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Sent from Gillette, WY, part 2

The next destination was the curvy roads in the Black Hills and Custer Park. I did Rtes 16 and 244. They were very good sport bike roads complete with narrow tunnels and spiral routes over trestle bridges. I didn't do Rte 87 because it would have cost $20 to enter that part of the park. "But it's good for 7 days", the park ranger lady said. "But I'm only here for the next few hours", says I. I even got on a little rant about such fees being discriminatory. That fell on deaf ears and I realized I might be sounding like a wacko. After 30 days on the road I may be one. I did get close to Mt. Rushmore without having to go through the long lines at park entry points to actually see it.

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Rte. 16A in the black hills. Crazy spiral roads over trestle bridges.

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The Black Hills.

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Mount Rushmore. Surprised I got this close without paying any money.

The sun was getting low, so I headed north towards campsites I marked on my map. Indeed I scored a beautiful site on Pactola Reservoir. No showers, so I bathed with my ivory soap in the lake and did laundry there too. Underwear and socks flapping in the wind under a bunjie on my bike the next day.

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My campsite on Pactola Reservoir.

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Ah, clean clothes. Maybe not dry, but clean.

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Interesting triangular hammock.

This morning I rose before sunrise and started breaking camp. Next destination road was 14A leading north to Spearfish, SD. Truly a spectacular road scenery wise, also very curvy. Tall cliffs, waterfalls, river with rapids. Then it was on to Devil's Tower. I made it through the line into the park and once again joined the throngs doing the 1.3 mile walk on a paved trail around the tower. It's really spectacular. Apparently the biggest known Basalt columns on the plant. Friend Frank climbed it around 1980 with a few friends. I called him to ask him which face he climbed. He could only remember the route name, which I can't now. Looks like it would have been a lot of chimneying.

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Canyon road Alt 14 to Spearfish, SD.

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On the way to Devil's tower.


Photos of Devil's Tower:
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On the way out of Devil's Tower Park I stopped at a field inundated with prairie dog holes. There were lots of prairie dogs skittering about, disappearing into and popping out of holes. Wild!

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Prairie dog and holes.

Now in Gillette, WY sponging internet from a corporate chain restaurant drinking an IPA overly infused with mango. Next up, Chief Joseph Scenic Hwy, Beartooth Hwy and various others in those areas.

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On the way to Gillette, I passed a massive railroad yard with many tracks filled with literally miles of trains made up of only engines. I didn't think there were that many train engines in the US.

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