Tue, Feb 1
02.01.05
We woke up around 8 again, and were out of the hotel before 9:30. We headed north on the route recommended by several of the rangers, up 16 to Spring City, then turned SW on 16/385 to Hill City, then N on 17 to 231 to Mystic, Rochford, and then took 17 thru Dumont, and then went thru Cheynne Crossing, Savoy (where we almost saw Roughlock Falls except the last mile of the road was closed to auto traffic and it was windy and uphill, and covered with ice and snow), passed by Bridal Veil Falls (which was completely frozen), and headed into Spearfish. Brenda was not all that impressed with the route, but Harlan liked it.
We ate lunch at the 7 Grill and Soup Shack in Spearfish, upon the recommendation of the salesguy at the nearby RadioShack (where Harlan was again unable to find a belt clip for his cellphone). Great place! We shared big onion rings, and Brenda had a tomato bisque with corn, and Harlan had very good french onion soup and a very tasty grilled chicken with some green sauce on it. We then went east on 90 to Piedmont to try and find Bethlehem Cave, on the recommendation of a ranger at Wind Cave. We searched for a good half hour, passing several places that reminded Brenda of the movie “Deliverance”, but no luck.
We then headed a bit farther (further?) east on 90 to the Petrified Forest of the Black Hills, and discovered that while the gates were open the place was closed. The manager said we should feel free to walk the trail anyway, so we did and it was real impressive. We came across a woodpile that seemed to easily have a chord or two of logs on it and were amazed to discover the logs were all petrified. There were petrified tree stumps 12 to 18″ in diameter, some fallen trees that were petrified, and “things like that”.
We then stopped off at a Best Buy in Rapid City in yet another unsuccessful attempt to locate the cellphone belt clip, and headed toward Mt. Rushmore. We got there about 4pm, and saw a movie that described how the place was built. The trail that gets closer to the base of the monument has been closed for the past few days’ time because of ice and snow, and is not expected to reopen for at least a couple more days’ time. We stopped in to the gift shop and Brenda bought a magnet. Harlan noticed the “magic gloves” and “magic hat/cap” at the register, and the clerk said there was really nothing magical about either. Sigh.
We headed to The Gas Light for our last meal there, and finally had the bacon-wrapped shrimp (not as good as the ones at the mexican restaurant, Vallarta, outside of Crater Lake), and learned that they had sold out of the creme brulee the night before and had not yet made more.
Going back to the hotel we noticed that more progress had been made on the jigsaw puzzle (now maybe 20% done) and we got some quarters and laundry detergent.
Tomorrow we’re planning to drive around (and to the extent we can, thru) the Badlands, make a quick stop at Wall Drug, and start heading toward Starved Rock State Park in IL.