Subject: Postcards from Mt Rushmore--#7

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Weather update: This morning it is 48 with the high only to be in the upper 70’s. The cool front is starting to come into the area but it will still be sunny.

Today we go to Hot Springs and Wind Cave National Park.

Yesterday we visited Deadwood, Lead, Spearfish, Belle Fourche and Spearfish Canyon.

Lead was on top of the mountain right above Deadwood. One mile high. Prominent at the crest of the hill top was the gold mine which went 8,000 feet underground, the deepest one in the nation. The main elevator only went down 4600 feet due to the cable stress. A series of additional elevators stepped down the remaining distance. The mine closed in 2004 and was not open for below surface tours.

Belle Fourche, SD is the geographical center of the United States (all 50). We stood on the marker for pictures. Then it was on to Deadwood where we spent the remainder of the day.

By the 1980’s Deadwood was about as dead as its name. In 1988, South Dakota passed a gambling law which brought Deadwood back. It is now a series of gambling halls and old fashioned hotels. Easily, it’s the most authentic looking 1880’s town in the Black Hills area. We went to the Lucky Nugget gambling hall where our female bartender was wearing an outfit that even an 1880’s Madam’s girls would probably not wear. But we really didn’t mind and stayed for several drinks. We also visited Boot Hill where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried. Boot Hill was aptly named as it is way up on the hillside overlooking the town.

By 6:00pm we were back in the van and heading back to Custer City. I wanted to get back before dark as I did not want to encounter any of the very large animals that roam this area. Even so we rounded one curve and found several Big Horn sheep grazing just a few feet off the highway.