I will admit: I like Rapid City. It's big enough to provide anyone with the comforts of travel and yet be small enough to be enjoyable. Its downtown has character, with many original facades inviting the thirsty, the hungry and the curious. It's a cowboy town with wealthy bankers, chap-wearing Harley riders, outdoor enthusiasts and dumb-founded tourists with enough amenities to please everyone.
It's also the first city coming from the East with a truly western flair.
This morning Sadie and I strolled up and down Main and St Joseph Streets to admire the 35 presidential statues that welcome walkers at the street corners. Few walkers were out when we started at 8:15am. Some corners have four statues, others just two or three. She sniffed a few of them but soon learned these bronze men were not real.
She did, however, leave a nice pile near President Ford and I didn't think of bringing a plastic bag with me. With no one nearby to witness my embarrassment, I tore of several large leaves of the succulents and threw the three small turds into the flower bed. My apologies to
President Ford and his family.
These statues are still in the works. As money is collected from donors, sculptors are contracted to create one. Several sculptors create several likenesses. There are nine more to go, although the volunteer at the Presidential visitor's center told me that President Obama's has already been commissioned. I wonder who he will stand across from? Clinton and George Bush43 haven't been cast yet, either. And how will Clinton and Bush pose? Clinton will have at least three women by his side. Bush I can see wearing a cowboy hat scratching his head in a what-do-I-do-now-Pappy? look.
(Meanwhile the shit's hitting the fan in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. A car bomb killed two more US troops in Afghanistan today, 70 were killed in another car bomb in Iraq.)
I will soon leave Rapid City to explore Deadwood, Sturgis and then perhaps start my drive into northeastern Wyoming to see Sundance and Devil's Tower. I only drove 200 miles yesterday and most of that was in a loop with no further distance made. My mileage right now stands at 1860 from where I started earlier today. I should hit Montana by Wednesday.
I was able to get ahold of Kevin for Father's Day but then lost connection a few minutes later.
We kept hearing another conversation in the background anyway. My cellphone still hasn't dried out completely yet so I'll give it some more time to dry out. I really don't want to give Sprint any more of my money by getting another cell phone. They are already making a great profit lately with their two-year contractual agreements they make consumers restart with every upgrade.
It promises to be a nice sunny day today although I've learned that "nice and sunny" doesn't mean it will last all day. I've encountered rain just about every day so far and except for a few minor drizzles we've managed to stay dry. No major wet-doggie smell in the van YET! The rest of the Midwest, however, are once again getting clobbered with rains. Iowa and Chicagoland haven't been able to dry out yet.
We finally left Rapid City at 11:30am to head into the northern Black Hills vis SD44. I drove through the Twin Mining Towns of Lead and Deadwood, where Wild Bill Hickok lies burried in the town's hillside cemetery.
My first impression of Deadwood, however, was the severe erosion on some of the hillsides. It wouldn't take much for one hill to collapse and take out part of the town. The hills around the Days Inn looked especially menacing.
Deadwood has been nicely restored and is registered with the National Registry of Historic Landmarks. It's worthy of further exploration, but not on a busy weekend. I would have stopped here for an hour or so to walk around, but the town was crowded, traffic was slow, and all parking was paid parking. Since Deadwood resembles Bisbee in many ways (except Deadwood is cleaner) I didn't try hard to stop. My destination was Bear Butte State Park to hike up the sacred mountain peak.
I must admit that I have enjoyed the northern Black Hills more than the southern Hills. Here the towns look more natural, there is less kitsch here and the scenery is breathtaking. Another day here would be ideal.
Sturgis, however, was a bit of a disappointment. Its only claim to fame is its biker bars. One claims to be the biggest biker bar in the world. There wasn't much else in town worth exploring.
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