Day 11 - Sept. 7, 2011

After eight nights at our cabin in Custer State Park, it was starting to feel like home; so, it's time to move on. We're not exactly sure where we are going to spend the next night, but we know we want to go to the world's largest drug store in Wall, South Dakota, just down Interstate 90. Let's hit the road!

It was 1936. Druggist Ted Hustead owned a struggling store in the town of Wall, South Dakota. The Great Depression gripped the nation, and the Dust Bowl made things doubly bad on the high plains. But Ted and his wife, Dorothy, had a bit of luck on their side. Their town and their little store happened to be about 75 miles east of the place where a man named Gutzon Borglum was carving likenesses of four presidents out of a Black Hills mountain. Dorothy figured tourists would come to see Mount Rushmore, and she figured the trek across the dry, barren plains would make those tourists hot and thirsty. The drug store should offer free ice water and her husband should put up signs along the highway to advertise it.

The dinosaur in the photo above is one of the many unique signs on I-90 advertising the free water at Wall Drug. We saw the first sign about 350 miles from the store, just as we left Iowa and entered South Dakota.

This old photo of the original store hangs in the history gallery of the current store (shown below) which now consists of 76,000-square-feet of fun and shopping. So successful is Wall Drug that the town of Wall, populated by a mere 800 residents, reported gross sales of nearly $37 million in the “retail trade” category in 2007. There is even a lovely little chapel in the store where loyal customers have been married!
After shopping in the store, we headed out to the Backyard, a free, outdoor, park-like area packed full of every kind of western-themed curiosity imaginable. I came face-to-face with a growling, smoking T-Rex who was interested in his feeding time.
Sid managed to take a ride on the world's largest jackalope. The jack nearly bucked him off, but he held on. I think the two of them had a great time. We plan to exchange Christmas cards this year with Sid's new friend.

Out in the parking lot, Sid proudly attached his new Wall Drug bumper sticker to the back of the trailer.



We saw this billboard of a Black Hills postcard in the Wall Drug Backyard, just after Sid's ride on the jackalope.
After leaving Wall Drug, we traveled across South Dakota to US Highway 83, which runs 1,885 miles from the Canadian border just north of Westhope, N.D. to Brownsville, Texas, on the Mexican border. It is one of the last and longest stretches of highway in America and little of it is spoiled by soulless four-lane Interstate. It's a road that passes through communities, by courthouses, diners, schools and family farms. It's the kind of by-way we prefer to travel, providing the opportunity to meet folks and hear their stories. We expect to travel three states via this route.
We stopped for the night in Valentine, Nebraska, at the highly-rated Trade Winds Motel. The nearby Niobrara National Scenic River is one of the top ten rivers for canoeing and kayaking in the US. We are planning to do a little kayaking here tomorrow.

Day 10 - Sept. 6, 2011 (Daytime)

We started our day by riding the motorcycle via Needles Highway to picturesque Sylvan Lake Resort in Custer State Park. We were so surprised to see these "kayaks" parked at the dock. It looks like a bicycle with two pontoons instead of wheels. I would have loved to see someone using one...how does the high center of gravity work on the water? We had a busy day planned and couldn't give this a try...we were anxious to hike around the lake. Isn't is gorgeous?

Sylvan Lake is known as the "crown jewel" of Custer State Park. Created in 1881 when Theodore Reder built a dam across Sunday Gulch, it offers picnic areas, rock climbing, small rental boats, swimming, and hiking trails. It is also popular as a starting point for excursions to Harney Peak and The Needles. The lake was featured in the 2007 film National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The film made the lake appear to be located directly behind Mount Rushmore when in fact it is five miles southwest of the monument.

Here's a photo of Sid walking toward the dam area which is just above his head. I stopped to chat with the woman fishing (small figure to Sid's right). She said she was fishing for rainbow trout and expected to catch dinner in the lake. We circled the lake and hiked through the rocks/"needles" behind the dam. The photo below shows us (look hard) in a narrow pass to give you a sense of the size of the needles!

After hiking the path around the lake, we were back on the bike in the Black Hills, which are a Paleozoic/Mesozoic formation, created when a large dome pushed up from the earth in the region. Over the years the softer sediment eroded, leaving behind strange granite formations which we first visited on Day 8. However, we missed capturing a photo of the Needle's Eye, a prominent granite formation which stands nearly 40 feet tall and has an unusual slit that's only a few feet across. The photo below was taken from the parking area at the base of the formation.

However, that wasn't good enough for Sid who insisted we climb around the rocks across from the Needle's Eye. It was a fun and strenuous hike which allowed us to see the "needles" from a different perspective.

I was able to capture this photo from behind the Cathedral Spires looking out into the distance at the section of Needles Highway we traveled on Day 8. In fact, if you go back to Day 8, look for a photo of Sid sitting on a rock with the Cathedral Spires in the distance over his right shoulder -- that's where I'm standing when I took the photo!

This is a view of the Needle's Eye taken from the rock formations nearby. Look closely at the little red blob at the bottom just to the left of the base of the formation. It's our motorcycle! I can't believe Sid enticed me up that high...actually even higher since I took this shot on the way down. Sid has no sympathy for my fear of heights!

On the way back to Blue Bell Lodge cabins, Sid dropped me off to explore the woods near our cabin. He had located the area where our buffalo visitors spent the night before they joined us for breakfast a few days ago. He wasnted me to experience the serenity of the place (I called it the Buffalo Bedroom) with the sounds of French Creek in the background. It was lovely.

While in the Buffalo Bedroom, I found the dandelion seed head on the left, which I compared to an average-sized dandelion seed head on the right. I was fascinated by this thing, taking way too many photos of it!

Day 9 - Sept. 5, 2011 Part 2

Do you remember Norman, the buffalo who frequents the Blue Bell Lodge where we've been staying? I promised you I would post additional photos of Norman's "scratch fest" with the fire hydrant. Well, here it is beginning with a good scratch on the head that lasted for about 10 minutes. Even from a distance, I could tell that Norman was one happy buffalo!

Next, he moved to his right shoulder and leg for several minutes of satisfying scratching.

Finally, Norman moved to a thorough scratch on his right side. I believe I could hear him purring in buffalo bliss as he meandered through the cabins and out of sight.

Day 6 - September 2, 2011 (Part 1)

Look who joined us at our cabin for breakfast! Yes, that's our chair and fire pit. I was in the shower with shampoo in my eyes when Sid raced in to the bathroom INSISTING I get out of the shower RIGHT NOW!!! In response to my exclamation, "I'm naked and I have soap in my eyes!" Sid said, "Put on a towel and get outside NOW!"

I was certain there was a gas leak or a snake in the cabin, so I grabbed the towel and ran out to the front porch of the cabin. Imagine my surprise to find a herd of buffalo surrounding our cabin and the other cabins nearby...of course, all the other cabin inhabitants were standing silently on their porches (fully-clothed) with CAMERAS!


Sid looks calm, but he wasn't. We were all mesmerized watching the buffalo graze all around us, our truck, our bike, our trailer...you get the picture. There were only the sounds of munching and grunting as the herd grazed and moved slowly around finally settling in for a rest period that lasted several hours.


This cute calf was enthralled with us, staring fixedly at us on the porch...maybe my brightly-colored blue and green beach towel caught his attention...hmmm. Naturally, we looked around for mama buffalo in case she felt we were threatening to her baby. I took about a hundred photos, but I won't post them all...don't worry.


I could practically touch this one! Later, we talked with the staff at the Blue Bell Lodge where we had a late breakfast. The manager told me this had NEVER happened before. The herd always stays south of the lodge and does not pass through the cabin area EVER! She said the entire kitchen staff vacated the restaurant to go outside and look at the herd milling about around the cabins. What fun that we were there for this unlikely event!

I will post Part 2 later. We went to Devil's Tower and I took some really good photos of that spectacular and sacred site. Sid is waiting at the bike for me to get on so we can explore two nearby national parks...more to come...

Day 5 - September 1, 2011

Of course, we visited Crazy Horse Memorial, which I had visited in 1970 with my family. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear officially started Crazy Horse Memorial June 3, 1948. The Memorial's mission is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians. Chief Henry Standing Bear and other Native American elders who invited Korczak to carve Crazy Horse Memorial insisted that the Memorial be located in the Black Hills because they are sacred to the Lakota. They also insisted that the Memorial be named after Crazy Horse because he is a great American Indian hero. He is a hero not only because of his skill in battle, but also because of his character and his loyalty to his people. He is remembered for how he cared for the elderly, the ill, the widowed and the children.

Personally, I believe this memorial began in direct response to the completion of the Mount Rushmore Memorial in 1941. Native American elders were not pleased that the carving at Mount Rushmore depicted only White Men in a land that had sacred significance to Native Americans. When Korczak Ziolkowski returned to the Black Hills after accepting the challenge to carve a memorial "so the White Man would know the Red Man has great heroes also," he discovered local businesses displaying signs that said, "We do not serve Indians." The local hostility toward Native Americans ran very deep.


Education is the key to future success of Native American youth who are faced with surviving and competing in today's society. The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is committed to taking an active role in their educational endeavors. Korczak quickly saw that the mountain carving could ultimately serve a larger purpose. He envisioned the mountain carving as a symbol that would instill pride in the Native American. But he also saw it as a means to promote reconciliation among the races and, further, as a revenue source that would fund an educational institution for Native Americans. Korczak, an orphan who was largely self-taught, and who funded his own schooling, strongly believed that education was an important key to resolving the dilemma of being a Native American in a white society.


This is close to the way the carving looked in 1970 when we visited. My mother spent some time with Korczak's wife, Ruth, who ran the concessions and watched their 10 children while Korczak worked alone on the mountain. Korczak would not accept government funding because he believed the government would not honor the goals of the memorial. Korczak believed that if the public accepted the goals of Crazy Horse Memorial, they would support it financially. He believed in individual initiative and private enterprise. Korczak wanted to ensure the long-range goals of the Memorial, not just the mountain carving.

The work is solely supported by private gifts, admission and concessions. Because of several factors, such as the uncertainty of the weather, the availability of financing and the challenges of the mountain engineering, there is no way to predict a completion date for the mountain carving. When Korczak died on October 20, 1982, his parting words to his wife were, "You must work on the mountain -- but go slowly so you do it right." Crazy Horse Memorial is a project that will never end, even after the mountain carving is complete. The Ziolkowski family and the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation are dedicated to making careful and steady progress on all of the Memorial's humanitarian goals as well as on the mountain carving. Seven of Korczak's children have dedicated their life work to the Memorial.


After leaving Crazy Horse Memorial, we headed to Sturgis, SD, home of the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which just ended on August 14th. On the scenic drive to Sturgis, we passed the stunning Pactola Dam and Reservoir, an important water control source for a large region and a gorgeous place to spend the day. What a delightful surprise!

We visited a few shops and drove through the historic town where the vendors were busily getting ready for the Labor Day weekend Mustang Rally. Everywhere we looked were shiny Mustangs (cars, not horses) and their proud owners. It looks like it will be a great rally and the weather is just perfect for it! Tomorrow, we head to Devil's Tower.

Day 4 - August 31, 2011 (Part 2)

I have so much to share about this memorial, but no time to share it now. Sid is waiting for me to go to Devil's Tower. I will post my photos for now... Oh! There are buffalo in the cabin yard!!!





A parting shot as we left the memorial -- Washington peeking out at us as we drove by!