Jul 01, 2014

 The thumbnail is a shot of the Custer State Park main lodge where we ate. By the way this is around 6,500 feet above sea level.

Today has been an experience of one spectacular view and experience after another. The only thing which could have improved it was having our usual travelling companions (Sharen and Ken) or our Easyriders group to share the ride. It has been a day of one awesome experience after another and rather than have 20 + photos on the blog check out Google for pics of the Peter Norbeck Scenic ride, the Iron Mountain Road and the Needles Highway all in South Dakota USA of course. We had a succession of tunnels and switchback corners and staggering scenery. Hard to concentrate on the road!

We started our day with a sobering shot of a mountain lion and warnings that we are in their habitat and while they are a reclusive animal....they can still be scary. By the way when we got in last night we were as stuffed as this exhibit.

 

Mount Rushmore.

 

And a closer look.

 

The Red Garter Saloon in Keystone where we had lunch.

 

An overlook of the blackhills of Dakota, some of them only, they were all around us.

 

An overview of a pigtail bridge on the Peter Norbeck route, very quirky.

 

And from underneath.

 

The Needles (small portion).

 

Another thintg to check out on Google, the Crazy Horse Memorial. When finished it will be the largest sculpture in the world larger than the sphinx and anything else you can think of. The 4 Presidents heads at Mt Rushmore would all fit in Crazy Horse's head!

 

And shot of what it will ultimately look like. Awesome.

Bits and Bobs:

Fuel - As evidence of being in remote areas, prior to yesterday the longest warning of no services was 40kms, yesterday was 160kms.

Custer Senior Citizens - Sorry I missed a great photo opportunity yesterday here, there was a row of really cool motorbikes parked out front. 

Food - Had to remove some snack bars from our panniers last night so as not to entice any wildlife to rip them to bits. Happy to say they were intact this morning.