Raptor's Nest Inn Belle Fourche

... the limestone cliffs of the canyon, on both sides of the road, and it's spectacularly beautiful. I scoped out the canyon Saturday evening, then went back Sunday morning to get the best shots I could. I went to the Roughlock Falls area this time, for the first time. Roughlock Falls is really a triple falls and I was impressed with how beautiful that canyon is. I'm going to go back ...

... then and double up, but.....
What fun would that have been? We went all the way down to double zero. Walked out only with the free beer we got while playing. Lesson learned I guess....

Deadwood was very cool, next stop is Mt. Rushmore, probably fairly in the morning. There is lots to explore in this area, so we may be here for a couple days.

Yesterday was a learning experience....in preparation and patience. We started out the morning at our little bunkhouse in Thermopolis, WY. We then went to the Dinosaur Museum where Jimbo, Wyoming's biggest found dinosaur to date lives. He's a longneck. The girls squealed with excitement when they saw "baby maiasaurus" who "Diego" introduced them to in his "Great Dinosaur eadventure. I have some cool pics to be uploaded ...

... of people driving around on Harleys.
The fishing was great, I spent a day fishing in the Spearfish canyon while Jo took the day of, well if you call hanging around the campsite doing the laundry a day off, I dont think she does!!
The area where I was fishing is where they filmed the last scenes of "Dancing with Wolves", when the indians were camped in the Black hills in a deep gorge .It really is a beautiful area, and we would like to return.

... know that I had "left" from the city life many hours ago.

We finally arrived at Deadwood, south Dakota at approximately 8 PM! My first thought that came to mind was the Old West! I wasn't kidding. The historic town was surrounded by tall, pine trees and the town itself was the real deal - a wild west town! Furthermore, the hotel that we stayed in, the Franklin Hotel, was very historic because it was built in 1903 and survived fires from the past century.

Deadwood, South Dakota, United States bobamaniac715

... 450 people in it. They *ll come together to put together * m*ssive BBQ *nd set up souvenir st*nds *nd food *nd drink st*nds. I'm not sure wh*t, if *nything, they do for the rest of the ye*r. We were going to stop *nd get the free BBQ, but the line w*s *lre*dy liter*lly * 1/4 mile long. Do check out the free museum while you're there. While I w*s in Hulett w*s when I first got to see the Boss Hoss with * 502ci V8 *nd 200 shot of nitrous.

I went back to Badlands National Park in the morning for a bit more of a look around before heading off towards the Black Hills area of South Dakota and the old western town of Deadwood. I had watched the Deadwood TV services back home and had to make sure I visited the town itself.

On the way to Deadwood, I stopped at Mt Rushmore and also the Crazy Horse Monument. I am not sure why I bothered with the Crazy Horse Monument. They are still along way from ...

... a little dinner/birthday party for Mo at the cabin. I gave him a $150 gift card for the scuba shop in Virginia Beach, since he is getting his PADI open-water certification. We got "squished pennies" at quite a few places. My collection is growing rapidly since I met Mo! I loved it out there so much, I didn't want to leave! One of the best vacations I've been on. I'm going to have to move there, I think....

... been kinder to us. We must have spent a couple of hours there before heading back down to Sundance. Yes this is where the Sundance kid came from. After this we drove out to Devils Tower Nat. Memorial. For those of you who remember watching "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", this is THE tower that was used in the movie when the aliens landed in their spaceship - the one that Richard Dreyfuss was obsessively building out of clay. Of course this place ...

... next morning it was on through Missour-ah and into Iowa. If at all possible, skip Iowa. At least the western part of it. sorry, I can see corn in INdiana! Then to South Dakota. Mal said it best. SD is sleepy. We stayed in southern SD at Snake Creek SP. Josh would appreciate that. It was along the missouri river which is slowed and dammed. So it is a nice resevoir. we walked the beach (check out pics). This was all on Saturday. On Sunday we woke up, broke camp and ...