06-05-11 Stuck in the middle...with me

06-05-11
348.2 miles
Hill City - My buddy, Paul left to explore either Jewel Caves of Wind Caves (being the 2nd and 4th most extensive caves in the world) before heading up to Mt. Rushmore via a route some volksmarch haikers had told us about for some spectacular photographs. Apparently if you took Sylvan Lake to Iron Mountain you go thru tunnels that frame Mt. Rushmore perfectly and in the early morning sunlight It’s supposed to be spectacular. I’ll have to wait to see his posts to know. It was Sunday and time for me to enter an other state. We’d talked about going to Deadwood together, but his plan was to see it Tuesday before he flies back home and I couldn’t (I thought) not sleep in Montana over Sunday night. (Things don’t always go to plan.)
But I told him I’d go ahead and scout the place out for him and let him know what I thought of Deadwood.
But first I repacked the car and made a few uploads to keep my word and then made a stop on the way out of town. There was a winery I’d been curious about - RED ASS Winery! With a name like that , It’d better be good, right?! Well, I think the winery is really called Prairie Berry Winery, but their biggest wine is the Red Ass Wine - It’s a Rhubarb and Raspberry concoction. I’ve never liked Rhubarb…but this (you taste the Raspberry first)…could grow on me! I also had Calamity Jane (who didn’t?) and Blue Suade Shoes and a Buffaloberry Fusion They were all quite good. (Calamity Jane tasted like Welch’s Grape Juice!). All samples were very small so I was quite save to drive. I headed up to Deadwood. Along the way I passed this massive waterspace called Pactola Reservoir . It was quite beautiful and impressive. The road started climbing andI was surprised at the elevation of the hills. Quite soon it went the other direction down a long decline into the valley what would lead to Lead and;
Deadwood - the first thing I noticed were the trees on the hillsides. Some stands were complete and hardy, but others looked like a bad job of clear cutting had happened or a devastating wind effect had passed by. But there was no evidence of harvesting and the wood was just lying there. Full trees, felled by…whatever? It dawned on me that this “Dead wood” may have given the town it’s name. Pure speculation on my part…but…
There was some footrace happening as I approached the town proper and was held up by an officer while a few runners ran past. I pulled around seeing cheesy touristy places, Motels called Hickock’s Hangout” or Deadeye Dick’s Saloon, etc. The real stuff was in town. Main street open for car traffic, but not for parking. (Most all parking is “metered”. in Deadwood. I parked at the old train depot that had been restored (beautifully) and was the “Welcome Center” as well as mini history museum. I got a spot being vacated and had over an hour left on it. I went inside and was given the royal treatment as fae as directions to “Everything” whether I wanted to go or not. One place I did take the idea to wxplore was the Moriah Cemetery where Wild “Bill” and Calamity “Jane” rest.
As I came back to my car I was approached by the town sheriff. Well, she was a police officer. She wanted to make sure my dog was ok and how long I’d been there. (She noted the time on the meter!) She fell in love with Mischa (sigh - who doesn‘t) but we nearly came to a showdown at high noon…cuz she didn’t want to give her back to me! But Officer Alexandra Johnson would never break the law, or “shoplift the…puppy”. And she was very kind ot have looked out for Meesh. It was a warm day and even though the windows were cracked and she had water…too much time in that sun could have been bad news. So…any of you pooch poacher who head into Deadwood, take note: There’s a new Sheriff in town…and her name is, Reggi…I mean, Alexandria Johnson!
We went up to the Cemetrey and I passed a park called Richard Gordon Memorial Park and I immediately thought of my interview on WUNC with “Dick’ Gordon and my recent visit to Twin’s Hannable, Mo and his quite about the rumors of his demise…and knew I’d neeed to get a picture of this to send it to him!
The Cemetery…doesn’t allow dogs (not even Mischa!) but the ladies who took my $1 admission fee (in quarters) were very nice in looking after her. I alked the way there and saw the huge bust put up for Wild Bill and the rather simple plaque placed facing Bill’s plot for Calamity “Jane” (though nobody knew her as Martha)
I wanted to get to Devil’s Tower but also was intrigued by the idea of the “Geographical Center of the United States” as both were in my Garmin, I headed to which ever I could get to first with the least bcktracking- that lead me to:
Belle Fourche, SD - The turn off for Devil’s Tower was just shy of the town and I continued towards the GeoCenter. Looking at the Garmin I started to think, maybe I’d made the wrong choice and turned back for Devil’s Tower. Just after I did I notiece a Belle Fourche Welcome Center. I could say I’d been to Belle Fourche (pronounced “Foosh”), the town at the end of the trail in the movie “The Cowboys” and I cold get the answer to a burning question I had. And I asked the woman I who greeted me right away: “What’s a “Foosh”/?, said I! (Sorry…you didn’t question in the form of an answer -thanks for playing.) “Fork”, she said, “as in the meeting of three rivers right here. Belle Fourche means “Beautiful Fork” (And now you know!) The added bonus was that they had a large representation of the Geographical Center out back (“Oh jes, we gotz a Nizze one right here” (read with a disgusting French accent!) The even had a photo of the real one (it isn’t nearly as impressive as the one out back!) and she said it was 26 miles NE from them “out in a pasture, you have to walk for a long way thru muddy fields and clime over a barbed wire fence.” This was easier and enough for my curiosity. Seeing what amounted to a stick mounted in cement…I figured this was close enough. I mean it’s only the Geographical center because they factored in Alaska & Hawaii! Talk about “skewing the pooch” And the Geographical center of the continental US? Lebanon, Kansas! (Thanks for playing) On to:
Devil’s Tower, Wy - Ummm. Jello and mashed Potatoes was all I could think about…and 5 note songs…
It was about as big as I expected…vertically. I thought it would be wider…like Ayers Rock. Still, Impressive. I talked to the ranger at the guard shack and mentioned the mashed potatoes thing…and he started to refer me to a diner. I let him in on the joke…was surprised that he didn’t get it in one.
As I drove away I saw a sign “Quickest way to Little Big Horn Battlefield - take 112 to 212 to the Custer cut across…and like an idiot…I did.
Broadus, Mt. - Just outside I find (finally) a State of Montana Welcome Center. The woman there wasn’t very helpful (thought she did try) or knowledgeable (which was part of the problem, but the one thing she DID know spoiled my mood and made me pretty cranky and irritable for the rest of the day - I blame it on the miles…and the bad news.) She told me “you can’t get there from here” the Custer Cutacross” was “Cut Off”! I WAS supposed to be getting to the battle field around 7:30 pm which was late but alright with me…it would still be daylight. I’d snap off a few photos and be off looking for a campsite. But…not to be. I had thought about going to Ashland which had a free campsite but as I drive out of Broadus I passed a road sign saying the road was closed to thru traffic and to take the 59 north to Miles City! That was back and not the way I wanted to go at all. I ended taking the 59 after all - south. To:
Gillette, Wy. I Came into town for the cheaper gas, got some internet time to check finances and resources. Almost drove 30 miles back east to Moorcroft to stay at Keystone Reservoir. Very dark roads, decided to pay an extra $2-5 to stay near Gillette and continue west and north to Montana in the Morning. Two campgrounds, both looking inhospitable and overpriced for what I’d be getting. Almost went behind Wal-Mart , but felt better asking to park at Flying J. They said it would be ok. Contrary to the common notion I believe it is Always better to ask permission first (rather than beg forgiveness later) It’s more honest and upfront - gives the other person to option to say “No”.
12.34 am Slept at Flying J Truck Stop waking around 4:50am