August 9… We left Estes Park and the 7500' altitude. Ralph, Joan and I all could tell a difference in the oxygen at the higher altitudes. Rocky Mountain National Park has several peaks that are 14,000' or higher. The trip back to I-25 was through a beautiful canyon. At one point it looked like a miniature Grand Canyon. We stopped in Cheyenne, WY to buy fuel and propane. The guy that filled our propane tank said he had spent a wonderful week or so in Tennessee at Dale Hollow Dam and that he wanted to go back sometime. Joan and Barth have been there with other Sundown people (Charlie and Betsy Mangrum and Earl and Billie Wray). We arrived at the KOA Douglas early and decided to cook our big meal at lunch time. We all took a nap and then went to the Wyoming State Fair and Rodeo which opened last night. Tonight the main attraction was a true Wyoming demolition derby which was fun and enjoyed by all. I think I've been taken by some of the Wyomingians (if that is what they are called)… I'd been looking for a Jackalope and was told that you have to get up about 4 a.m. to see them and you can only find them in Converse County, which is the county we are now in… Joan told me it was like "snipe hunting" but I thought differently until I Googled it… I probably would have been up at 4 a.m. in the morning looking for one to "hop or lope" through the campground. Driving Distance 220 miles
August 10… The day started by leaving the quiet KOA of Douglas headed for Rapid City, SD. We were in no big hurry because today is only a 200 mile day. We let Google and Garmin route us and it was a beautiful route. Since today is the end of the 68th Sturgis Motor Cycle Rally, we wished we had started counting the motorcycle we met going to Rapid City… I bet it was close to 5,000! A young man in our campground said their crowd was off this year, only about 400,000 instead of the normal 500,000. I heard on the news that the arrests were down this year only about 200; however, they did have one shooting which was an altercation between the "Hell's Angels" and the "Iron Pipes" (a group of firefighters and police officers from Seattle). If I were betting, I would bet the "Iron Pipes" fired first! Please remember I live with an "old policeman" and they are always right and know everything!!!
Arrived at Hart Ranch RV Resort just south of Rapid City which is one of our RPI Parks and found it to be one of the nicest parks we've ever stayed in and I know it's the nicest RPI…They have everything in the Park, including a gas station. We're going to be here until Thursday. Driving Distance 195 miles
August 11… Today was set aside for Sturgis and Deadwood. On the way to Sturgis, we passed Cabela's… I believe Rapid City is their headquarters. Sturgis has a lot of old building and a few permanent establishments, but for the most part one week a year is when everything happens in Sturgis. They do have a motorcycle museum which is closed on Monday and Tuesday so I only got a picture of it and I also got a picture of the Loud American Roadhouse (where the shooting occurred earlier in the week). After Ralph did his "shirt shopping" and he was not slighted with tee shirts and denim (no leather for him), we just browsed through the few shops that were open… most of the vendors had already pulled out. Joan did buy some leather… luggage that attaches to back of her bike… so now she's ready for a road trip AND Barth is now an official member of the Sturgis Motor Cycle Club. Barth's flea market negotiating skills kicked in on the luggage and this was one time being a retired teacher paid off for Joan as it got them an additional 10%, plus Barth's 10% for being a Sturgis Club Member added to the original 25%.. While all of this was going on, Ralph and I watched the sidewalks being pressure washed. I can just imagine the mess after a week of 400,000 motorcyclists being there (probably like Bourbon Street in July).
After Sturgis we went on to Deadwood and ate lunch at "The Buffalo Steakhouse and Saloon." They had live entertainment and he was great… he did a good job with Johnny Horton's hits i.e. North to Alaska, Whispering Pines, etc. Lunch was very tasty… we all had burgers (Barth's was a Buffalo burger). Deadwood is where Will Bill Hickok was killed (he only spent a short time in Deadwood); however, he and Calamity Jane are buried nearby in the Mt. Moriah Cemetery.
Left over Bikers had spilled over into Deadwood and Ralph enjoyed watching them drive by. He had bought himself a Cuban Cigar (from before the embargo) and sat on a bench watching the people and cycles go by. Deadwood has 86 gaming establishments. I wasn't as lucky at the slots as I was previously at Bingo. However, when you are playing penny and nickel slots, you can play a lot longer. We found out that Joan really knows her way around at the "Black Jack tables."
We let Garmin bring us back and when we came upon the cattle crossing signs and livestock gaps in the road Ralph thought we were lost for sure. Driving Distance today in the car 125 miles
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