For our ride Sunday, we wanted to move on by visiting Sturgis, Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota, all within the Black Hills Pioneering regions.

Being a Sunday, the roads were super busy again, but we managed to find a few less busy routes to take us on cut throughs.

Sturgis is a small town to the North east of the Black Hills, that has a population of approximately 8,000 during most of the year, however, this swells to 500,000 during the first couple of weeks in August when it is the Sturgis motorcycle rally.  This is a famous rally where the town is taken completely over, just for the fun and entertainment of motorcyclists for a week or two.  Apparently, most of the businesses there make enough money during that time to be closed for the rest of the year.  The town, in itself is somewhat unremarkable, but I’m sure that will soon change.

Of more interest to look at was the town of Deadwood, which is now a gambling town, and is decorated mainly in the traditional way of the Wild West.

Spearfish Canyon was very pretty, and a great end to the day for riding through before heading to Sundance, Wyoming.

Sundance is very small, population of 1,100, but is most famous for having ‘The Sundance Kid in jail in the town, and we visited the museum to learn a bit more about that and about the local history. Once again, we are following the route of the Pioneers, and Gold-Panners.

Up early again, although with a bit more reluctance today, as we were worn out from yesterday’s fun.

We were wanting to visit Badlands National Park, and Wally the guy at the motel had been so helpful with directions yesterday, so Paul asked him about the route.  He told us that the route we wanted to take was actually through an Indian Reservation, and that it was definitely not a good idea to go that way.  He described it as another country, and told us that the ordinary state troopers or sheriffs have no jurisdiction there, and that if you get into trouble, and require the police, it has to be the FBI that go. Also, no recovery people will enter the area if you break down, so we decided very quickly to give that a miss.

This meant a 2 hour trip up to the entrance of Badlands Park at Wall, which we took, along the Interstate.  As you know, we normally avoid the Interstates, and take the two lane scenic roads, but needs must.

The park lived up to all expectations we had of it, so many people along the way had mentioned it to us as a must see, and it certainly was. The sheer magnitude and years of geology there was breath taking.

There were more Prairie Dog Towns to visit, deer, and bison and plenty of views or overlooks to stop at on the looping road which ran through the park.

However, as it was Saturday, it was pretty busy, and at one point we found ourselves turning to each other and saying that we were people-weary today. We decided it will be nice come the end of tomorrow when we are back to just the two of us pleasing ourselves at our pace, not going too slowly because people are taking photos out of the window, or being overtaken because it’s so busy and everyone is in a hurry. Of course this is what to expect at a place where tourists visit, and we weren’t complaining, just perhaps preferring the solitude and freedom of making it up as we go along.

When we arrived back at the motel, there was a magnificent, but brief thunderstorm, which I am glad has now passed as I’m happy to say some of the washing I’ve just done is flapping itself dry on the washing line we’ve attached to the bike.

Up early today, 5.45 - excited and raring to go.

We visited Mount Rushmore national Park (the presidents heads), Crazy Horse Memorial, Iron Mountain Road, Custer State Park, and rode the wildlife loop.

On the wildlife loop, we saw the cutest prairie dogs (gophers!), pronghorns, burros (donkeys), and buffalos.  It was like riding in a safari park, totally amazing.

The Presidents heads were everything we hoped they would be, and as we rode along the Iron Mountain road, we rode through a tunnel and out the other side and they were right up there, framed by the exit of the tunnel. This was despite being a mile or two still from the mountain. As a monument to the presidents, I don't think they could ever top this- and we also learnt about how they had sculpted these unbelieveably large objects into the rock, hanging on the tiniest of seats, suspended by winches.

Crazy Horse memorial was highlighted in sun, as we rode along the road.  Again, completely amazing- it takes your breath away.

The roads were beautiful, and there were stacks of motorcycles, 3 wheelers, what seemed like a Corvette club out on the road, amongst the normal R.V's the size of coaches, and family cars.

When we got back to the motel about 4.30, it was hard to take in everything we saw today, and we probably only managed 1/3rd of what was available to us.

After a great breakfast of eggs over easy, bacon and hash browns at Big Reds Café opposite the motel, off we rolled again. 

This morning there really were golf courses at the side of the road. Plus, of course, long, long rail road trains, endlessly.  Where we stayed last night was right by the rail road tracks, and they come continuously.

Later in the morning we stopped for a drink, and met Catherine and Peter who were from South Eastern Nebraska, and who had come to the West for a few days riding on their Harley.  Peter told us that actually in Mullen, there was one of the top 10 golf courses in the world, and they were off to visit there on their way home.

Catherine was full of information about lots of the areas we intend to visit, and was happy to share with me, whilst Paul chatted with Peter. She told me that all the trains belong to one company, Northern Pacific and are taking coal out of Wyoming, across to whoever needs it across the USA, or maybe even shipping it further afield by boat. It was lovely to meet them.

Our second stop was one that was brought to Paul’s attention yesterday, ‘Carhenge’, a replica of Stonehenge, made from upstanding cars.  It was a lot of fun, and the lady in the booth asked me which I preferred, of course I said Carhenge! Paul told me at least we know who built this one.  I also heard the lady discussing that there is going to be a huge gathering soon for an eclipse of the sun, and that people come and visit for the Solstices. She also told me that she’d like to visit where they film Doc Martin!

The further West we got today, the more evidence of tourists, Motorhomes, dragging Jeeps behind them, Dormobiles, cars full of families.

A change in landscape again, as we headed for the Black Hills of South Dakota, and arrived at home for the next three days in Hot Springs, South Dakota.

We set off yesterday morning after saying goodbye to Karen, who had been our AirBnB host in Atlantic.  We had spied her apartment which seemed perfect for us a few days earlier, and it was in the basement of her house, completely separate from where she lived.  The kindness and welcome she had offered was amazing, with cakes and cookies on arrival, and a fridge with food for two days’ breakfast in it.  Karen had also checked out the restaurants in the area which were open on Sundays, so that we could find one easily to visit, which is how we found the previously mentioned ‘Oinkers’!

All in all, a nice homely experience for us.

Anyway, the day started well with us heading off to visit the Swedish Coffee Pot made from a water tower, in a Swedish settlers’ village called Stanton.  We found this easily enough.

The next stop though, found us with the Sat Nav dangling on a wire, having broken away from its plastic holders that attached it to the mounting system on the bike.  It had been quite problematic for the last week or so, and we were having to use WD40 on it, to get the spring load to work, and attach its little pins to the back of the unit, which the electric charge goes through.  It kept shutting down as we rode along. Anyway, now it was dangling, so we set off to the nearest shop, where a helpful guy sent Paul to Walmart in the big town Council Bluffs, Iowa, 20 miles away- no luck there.  Paul had spied a big Harley Davidson dealer on the way to Council Bluffs, so we tried there on the way back, although they were super helpful (despite our bike being a BMW -*hiss, boo, hiss*-), they couldn’t help.

We decided not to worry as we’d faffed for a couple of hours already, and rode on in what Paul knew to be the correct direction, before stopping for lunch.  Paul then very handily whipped out some cable ties and tied the Sat Nav to the mount, with the idea that we would try and order a new one online and have it sent to a future motel.  Sat Nav bobbed along happily for the rest of the day, working better than it had for ages.

We’re finding everybody whenever we stop at the moment tells us “you’ll love it when you reach the West”, and we are really looking forward to it, at the same time as not wishing away our time. In particular yesterday, we met a guy at a Gas Station, Don, who was extremely helpful with route suggestions for what we had coming up.  Whilst we sat together, he took a call from his Mom, and told her all about his new friends and their plans!

Today we followed route 2, to the West, the Sandhills Trail out from Grand Island, and slowly the landscape began to change from those relentless Cornfields into what looked like and endless golf links, with hills made from sand. It was a thing of real beauty after all the flat lands we’ve been travelling through.

When stopped for a drink, in a small village of Litchfield, Nebraska, we had a chance to count the rail carriages on one of the rail road trucks that passed us, it was 120 carriages long, with four diesel engines. Yesterday, Paul had measured the length of one, and it was 1.4 miles.  They take a jolly long time to pass through anywhere, and come often!

So tonight finds us in Mullen, Nebraska, where the lady checking us in to the motel told Paul it really is the West, and very different from East Nebraska, where they are Easterners.  She told him that we will find people even more friendly here, and very self-sufficient.

Can’t wait for tomorrow.