50th Anniversary Trip - Day 18: Wheelin' thru the Black Hills

It was another beautiful day in South Dakota.  The sun was shinning and the temperature in the mid-80's.  We decided to drive the Spearfish Canyon road south to Lead and then take another scenic highway south to Custer State Park.  We discovered that motorcycles are a big thing around here.  In the campground, there are almost as many motorcycles as cars/trucks.  People bring in their toy haulers or on trailers attached to their camper.  Today we shared the road with many different kinds of "wheels."  There were two-wheelers (motorcycles, bicycles), three-wheelers (motorcycles), and four-wheelers (ATVs, cars, trucks) and assorted six wheelers (motorhomes, campers). 

I really don't know why this park is not a national park because it contains some outstanding scenery.  The State of South Dakota charges a $20 entrance fee.  I don't remember it being that much the last time we were here four years ago.  We gladly pay because we enjoy the scenery and wildlife we see and it is a small amount for that much enjoyment.

Look closely and you will see a lonely buffalo.  This is not a good picture.  We had just rounded a curve and there by the side of the road was a buffalo drinking water from a mud hole.  At first, we thought it was a statue because it was so still, and we didn't expect to see one in this part of the park.   When I realized it was real, I grabbed my camera for this shot.  It looks small but it was huge!

There are several tunnels on the Needles Highway.

We ate lunch in Custer at a restaurant called "The Wrangler."  The food was very good.  Carol had another buffalo, bacon, cheeseburger and I had a chicken wrap.  We both had waffle fries.

After driving 30-45 miles an hour most of the time (sometimes 15 MPH around hairpin curves in the park), we got on a four-lane road to come back to the KOA.  We stopped at Walmart in  Spearfish to restock.  When we got back to the KOA, we hooked up the car.  Tomorrow when we leave here, we don't plan to unhook the car until it gets back to Lakeland Road.  Each evening we will be in a pull-through site and leave the car attached.  We should be in Decatur on Thursday.  We spent the rest of the evening sitting outside, enjoying the evening.