Back roads

This was one of my favorite days.  We started out not knowing for sure where we wanted to go, but wanting to take some back roads.  We did just that.  We took a road along side the Mickelson Trail, which is a walking/biking/horse trail.  While driving along a very dusty but smooth dirt road, we came across this little two rut lane leading across a bridge over the Mickelson Trail and on into the "interior".  A sign said there was a dam 3 miles in.

Well, the dam wasn't much, but the drive was terrific.

Ditto got in a little bit of leash-free time here.

We piddled around and found this nice stream in a grassy valley.

And took in the sights of fall in the Black Hills.

As we drove slowly back out, we were greeted with this stand of birch that really caught our attention.

As we made our way back out on the dirt road to Mystic (small settlement) and on toward Rochford (another small settlement), we came across a group of camper/squatters down in a creek bed.  Parked along side the road were two USDA Black Hills ranger trucks and a white SUV.  The rangers and a guy with a gun on his hip were standing around nearby.  I realized the "encampment" was that of some gold prospectors.  They had the area pretty dug up and I wondered if that was the reason the "law" was there.  But, we drove on.

Shortly, we were overtaken by a cloud of dust.  It was the two ranger trucks and the white SUV.  They went zooming on by as I pulled over and let them through.

We caught up with them again.  They were parked alongside the road and were examining an area of excavation on a tree covered bank above the road.  I could see a wheelbarrow up on top, laying on its side.  Interestingly, there was a playground sliding board with no legs or frame on the side of the bank placed as though to slide stuff down to road level.  One of the rangers, a woman, was standing in the road and I asked if someone was poaching gold.  She was quite friendly and chatted a bit.  She explained that in the National Forest, surface digging for gold was legal.  What was not legal was using any mechanized equipment without a special permit.  The site they were examining looked like someone had used a backhoe - according to the ranger.  So, it wasn't gold poaching, it was illegal use of mechanical hands.  (sorry)

We left the scene of the crime and headed out to Hill City.  We stopped for a sub sandwich there which amazingly was cheaper than a Subway in Forsyth.  We had a picnic at the city park and watched dogs poop by a noisy little creek flowing nearby, then took the Needles Highway into Custer State Park - pull in your elbows, ladies and gentlemen.

So Ditto wouldn't feel left out, we took the Wildlife Loop again so she could tell her new friends goodbye.

Then we headed back to camp - too pooped to pop again.  Another very nice day - and our last one in the Black Hills.