I have always considered Kansas as being placed here so one would appreciate Missouri and Colorado - and I do. This part of Kansas has got to be the most boring part of our trip. At least, we are tired and could do with less excitement for now - if excitement is even in this country's vocabulary.
We did see one thing very interesting. While driving through a few cuts in hills, I noticed the banks on either side of the road was ten or twelve feet of nothing but dirt - nary a rock in sight. Then all of a sudden there were fence rows with hewn rocks as post. These rocks were roughly 3 feet tall and possibly 6 to 8 inches square. Some fields had the rocks spaced about the typical distance between fence posts. Others had one every other post or so with steel or wood posts in between. These antique stone posts were used because there were so few trees in this part of the country. Supposedly, these stones were quarried from rock outcroppings in the area. They must have quarried a lot of them because I never saw a single outcropping of stone.
We opted to stay at the Lucas Park on Wilson Lake just west of Salina. Turns out it was a good choice. This is a Corp of Engineers lake and the difference in maintenance is like night and day.
It's a beautiful lake. The only drawback might be the wind - and perhaps the goat head burrs. Although Ditto hasn't collected too many this time. Wind or no wind, I grilled some steaks tonight and they really hit the spot.
We're continuing toward home. Last night was somewhat of a bust what with Joyce's encounter with a yellow jacket. But, she's better now just itchy.
A short distance from where we stayed last night, is the famous Chimney Rock of pioneering days. This photo is very similar to what one typically sees in books, taken from the East. But, actually, it was somewhat a disappointment for us. As we approached from the West, it is closely attached to a long butte, making it seem much less impressive. But still, it is easy to see how this magnificent rock led many pioneers on toward Oregon.
Keeping in mind, we are now traversing the southwestern portion of Nebraska along the Platte River, I have little to report on the trip beyond Chimney Rock. Just a lot of cattle feed lots and open range. Our next stay is at Enders State Recreational Area just outside, of all places, Enders, Nebraska (whoopee). There must be a wise man somewhere who named this place.Actually, it was somewhat like Minatare in that it could have been beautiful except for poor maintenance - and those incessant goat head burrs. Poor Ditto had to crap in the road because the grass was too dangerous. But, we weren't staying long, so any port in a storm, I guess.
It was time to start our journey back home. I checked Pumpkin's vitals and we got everything ready to roll. I stopped at the dump station and did just that. While there, we hooked up Coors, but ran into some difficulty with the lights. I think there may be a loose connection inside the plug that plugs into Pumpkin. I got it to working and it seemed to hold, so we'll try to get home with it as is. I'll just have to keep a check on it.
So, here is where we spent the last four days at Ellsworth AFB. A nice place for our headquarters.
Next stop was Minatare State Park near Scott's Bluff.
This was NOT one of Joyce's favorite spots. While Ditto and I were at the park office checking in, Joyce got stung by a yellow jacket in the meaty part of her upper arm. She had apparently trapped it there and it wanted out. It got out. Joyce was understandably a bit skidish the rest of our stay here.
But, we did get out for a Jeep ride out on "Lighthouse Point". Nice spot.
The only problem (besides the yellow jackets) was the lake level was very low. The lady at the office had explained the lake is filled by water off the Platte River, but only when floodgates are opened to do so. Whoever controls it had let the water level go way down for some reason. Then to add to it, the lake level had been way up over the summer, flooding much of the park. So, when it went back down, it left a lot of debris and trash that had yet to be cleaned up. I'd say on a more normal season this would be a very nice place to stay - if the yellow jackets move on.
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.
Yes, we had another wonderful day. But, I'm too pooped to tell about it tonight. I'll catch you up tomorrow.
Oh, okay, here's a teaser...
Now, Where Were We?
Oh yes, Wednesday. Wednesday was another fine day Joyce got me into. We headed up for Lead and Deadwood. We went up Highway 385 to Lead then turned south on 85 down to Cheyenne Crossing. From there we took the Spearfish Canyon highway. A "purdier" sight not seen for some time...
The birch and aspen were turning colors right before our eyes.
Eventually, we wound up in Deadwood. The town has really gone commercial since we were there in 1970. We didn't do much but drive through. We did, however, drive up to the cemetery where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried. Wouldn't you know it? They now charge to get in - into a cemetery!
It was a long day, but we both enjoyed it very much. When we got back to the campground, though, it was not long before the bed started calling. Ditto and I hit the sack early.
We decided to hit Custer State Park again today. We wanted to take the wildlife road and also come down the Needles Highway in the reverse direction from what we did yesterday. One of the high points of the day was watching a guy in an RV about the size of Pumpkin negotiate one of the tiny tunnels. He made it!
We approached the park on Hwy 16A into Keystone then on down to the Game Lodge area and then onto the wildlife loop. First up on the wildlife loop was a dandy pronghorn. We saw several today, but this fellow seemed to pose for us. We took some of the gravel roads taking off the main loop. Pronghorn and ground squirrels were all we saw, but the trip was interesting.
The buffalo roundup was just finished yesterday. Annually, the park buffalo are rounded up and culled out. They keep about 1300 for the park and auction off the rest for breeding stock and meat. The corrals where the buffalo are contained during the process is at about the halfway mark along the wildlife loop. The roundup was over and the culling complete, so those unlucky buffalo that were selected for auction were being held in a large fenced field, awaiting the auction in November.
On the way out of the wildlife loop, the ever present bums accosted us. Yes, those laughable lovable once tame now wild donkeys. This old gray one came up to beg and get his head scratched only to get an earful from Ditto. Ditto was going crazy, but the donkey just stood there and took it.
As we finished up the day's tour, we came across a couple of the lucky buffalo - apparently part of the chosen 1300.
We made it back to the base in time to get through the Patriot Gate (back gate) - just before 6 pm. It was a long day, but a wonderful tour. Tomorrow, we head for Deadwood and Lead. It will be interesting to see what changes have occurred in 40 years.
We left the Badlands looking back. We both had tumbled the idea around in our minds of staying another day. But, onward and upward. It took a 2 hour leisurely drive to get to Ellsworth AFB, home of the B1B bomber. We found the FamCamp easily and got settled in quickly. It's a nice clean secure campground. We're in site #6 just inside the entrance and backed up to the doggie walk. Handy. These are full service sites with water, electricity and sewer. Just across the circle is the shower house and laundry. Since we plan on staying here 4 nights, the laundry might come in handy. The shower...for sure.
We were settled and ready to do something by 2 pm. We did not waste the day. Off we went, not sure just where to. We wound up in Custer State Park and heading up the Needles Highway, where else?
One of Joyce's items on her "must see" list came true in the first mile or so past the Game Lodge. Laying in the trees were several big horn sheep - big horns and all. We managed a shot through the trees.
Continuing on up the highway, the aspen and birch had begun to shift to fall colors.
The photo doesn't quite do it justice. Neither does Ditto's ear.
We stopped to enjoy Sylvan Lake. It's a beautiful place.
Unfortunately, we were now racing the sunset and kept peddling. We ran up by the Crazy Horse monument then past Mt. Rushmore. Only Crazy Horse looked different from our last visit 41 years ago. Crazy Horse now has a recognizable face. Other than that, George and the boys haven't aged a bit - not even grayer hair.
We headed back to Rapid City for a bite to eat. It got dark on us about then so we had to go back to the base in the dark. We found the way we had come in earlier today. Rats! That gate was closed. It was then we noticed the sign that read 6 am - 6 pm Monday thru Friday. We had to go to the main gate, but the only other gate we'd seen marked was called the "Commercial" gate. As the name implies, it wasn't the main gate and was also closed. After some circling and fighting off the urge to stop and ask someone, we finally found it. Now we're "home" and thinking about bed. We have 3 more days so maybe we'll get back to Custer and snap a picture or two of those fantastic tunnels. But, there is so much to see, so much to do around here. Let's see what happens tomorrow.
