisingly, as if I were a teenager once again, I wake up about 10:00 this morning. Amazingly, and to my surprise, I didn’t feel any pain (Thank you God). Although still feeling sluggish after sleeping in so late I crawl out of bed and hit the shower. After I get out of the shower my phone alerts me that it received a series of text messages. As I’m reading the messages I blatantly think out loud, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Gary turns to me and asked “What’s wrong?” The messages are from my supervisor at work asking me where the nearest airport is to me. My work wants to fly me back home to work on a system they’re having trouble with. Then once I get it fixed they’ll fly me back so I can finish my vacation, which means I’ll get back into Keystone just in time for us to ride the motorcycles back home. I wasn’t happy.

After the night I has just went through, I wouldn’t have though things could have gotten any worse, boy was I wrong. All I wanted to do at the moment was eat some food, even though I was a little hesitant to eat anything, I knew I needed to eat. So I suggested that we go eat before I call work. As we were warming up the bikes we noticed that we were staying in Spoc’s cabin.

I wonder if Vulcan’s have problems with kidney stones?

We road into Keystone for breakfast but it was too late in the day to get breakfast. Nothing on the lunch menu really enticed me so I settled on a grill cheese sandwich. This was really starting out to be a bad day.

After eating, I contacted my boss and explained my situation and he explained his. After several minutes of conversation explaining what needed to be done to resolve the issue, he was convinced that he could get the job done with the personnel he had on site. Whew, catastrophe avoided. And I started breathing a little easier.

Our goal for today was to see Devil’s Tower and Sturgis. Even though it was late in the morning we knew we had time to make the trip. Although it would be dark before we got back to the cabin. So off to Devil’s Tower we go, but we’ll be “Finding Nemo” on the way, we hope.

We road into Rapid City and found our way onto Nemo Rd. which should lead us to Nemo. The road signs from Rapid City had a different name but the GPS indicated we were going in the right direction. Several miles up the road we see our first clue that we’re in fact heading in the right direction.

As we usually do, we turn our engines off when taking a picture from the seat of the motorcycle so the vibrations don’t affect the picture. But this time after the picture was taken, my motorcycle wouldn’t start, just the dreadful click…click…click sound. Yep…the battery was dead. Of course my immediate thought was “Oh crap, what else is going to happen!” I survey the area looking for a hill to push my motorcycle down to get it started but all I have is this.

Not much of a hill but it’ll have to do. With me sitting in the seat pedaling like Fred Flintstone and Gary pushing from behind we attempt to get it started. The first try was a fail, the second try was a fail and the third time was a charm. It started.

We continue our pursuit to finding Nemo and the road is fantastic.

We come up on what appears to be some kind of resort on the right. The name of the place has a precarious name. I have no idea what folks do here but it’s not open to the public and you can only enter by personal invite only. With a name like Twin Peaks, I’ll leave your imaginations to yourselves.

We press on down the highway and soon arrive at our first destination for the day. We found Nemo.

Of course we had to stop and get a picture but I left the engine running on my motorcycle this time. I snapped a picture of the town sign and sent it to my kids. Finding Nemo is still one of their favorite movies. They got a kick out of it.

We continue down the highway enjoying the great weather and scenery.

Moore TeePee's.

Next we ride into the town of Deadwood, the resting place of Wild Bill Hickok.

We didn’t have time to visit Wild Bill’s grave site.

From Deadwood, we head on to Spearfish and found an Auto Zone outlet and purchased a new battery for my motorcycle, they even charged it up for me. Then we hopped onto I-90 heading west until we got to the Devil’s Tower exit and then rode north. When I first saw Devil’s Tower from a distance I got pretty excited. I’ve wanted to see it since I saw the movie Close Encounter of the Third Kind.

As I’m stopped on the side of the road here to take a picture my camera breaks. The lens won’t open. This is a common failure for point-and-shoot cameras with lenses that move in and out. I fiddle with it a while but realize there’s no hope for it. Wow, so far it’s one issue after another on this trip but I’m still having fun. I’ll just use the camera on my phone until I can get another one.

We finally arrive in the parking lot at the base of tower. The first thing we see is another Teepee.

We start hiking up the trail leading to the base of the tower so we could get a closer look. I can honestly say that I was in absolute awe while looking at this thing. It’s huge!

The view from the base of the tower.

Due to wanting to see this for so long, I definitely felt a sense of accomplishment after visiting this place. One last look, where’s the aliens?

We bid farewell to Devil’s Tower and hit the road once again. As per our friend Alan's request we stop in Sturgis to visit The Full Throttle Saloon.

There were only about a dozen people there so we didn’t have to fight a crowd.

The owner Mike Ballard wasn’t there so we left a message with the very pretty female bar tender to tell Mike our friend Allen said hi. We got ourselves a cold drink and each bought a souvenir, after all it is the world’s biggest biker bar.

We left Full Throttle Saloon and started looking for a place to eat dinner. We ride upon this place called Rosco’s Bar & Grill.

We both had a stake dinner that was very satisfying. As you can tell from picture below I was savoring every bite.

There were some locals eating out on the patio with us. It was interesting what they had to say about the annual bike rally. They simply take their vacation during the rally so they don’t have to deal with all the idiots. Most of the town businesses in Sturgis at this time had already rolled up their sidewalks for the year. But at least now I can say I’ve been to Sturgis.

After eating we ride back to the cabin and reflect on the great day we had.

Our Route for Day 4 (290 miles)

DAY 5

We wake up to another day with great weather and anxious to ride. Once we get up and about we rode into Keystone for breakfast. We got to ride through this tunnel every day getting to and from Keystone. It was always a delight.

After eating breakfast I ride back to Rushmore to get some pictures with the morning light (pictures are best before 10:00 AM). Gary rides back to the cabin to chance some settings on his video camera. I meet back up with Gary at the cabin and we hit the road heading toward Spearfish. My original itinerary had us riding Custer loop today but we changed things up a little bit. We realized that our hike at Harney Peak wouldn’t take quite a bit of time so we decided to ride our Custer loop ride in the morning tomorrow before the hike. Today we wanted to ride Spearfish Canyon Rd. and check out the old gold mine in Leads. The first destination for today is a Wal-Mart outlet in Spearfish so I can buy a new camera.

We rode a different route to Spearfish than we did yesterday and it proved to be an excellent road as well.

As we’re riding we come upon Pactola Lake which is the largest reservoir in the Black Hills.

This is a neat little island just off the shore of the lake.

We continue to Spearfish, found the local Wal-Mart, and I bought a new camera. Here’s the first picture I snapped with it. Front page material right?

Then we rode Spearfish Canyon Rd which turn out to be a very good ride.