Flashback Friday

After my Utah trip in July, I rested for a couple weeks and then headed out again to South Dakota. My route was 74 to the outskirts of Omaha then catch Interstate 29 up to Sioux City. From there Route 18 West through Winner, South Dakota, and Wounded Knee. From there, up to Rapid City, Deadwood, see Mount Rushmore, and head back East on Interstate 90.

I have about 3 layers of clothes on for my pictures at Mount Rushmore. I made the trek in the morning and it was cold. I stayed overnight at a KOA in Deadwood in my one-man tent. They were advertising a Hot August Nights bash downtown so I hopped on a trolley and enjoyed a night listening to some oldies groups and a couple one-hit wonders, still touring for some Boomer nostalgia. I can't find who were the headliners and groups that night but there were some recognizeable songs.

They sold beer on the sidewalk so I stayed and enjoyed the night. However, once back at my tent I kept having to go to the bathroom and I had to walk over rocks and it was down the way quite a bit. When I did get some sleep by the time I woke up it had frosted. Besides that, there was condensation inside my tent dripping down on me. A most uncomfortable night. This was the last straw on my tent phase. From that day forward my mission was to find cheap mom-and-pop motels: roughing it is vastly overrated.

Mount Rushmore is one of those things I think need to be seen. The presentation is almost as cool as the Mount itself. You enter a large stone area with some artifacts then walk down a long viewing walkway with all the flags of the Union lined on the sides. Then as you are paying attention to those things, you come smack-dab on one of the most iconic creations of the nation. Just about takes your breath away. I found a nice looking family guy to take my picture in front of the carving.

My third trip of the summer would end a few days from these pictures, but I would be off again in a few weeks, the fourth and final trip of this summer, to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to a Kawasaki bike rally. My ass and my wrist find long hauls a little tougher these days but for one summer, it was all I could do to keep in the saddle.

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Existing In BFE

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