Custer to Rapid City
July 13, 2022
Today was one of the most scenic rides on the tour as we
were riding the Needles Park
highway. A person wants to get
out and on the road early on this ride as the actual Needles formation area is
quite small and you want to get there and get a few pictures before the
hoards. To this effect I was on the road
at 6:45. However, I wasn’t the only one
with this in mind as there was a long line of riders in front of me. I managed to pass quite a few of them on the
seven mile hill to the Needles Park summit.
When I got to the summit area there was only 3 other riders there. So we had fun taking lots of pictures. It is a really unique and pretty area. In all the other years I have seen mountain goats
around the summit but not this year.
Later on other riders reported seeing goats. From the Needles Summit it
was a wild ride down the other side.
Although I did not see any goats a few miles further on
there was a huge male buffalo walking down the highway. There were no oncoming cars so I went into
the far lane and gave him a wide berth.
What a magnificent animal.
The climbing wasn’t
done as the route turned into Iron Mountain Nation Forest. At the turn there was a sign which said Rapid
City 22 miles. As I was only at mile 29.2 of 71 and facing a 12 mile climb up
Iron Mountain, ends in a series of really steep switch backs, it was really
tempting to just head on into Rapid City.
However I did make the turn and started the big grind up hill. It was
a big grind and about half way up you get a glimpse of Mont Rushmore. From the
summit down the other side are a series of one lane tunnels and “pig tails”
where the road loops back on its self. The route takes you right to the base of Mont
Rushmore. However, it is a long steep hill to the visitor’s center and as I
have done it three times before and the temperature was pushing over 95F I didn’t
make the turn to go see Rushmore.
I rolled in to picnic at 11:45 and from picnic is it was
only 24 miles down to Rapid City. I
thought it was going to be easy but there was a lot of new chip seal with loose
rocks and newly tarred chips seal. TO say it was ugly would be an
understatement.
I rolled in to Rapid City and found a Safeway where I
purchased a half gallon of chocolate milk.
It was great.
Garmin registered 69.64 miles and 5213 feet of climb. I guess that qualifies as a tough day.
Terry
4 comments:
Wow. Spectacular pictures of trails and tunnels. Your past three days have been world class under clear blue sky’s. Way to go.
I can’t imaging what you will do carrying a scrapbook of 250 pictures. Enjoy.
Certainly this day of the tour has a lot of highlights. That buffalo's hide and coat look so good, he almost looks like someone's pet; a well groomed gentleman.
Calgary Ken C.
Wow, great pictures! Scenery, Mount Rushmore and a buffalo. I agree with Ken, the buffalo looks very refined. My initial reaction was that he was a fibreglass creation that would belong outside of an old drugstore, like Wall drugs. Ride safe.
Tough day IS an understatement… you are a tough guy tho 😂
Wish I was there.. Cynthia
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