The Great Prairie Safari -- Day Six

6 May 2013; Through the Black Hills –

Waking at sunrise with big-idea plans to see “all that is worth seeing” in the Southern Black Hills in one continuous and non-repetitive road trip, Grumpy was becoming a little frustrated with the morning-sleeping habits of his safari companions. Here we were, resting overnight in beautiful Fisherman’s Flat area of Custer State Park [aka: The Haystack] and some of us were “burning daylight” by snoozing in the sack late into the day.

The seven o’clock arousing of the “Queen” and her preparing a delicious hot breakfast of sausage links and pancakes quickly dispelled Grumpy’s concerns, however. [The fact that she occasionally makes  Grumpy’s favorite dessert, genuine Lemon Meringue Pie, is also a factor!]

Wandering on along US 16A, toward what Grumpy remembered as the way to Crazy Horse, we encountered a large contingent of Buffalo cows with their week-old to month-old calves working their way from Point A to Point B by means of the easiest path: the main highway. This Buffalo encounter surprised even Grumpy, the old veteran South Dakotan and former bison owner. There were an estimated 30-50 bison cows, most of them with their week- to month-old calves. We were able to hear their distinctive grunt, as they passed within “spitting distance” from our car. 

One young girl deigned to look Grumpy in the eye, as if to say, “Well, what are you looking for old man?”

This chance encounter, which we would have missed if we had been an hour (or even 15 minutes) earlier, provided ample proof to Grumpy that God works wonders to bless what man thinks is a tragedy of oversleeping. Grumpy thanked his troops for their earlier late-arisings.

Crazy Horse Memorial was the first scheduled sight on this day; the boys and their Mother were all smiles as they posed on the viewing deck of the “Laughing Water” restaurant. [The laughing water was not running as its channel was filled with yet-unmelted snow!] We had lunch in Laughing Water restaurant. The Great Grandsons each had a Buffalo Cheeseburger (GGson II, without the cheese); their Mother had a “Garden Burger” – and a bite of Grumpy’s Bison Stew. All declared “it was good”.

Next came Mount Rushmore. [We learned at Crazy Horse that the total volume of the four Presidents’ likenesses would fit inside the massive concrete likeness of Crazy Horse’s head!] Of course Frumpy had to have a pose of his Great Grandsons with their Mother arranged in a photo that included the Presidents’ faces – and excluding as much of the scenery-intruding modern-day structures as possible.

Grumpy’s master plan was working out perfectly so far. The Iron Mountain Road beckoned next. This highway was at least strongly guided, if not directly designed, by Peter Norbeck (South Dakota’s first native governor and supposedly a highway engineer). Legend has it that, in order to protect Iron Mountain from future desecration by mining the rich iron deposits it contained, Mr. Norbeck had the highway curve, weave and wobble its way such that no spot on the mountain was more than 1000 feet of this highway. South Dakota’s Constitution or legislation forbids any mining activity within 1000 feet of a public road.

One of its features are three tunnels oriented to provide the observant motorist of a view of Mount Rushmore either in his windshield or in his rear view mirror. Since our rear view mirror was blocked  by “various and sundry necessities” that the Queen and her court loaded therein, we were destined to park the Subaru and take this photo “au naturale”.

After cresting Iron Mountain we drove on toward what Grumpy remembered as the way to the Needles Highway. Finally arriving at the intersection and ignoring a sign which said something about a road closure ahead, Grumpy persisted for about 15 miles at which point he encountered a solidly-closed highway to the Needles. Inquiring of the workers who were just then leaving, we were instructed as to a “short, fast” route to Rapid City.

After refueling a near-empty tank in the outskirts of Rapid City we drove East on I-90 to the town of Wall, “Gateway to the Badlands” and home (or beneficiary?!) of Wall Drug, known literally world-wide as a result of the promotional genius of its founder, Ted Hustead in collusion with innumerable GI’s during World War II. Alas, we arrived a few minutes before closing time (1900) and could not partake of the anticipated Buffalo burger and the advertised free doughnut and cup of coffee for Grumpy, a WWII veteran.

As we drove in the dusk toward the Cedar Pass Campground, having given up on any meaningful photos of this part of the Badlands, we were pleasantly surprised to spot this coyote -- I suspect we interrupted his acquisition of his evening meal: a nice fat, juicy Prairie Dog.

We continued on to the heart of the Badlands, where we set up our tents and slept the peaceful rest of completely innocent voyagers.

More tomorrow.