Beauty, Beef, and a Big Disappointment

Got on the bikes early on Sunday, taking in the natural beauty of scenic Route 385 North as we headed to Spearfish, South Dakota. Stopped in Newcastle, Wyoming for breakfast at Donna’s Main Street Diner, a little hole in the wall with good service and good food, enough to fortify us for several hours.

 

The ride to Spearfish was a motorcyclist’s dream, with lots of curvy, winding roads!  Spearfish Canyon’s plush greenery, colorful wildflowers, roaring waterfall, and scenic walking/hiking trails made this a perfect destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But the fun didn’t stop there!  On to the Black Hills gold mining town of Deadwood.  Now here is a city that puts gaming and casino funds to good use restoring old buildings and preserving its fabled past, earning the distinction of being an entire city named as a National Historic Landmark.

 

We strolled through the city enjoying the ambiance.  And as we passed the Bullock Hotel, my parents reminisced about their first visit  here in 1999. 
 

The Bullock Hotel, Where My Parents Stayed in 1999

We walked endlessly uphill through Mt. Moriah Cemetery, the final resting place for Deadwood’s notorious residents such as Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, and Potato Creek Johnny.  The cemetery sits atop a high peak, offering a breathtaking and dramatic view of the city.

Wild Bill Hickok's Grave

Calamity Jane's Grave

The View from Mt. Moriah Cemetery

Another Dramatic View from Mt. Moriah Cemetery

If there is a museum, Mom usually insists we visit.  Since we get free admission with the V.I.P. passes that are part of our compensation package at Crazy Horse, Dad and I acquiesced.  We visited the Days of  ’76, a museum chronicling an annual celebration of the same name that first occurred in 1924.  The museum is also a repository for carriages, wagons, and other “vehicles” from the pioneer days.  Check me out driving the hearst!

We also stopped in the Adams Museum, dedicated to preserving the history of the Black Hills.  This is where Daddy crushed my little heart.  I was mesmerized by the stuffed jackalope, admiring its uniqueness.  But Dad said there was no such animal.  It was all just a hoax.  Someone stuck antelope horns on a jackrabbit and then called it a jackalope.

 

Just a myth?  I'm calling Mythbusters to prove Dad wrong!

 

I couldn't be more upset and disappointed if Dad had told me that there was no Santa Claus!  Sometimes we ALL need to believe in fairy tales, myths, and magic.

 

I consoled myself by taking up a hobby my Aunt Laurie taught me—gambling with the slot machines!  Unfortunately, I lost my entire week’s allowance on that dang Wheel of Fortune machine!

 

 

Rambling RV Rat Losing His Shirt!

 

The evening ended on a good note—we had a scrumptious beef meal at Legends Steakhouse in the Franklin Hotel.  In fact, Dad’s succulent 28 ounce prime rib was pretty as a picture!

Prime Rib Dinner at Legends Steakhouse in Deadwood

 

We got back on the bikes and headed home with full bellies and fun memories.