Different type of Climber

The last time through the Needles Eye Tunnel in 2021we encountered a Mountain Goat inside the tunnel. This trip through we encountered two rock climbers descending the actual Needle Eye.

Unfortunately, I did not get the descents recorded due to operator error. I have since learned how to record with my camera. I tried to get them to do it again and they said nope. Oh well hopefully I might catch it again this season. The Needles are eroded granite pillars and rock climbers delight in being able to climb them.

The highway itself is 14 miles of twist and turns with beautiful scenery. I enjoy the trip up this road because depending on the clouds you can see something different at every turn.

The thing I noticed this trip is how resilient the trees are because they take root in just a small crack in the rocks. They are sturdy and strong. I am always impressed with how things adapt in nature.

Upon our arrival back at camp I was able to meet a lady and her parrot, great way to top off the afternoon.

I also tried to catch a few bird photos of my own. I am still trying to get used to the camera and that afternoon I think I captured the perfect motioned blur bird shot I’ve ever seen.

Surf

No, I did not find a place to go surfing in South Dakota. I did however find the Sanford Underground Research Facility better known as Surf. We had finished the Renaissance Festival and I told Roy why don’t we stop in Surf we are right here. The museum features the current work being done below ground many many feet below ground to be exact. Here’s a link to the Experiments and stuff. Roy did try to get an underground tour of the lab. You guessed it they said NO!

The most interesting research they are doing is involving Neutrinos Here is a link from energy.gov also explaining them. Before this place was home to SURF Sanford Underground Research Facility. It was the Homestake mine. The mine pit is a mile across and 8000 feet deep. This isn’t my picture but you can see how large the open pit is. The visitor center for SURF sits right on the edge of the pit. They also have one of the elevator cars that would take works down into the tunnels of the mine shaft.

I did have to buy one shirt and this is actually my first t-shirt of the journey. The back says “don’t trust an atom… They make up everything.

Taking some time to catch up with photos and blogs. Plus, dodging rain drops.

I found a mermaid and Nemo

The mermaid wasn’t little, and Nemo was not in the ocean. The mermaid was at the Black Hills Renaissance Festival in Lead SD on June 11th.

Something to do after two full days of rain. When Roy and I got to Lead we almost turn around because there was no place to park. We were lucky enough to grab a handicapped spot close to where the Festival was happening. The park had venders and all sorts of people in various costumes.

I have to say the amount of work that went into the outfits and personas were amazing. I am not sure weather the elf or the bird woman is my favorite. They are both unique.

Roy missed having a turkey leg for lunch but that was all good. We saw some hand-to-hand combat between knights. It being held in a park I was able to take a few photos of kids actually playing. The park grass where the vendors were was a little soggy, so the chair and scooter had to work not to sink.

Catch the fighting in this slide show

Heading out we stopped at SURF Sanford Underground Research Facility which deserves it’s own post. So, keep your eyes peeled. Back on the road we went in search of Nemo SD. This is a town that if you blink once you will miss it. On the way to Nemo we came across the Boxelder Job corps. Interesting concept and great opportunity for people to better themselves.

It was a nice afternoon for stepping back in time literally and physically. Onto more adventures.

Hail Yes

Hail drops. It is one step removed from snow. I am taking bets that as the snow magnet we will have snow before we leave here. Today was a needed break as we went through Spearfish Canyon scenic byway on Thursday.

This meant getting up early and heading about an hour and a half north of here. We started at the end of the drive Cheyenne Crossing and ended in Spearfish where the trail begins. This was the plan because the most strenuous and IMO the most beautiful falls is Roughlock Falls. There is a two-mile round-trip path to the bottom of the falls, and back again the path is paved and fairly level until you encounter three very steep inclines at least for a wheelchair. I will have to admitted why they give you the warning not to go down steep inclines because you have to get back up. After I made it down the second incline and saw the third incline I turned around and headed back up. Smart decision. ( I almost tipped over) So here is two of the pictures I snapped at these from the last viewpoint I could safely navigate.

Before we did the adventure at Roughlock Falls we pulled into a turnout that I don’t know the name of, or if it had a name. The water was amazingly still so I had to take my anytime there is a reflection picture. I also experimented with some Depth of Field zooming in on flowers with the river behind them. I pulled out my chair for this which helped my traverse the whole pullout. I found this yellow and black butterfly flying around my chair landing and taking off

After Roughlock falls we drove to Bridal Veil Falls the pull off for this was on the other side of the road from the falls so, back in the chair and off I roll to take some photos and a short video.

Like I said earlier I’m glad this was at the end of the canyon byway.

On the way home we stopped by Sturgis which sure looks and sounds quiet. The Biker Rally isn’t until August, so Sturgis feels like a small town that it is. We did a quick run through Wildlife loop (buffalo were on the wrong side of road for photos). before heading to dinner and a show the play was at the Black Hills Playhouse which is in Custer State Park. The dress rehearsal performance is give a donation, and you can see the play.

Pulling in after dark we were treated to deer grazing in the campground, there was about 12-15 on both sides of the driveway.

We’ve been in one spot for over a week now, this feels good. I’m looking forward to some fun this summer.

A Day for Catching UP

After a drive down to Hot Springs SD for some things I had to do at the VA. We decided to kick back and relax sorta the trailer had to get cleaned and so did I. I spent the remainder of the day visiting with 2 parrots and watching Roy help a complete newbie figure out what was wrong with their trailer. Sometimes the fix is the simplest thing, a blown circuit breaker. Once that was fixed her thing worked.

I’ve been to a few VA hospitals and clinics but nothing compares to the VA facility in Hot Springs SD. It was built in 1907 and most of those buildings are still in use. It is on a bluff overlooking Hot Springs. It was originally a Sanitarium and used the medicinal waters of the hot springs to treat anything from lung problems to skin issues. Battle Mountain Sanitarium as it was called only cost $150,000 for construction and another $20,000 for equipment. Pricey for that day and age. Today It serves Veterans with mental health, kidney dialysis, TBIs, and an urgent care. As for how I was treated everyone was attentive and very helpful, which was refreshing. I plan on going back down to this VA and will take pictures of the grounds to share. I did get one picture of the grounds. There was this lone white lily.

After getting one prescription and trying to figure out how to get another prescription filled, we decided to do lunch. I have not stopped at a DQ for lunch in a long time, today was the day.

On the ride home we stopped by a known hang out for prairie dogs and of course my camera was out and snapping photos. He was just sitting there like a potato. It summed up how I felt after a long day of waiting around. I did see some prairie dog porn but didn’t photograph it. I have to say they are interesting to watch but the holes are everywhere busy colony for sure. This colony is on the way to Wind Cave National Park. I can and probably will sit for hours watching these little ones play and run around this trip.

We try and drive wildlife loop at every opportunity this trip around seemed like it was going to be a bust. (plus I forgot the apples for the burros). We get to one of the visitor’s centers and haven’t seen ANY buffalo which is rare. So, after taking a short cut and still seeing no buffalo I almost give up hope. We turn a corner, and it seemed like the whole herd was there. Interesting that they were this far away from the usual stomping grounds. We stayed here moving a few feet every time, some because of my picture taking but mostly because the buffalo own the road. You don’t go until they say you go.

We also decided to take some interactive pictures of a few of the brave prairie dogs next to the buffalo.

It felt good to sit back and relax today. Next, we check out some water falls on our drive of Spearfish Canyon.

I Promise

I promise this summer will not be all about buffalo I will throw in other things. Like these deer we found on our way to the Fairburn Agate fields. But the creek rose, and we couldn’t get there from here. More on that later.

run Bambi run

Fairburn South Dakota is a very small town, think ghost town with a few people still living. We wanted to go see the agate bed outside of town but had to ask for directions. There were people outside cleaning up the school. You guessed it go down over yonder see the yellow trailer on that road. I asked what’s out there and is it worth going down a dirt road to see. Their response was depends what you are looking for. Click here to find out some basic information on the town. Here is the Facebook page

Roy and I said what the hey it is worth checking out. The road itself was good to drive even though it was gravel. We saw lots of cows and grasslands we were in Buffalo Gap Grasslands and no buffalo. As Roy said it was a well-maintained road to nowhere with no outlet. One way in one way out.

So, we head down this road to the campground and the agate fields but even with the four-wheel drive we would have floated. No one mention a river crossing. Roy did not want to risk it as the water looked quite deep. I have to say I’m glad. We are here 3 months so maybe it will become easier to cross.

I think the easiest way to get a Fairburn Agate is to go to the rock show in Fairburn this weekend. I’m including a Wikipedia link explaining the agates and an article about where to find them.

Fairburn Agates (And Where To Find Them!)

I know this summer we will be finding some off the beating path adventures to share.

Where the Buffalo Roam

or Don’t stand so close to me. We have settled in put phone troubles behind us and are making lemonade. (with limited internet gives more practice with the camera. After taking a couple days to unpack and slow down we are getting around to finding buffalo and driving roads to nowhere. The photos I took are a little of this and A LOT of this. When we were here last time they were in the process of building another visitor center. This center is by the area where the fall round-up of buffalo occur. This is an event that happens in fall allows rangers to check the health of the buffalo. Here is a link to info Buffalo Roundup and Arts Festival | South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (sd.gov) Maybe next year we can stay for it.

Again there is a ton of babies in the park.

We even saw some pronghorn lying next to buffalo. Although there has not been a sign of the burros. We have only been around wildlife loop once. The Prairie Dogs are active and I see an afternoon in my chair photographing these buggers.

The moms are still protective of the little ones it nice to see the bonds develop. Although like any kids you can watch them and try to keep them out of trouble until one of them juts in front of the car. Roy did miss it, all I could think of was look both ways before you cross the street. It was quite funny the way we were creeping up to get by ths camper I was thinking I bet one of them are going to run out in front of us. Here is the video.

Look both ways

I think the buffalo wanted a challenge but thought better of it when they realized Roy was bigger then them.

Chicken anyone?

Just in the time we were going down wild life loop we saw more prong horns than all of last trip through the park. Not in the same area but the we did see praire dogs

The best part of seeing the buffalo were sharing the road with them. We had a large one close to us and I wanted to get just the head of it. The interesting thing is if you look into his eye you see the reflection of our jeep. I am looking for more close encounters this year.

Not the Tunnel of Love

But it was a tunnel, all 11,112 ft of it. The Eisenhower tunnel outside of Denver is a feat in itself. The tunnel consists of two bore holes, the west bound tunnel (Eisenhower) was started in 1968 and completed in 1973. The east bound tunnel (Edwin C Johnson) was started in 1975 and completed in 1979. Today, if you have hazmat materials or you are too tall for the tunnel, you have to go 9.1 miles out of your way. This road has hairpin turns and you go over Loveland pass on US 6 the elevation is 11,991. In reality, the tunnel was short, but it made an interesting impression on me. If you want to learn more, click here https://codot.gov/travel/ejmt

Well, you’ve now read the apex of the day, so how we got there is also interesting. We left Fruita Co bright and early so we could travel all day through some beautiful scenery. I have to say I was impressed to still see some snow on the side of the road. Even more impressed that we got to drive through slush. Had we been a little later in the day, it would have been snow. I am the snow magnet and that’s a fact. Aside from the slush I could not believe the amount of people and houses on the mountain. Going through Vail, Roy commented that it used to be a small ski town. Not anymore there is a West Vail, downtown, and East Vail.

Driving next to the Colorado River and seeing the high water level, I know that means gains in ground water. there will be plenty of ground water for us. We even saw a few rafters on the river.

After arriving at our home away from home for 3 months, we found that our cell and hotspot are very limited. Other than the cell service and nightly rain. We made the right choice. Today was our first trip around wildlife loop and yes, I’ve seen some buffalo. Pictures and video to come soon.

Google Maps are not to scale.

Ask me how I know!

We pull into Timber Ridge Campground on June 1st. I had a time out scheduled for Fruita because we thought it would be a fun break and the campground was in town so we could travel around town on the day we stayed using the chair and scooter. This is where google maps was deceptive. The town looked easy to navigate in fact there is a Dinosaur Museum and a park plus food all nearby so scooter and my chair could get put to use. Well that didn’t happen. We made it work though. The goal on the way up was to not have to unhook the car from the trailer. So not disconnecting we needed to find something for dinner Monday and Tuesday night. Just remember Dominos does deliver.

I do have to say that ordering from Dominos this time was definitely an adventure. I did not know that Dominos has gone to a central regional call center to place your order if you choose option 1 on your phone. My clue came when they wanted a complete address and zip code plus had no clue where Fruita Co was. So, I call back again this time choosing option 2 and getting a real person at the local store. Side note: this 3 topping large pizza was one of the better Dominos Pizza we’ve had in a long time.

The local store clerk who took the order actually saved us money by upping the size of the pizza to a large. In 30 minutes or less we had Dominos knocking at our door. So, we did pizza and went to bed early because I was going to get up early and pull the chair out to go exploring the area in the morning being right on the river was a plus.

Roy did post on the LOA forum that we were in Fruita on our way to a 3 month stay in one place. (So, looking forward to dropping once.) When we pulled in our first night we had two Lance right next to us and saw a few more in the park. I had plans on making the rounds in the morning, when I got up the two next to us were gone, but I did see that there were still a few others I could visit.

I however still need to learn more about my camera and that being said. I was headed down to the river in my chair to take pictures, this is after I figured out how to put on my shade umbrella bungy cords work to secure this. (pictures to come). I got lost. Surprise! The camp host came to my rescue and led me to the paved bike path so I could get close to the water.

I am still learning what works with this camera. I wanted to practice tracking birds but every time that I was going to take the picture the birds flew away same with the dragonflies. I figured it was the shutter noise at least with this camera I can go into silent mode.

I was getting warm, so I headed to the boat ramp. I thought about seeing if I could float but the river was moving too fast. I did however started to watch this little girl who seemed to be deep in play. I thought I would just snap a photo; I was wrong. Right as I took it, she had turned around and posed. It got even more funny when she shouted up and asked if she ruined the moment. (she had but I said no)

I headed back to camp but I had one stop to make and that was the Lance trailer I had seen on the way down to the river. This was when I met Rachel and Greg, she posted on the LOA forum and asked if we were the ones who had Dominos delivered. BUSTED. It is enjoyable when we are on the road to meet fellow Lance owners who have common interests. They do travel in style even carrying their own bird feeders. The funny thing to this is the feeder was active with hummingbirds and orioles I would get ready to capture one and they would takeoff. I did get this one.

We chatted about photos, traveling, staying cool, and dealing with challenges. I am looking forward to them joining us for a lunch or dinner this summer when they pass through Custer State Park. It will be a blast catching up and exchanging stories from the road.

Catch me tomorrow when I share my impressions of a short tunnel and lots of curves.