We woke up this morning and had breakfast at the Keystone Cafe. It appears much of the real estate in Keystone is owned by the same company. All three restaurants we have eaten at in Keystone have the same interior and the two places we had breakfast have the same exact menu. Though they are located in three separate locations and have different names appears they are under the same management.
After breakfast its off to the 'Heads' as Jack calls Mount Rushmore. We decide to stop back at Mount Rushmore to take a few more pictures in the morning with the Sun shining directly on the Monument. The weather is perfect again. Total sun without a cloud in the sky. After snapping a few photos. (To add to the gazillion we have already taken) we head down the road to Crazy Horse Monument. It is only 20 minutes down the road. Crazy Horse is a privately funded endeavor that is still in progress. So it cost 10 bucks a person to get in. Its for a good cause I guess.
The Crazy Horse Monument is quite impressive. It is quite a bit bigger than Mount Rushmore but the viewing area is a mile away so it looks smaller. Only the face is completed and the rest is just roughed out. And the work has been going on for over 50 years! So they have a way to go. There is alot more at the visitor center than I thought there would be. A Movie theater, museum, viewing area, restaurant. We end up spending a few hours here looking at everything and having some lunch in the restaurant.
They give away free rocks that have been blasted off the mountain. For a donation of course. So I leave a small donation and take some rocks. So Uncle Larry will have the rock he requested. Although shipping is not included so he will have to come to Ohio to pick it up.
After crazy horse we go on the scenic byway drive through Custer State park. The scenery is excellent. We don't make it all the way around the wildlife loop part because of time but we do make it to the area where the buffalo are. There are buffalo roaming the park but this time of year they round them up for yearly inventory/medical reasons. So the buffalo are in fenced in pastures and easy to see. We get within about 10 - 20 feet. But there is a double fence between us and them. Good thing because as per usual I got a little to close to one of the mother buffalo and her little one. It charged at me. Scared the begeezers out of me. Luckily it stopped short. I hope the fence would have held.
After the buffalo viewing we head back up 16 to Keystone and then up 385 to Deadwood. On the way up 16 there is a mule in the middle of the road blocking our path. I drive the BRM right up to it and lay on the horn but it could care less. It wont move so I have to drive around it. Dumb mule. Also on this part of 16 are a series of tunnels through the rock that line up directly with mount Rushmore in the distance. So as we drive through the tunnel Mount Rushmore is right in front of us. Though far away. On the ride up 385 there is alot of smoke not to far to the left. There are a lot of controlled burns going on with the forest service so it was very smokey.
There wasn't much open in Keystone so we decide to spend the night in Deadwood. It looks like a cool old western town. Unfortunately we are ru1nning a little late so it is just about dark when we get in. It appears to us that much of the town it gambling. A lot of little casinos in the old historic buildings on Main Street.
We check in the Hampton Inn On Main Street and go for a walk. We end up eating at a place called 'The Deadwood Social Club' It is upstairs from an old western looking bar. The only one we reallycan see. Like I mentioned most of the buildings seem to house casinos. Our Hotel recommended this restaurant. It was quite good. Had a lot of Italian type food but it was not just an Italian restaurant. I had a pheasant fettuccini dish and Jack has shrimp tortellini. We walk around a little bit but there are mostly just casinos so we call it a night.
After breakfast its off to the 'Heads' as Jack calls Mount Rushmore. We decide to stop back at Mount Rushmore to take a few more pictures in the morning with the Sun shining directly on the Monument. The weather is perfect again. Total sun without a cloud in the sky. After snapping a few photos. (To add to the gazillion we have already taken) we head down the road to Crazy Horse Monument. It is only 20 minutes down the road. Crazy Horse is a privately funded endeavor that is still in progress. So it cost 10 bucks a person to get in. Its for a good cause I guess.
The Crazy Horse Monument is quite impressive. It is quite a bit bigger than Mount Rushmore but the viewing area is a mile away so it looks smaller. Only the face is completed and the rest is just roughed out. And the work has been going on for over 50 years! So they have a way to go. There is alot more at the visitor center than I thought there would be. A Movie theater, museum, viewing area, restaurant. We end up spending a few hours here looking at everything and having some lunch in the restaurant.
They give away free rocks that have been blasted off the mountain. For a donation of course. So I leave a small donation and take some rocks. So Uncle Larry will have the rock he requested. Although shipping is not included so he will have to come to Ohio to pick it up.
After crazy horse we go on the scenic byway drive through Custer State park. The scenery is excellent. We don't make it all the way around the wildlife loop part because of time but we do make it to the area where the buffalo are. There are buffalo roaming the park but this time of year they round them up for yearly inventory/medical reasons. So the buffalo are in fenced in pastures and easy to see. We get within about 10 - 20 feet. But there is a double fence between us and them. Good thing because as per usual I got a little to close to one of the mother buffalo and her little one. It charged at me. Scared the begeezers out of me. Luckily it stopped short. I hope the fence would have held.
After the buffalo viewing we head back up 16 to Keystone and then up 385 to Deadwood. On the way up 16 there is a mule in the middle of the road blocking our path. I drive the BRM right up to it and lay on the horn but it could care less. It wont move so I have to drive around it. Dumb mule. Also on this part of 16 are a series of tunnels through the rock that line up directly with mount Rushmore in the distance. So as we drive through the tunnel Mount Rushmore is right in front of us. Though far away. On the ride up 385 there is alot of smoke not to far to the left. There are a lot of controlled burns going on with the forest service so it was very smokey.
There wasn't much open in Keystone so we decide to spend the night in Deadwood. It looks like a cool old western town. Unfortunately we are ru1nning a little late so it is just about dark when we get in. It appears to us that much of the town it gambling. A lot of little casinos in the old historic buildings on Main Street.
We check in the Hampton Inn On Main Street and go for a walk. We end up eating at a place called 'The Deadwood Social Club' It is upstairs from an old western looking bar. The only one we reallycan see. Like I mentioned most of the buildings seem to house casinos. Our Hotel recommended this restaurant. It was quite good. Had a lot of Italian type food but it was not just an Italian restaurant. I had a pheasant fettuccini dish and Jack has shrimp tortellini. We walk around a little bit but there are mostly just casinos so we call it a night.
Here are some pictures
Here I am in booming Keystone. Notice I can stand in the middle of the street as long as I like.
Here is a photo of Mount rushmore from the side. It was taken from a location outside the memorial area on the road to Crazy Horse.
Here we are in front of Crazy horse. It is a mile away.
A better photo of Crazy horse. They are now working on the horses head which you can see its ear drawn out in white paint.
Here I am in Custer state park next to the Bison.
A close up of a Bison.
Here is the dumb mule that was in the middle of the road and would not move!
A famous site in Deadwood. We passed this on our way to dinner.
The Deadwood Social Club Restaurant. An excellent restaurant.
Dave and Jack at Dinner.
The Deadwood Social Club Restaurant. An excellent restaurant.
Dave and Jack at Dinner.
Here is a closeup of my dinner. A pheasant fettuccini dish. Excellent.
Mainstreet Deadwood. Lots of casinos. Although you can not really tell from this photo.
A picture of the deadwood post office.
Mainstreet Deadwood. Lots of casinos. Although you can not really tell from this photo.
A picture of the deadwood post office.
1 comment:
Wow---you are really seeing great sights---the towns look like neat old western towns---and of course, the buffalo---leave it to Dave to get a bit too close to one.
Glad your weather is nice--you are missing Ohio's cold and rain.
Now off to the corn palace-----
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