Day 15 of the Salt Cured HAMB Tour '07.......Friday, Spearfish to Rapid City, SD

Day 1 Friday Night, Livonia, MI to Chicago, IL

Day 2 Saturday, Chicago, IL to Omaha, NE

Day 3 Sunday, Omaha, NE to ColoRODo Springs, CO

Day 4 Monday, ColoRODo Springs to Durango/Pikes Peak Climb

Day 5 Dugango to Silerton on the Train

Day 6 Hiking in Blanding UT

Day 7 Blanding to Wendover

Day 8 First Day on the Salt, Tech Inspection

Day 9 Saturday on the Salt

Day 10 Sunday on the Salt

Day 11 Monday on the Salt

Day 12 Tuesday, Back on the Open Road

Day 13 Wednesday, Jackson Hole to Cody WY

Day 14 Thursday, Cody, WY to Spearfish, SD

Day 15
Black Hills, Spearfish, SD to Rapid City, SD

This morning I wanted to spend a little time online in the hotel room and Megan wanted to do a little shopping in the downtown area of Spearfish so after breakfast in the hotel Megan and the guys headed out with plans for me to hook up in an hour or so.
The guys escorted Megan in and out of the stores while she shopped for a few things for herself and presents for others.


Once I reached the Main Street I parked next to the roadster. Me and the guys were just hanging out by the cars when all of a sudden a younger guy in the white car slams into the rear end of the SUV. I guess he was too busy looking at the hot rods to pay attention to the stopped car in front of him.


Once we hit the road……


…the awesome scenery began. We are on Spearfish Canyon Road.






First stop…..






Did a little shopping and fooling around in town




Then hit the road again


We saw a lot of these piles of brush but always forgot to ask someone “why”. We kinda figured it might have something to do with fire prevention but we’re not sure. Anyone know why the brush is raked into piles?




We then came upon this area with a few building all set up like a little town. We stopped to take a look around




It was mostly gift shops inside and I searched high and low for a Littleman bobblehead…….. to no avail.

 

Lots of stuff to look at outside as well










Back in the cars










I think we’re on the Needles Highway now




Lots of one lane tunnels

 

The spot we are approaching is a very popular one for folks to stop and take photos. It was very crowded


George climb up a huge rocky area to snap a few photos


It took us 3 or 4 times parking and reparking the cars before we got them parked next to each other for photos.






Megan did a little climbing




Gathered everyone back up for a group shot


Without the cars do you think people could tell we’re car folks??


While we were hanging out in this area a HUGE bus comes thru the tunnel. EVERYONE stopped to watch. Man he certainly knw what he was doing.


Not a scratch on the bus


So now it’s our turn to head the way the bus just came from






More gorgeous scenery

 

At some points the road splits and it’s one lane


More tunnels


Some tighter then others


And lots of cool bridges




We arrive at Mount Rushmore and I find a spot in the parking structure where we can get a shot of the cars and the dudes

 

Ice cream has been a common denominator through this whole trip








There is a neat little parking lot on the side of Mt Rushmore that if you really don’t want to pay the money to get into the park you can get a pretty close side view of the guys.


So just about now we decide it’s time to take off. We can see a storm rolling in and we have plans to meet up with Tman for a tour of a private car collection in Rapid City.


So we’re about 10 minutes down the road and Trent calls and tells us it’s hailing the size of baseballs in Rapid City near our hotel and to stay put. He directs us to the nearest bar/restaurant and we pull over. One side of the road is this old abandon town and the other side is the restaurant.






We’re hanging out deciding what to do. We did put the top up just in time.


Shortly after the rain started Trent shows up. Him, Larry and George are standing under an awing and Megan and I are sitting in the car.




It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up anytime soon so we head across the street for drinks.


The place was pretty cool inside

 

We hung out kinda waiting for a phone call from Trent’s brother I think it was telling us the coast was clear to bring our cars into town. The hail and storm was cause all kinds of damage to cars and houses and we really didn’t want to take the chance of something happening if we didn’t have to.

After a couple of hours we decided to get something to eat. Just as we were getting a table in the resturant area the hostess told us that they got word the hail was heading toward us. We all then decided to make a run for it and head to our hotel in Rapid City. Tman decided to call it a night and head home to take care of his family. It was a bummer we didn’t get to see the private car collection but after everything that was going on in town we understood no one was really up to hanging out.

Thank GOD for the top. Even though we were getting wet it still was better then the torrential downpour that Larry was dealing with in the roadster. Been there, done that, felt bad for him. In the 20 miles or so to the hotel we never got above 30 MPH and Megan had to not only keep wiping the windshield but had to help me stay between the lines and there was so much water on the road it was tough to see the white lines. The worst storm I had ever driven in to date.






The hotel staff was kind enough to allow me to keep Big Olds under the canopy till the storm passed.


We got checked into our rooms, changed clothes and headed next door to get something to eat. Once back I spent some time drying clothes and towels knowing that we might need dry stuff to sit on the next day.

We went to bed thinking we saw the worst of the storm…..little did we know what was in store for us the next night.

 

I love it - thanks for the ride.

 

So did you make it to Mount Rushmore?

 

Thanks for posting. You doing better ?

 

oops. didnt mean to interupt

 

You indeed had a memorable experience with beautiful photos and more importantly beautiful memories.

 

My armpits hurt more then my leg cuz of the crutches and since it is my right leg I can't drive. My folks are driving me to and from work. Bless their hearts BUT my mothers driving is driving me crazy. I really don't think I can handle this for 8-12 weeks like the doctors say.

 

Make some of those big ol pads for your crutches. Get well girl !!!

 

I had my right knee operated on a while back and I had to throw it across the hump and operate the gas and brake with my left foot. I figured if the mail carriers can do it I could.

 

You guys don't know how lucky and close you were to getting hit

glad it worked out, bummer I couldn't meet up with you guys

While you were drinking beers I was laying in the back seat of my truck with my shirt pulled over my head to keep the glass off, hailed baseball size for over an hour, Never have experienced anything like it

 

Yeah, I've been seriously thinking about trying that.

 

I love your trip reports. One day, I will travel with you somewhere. It's obviously too much fun for me to miss out on.

Someday. I mean it.

~Scotch~

 

Our hearts were with you and if there would have been anything we could have done we would have. We couldn't believe the destruction in town. everywhere we looked there we cars with dents, broken windows and sunroofs. We certainly felt bad for everyone AND so lucky for ourselves. I really believe you and Trent saved our cars from being damaged cuz if we would not have stopped we would have driven right in to the worst of it.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts. We'll certainly hook up the next time we're in town.

 

Denise,
Thanks for the incredible pics. We did the cross country run in 2005, and they really brought back memories of this beautiful country. While in S.D., did you check out the Crazy Horse Memorial? It makes Rushmore seem small. So many wonderful places, and so little time to explore them all...............Woody

 

That is what I kept thinking on the trip. All of this awesome diverse scenery with NO passport required! There is so much in our country to see and enjoy.
It really is beautiful up there. I liked Spearfish, they had good shopping. I got some really cute jewelry.
I am ready to go again. Looks like this time Denise will have to navigate!

 

great pics, some day ill make it up there

 

The piles are usually for fire mitigation - they will probably burn them this winter.
Used to live in Spearfish and it is a cool area...
hail storms (for that matter any kind of extreme weather) is pretty common in this part of the world!

 

I agree. Exploring the country is cool enough. Doing it with the coolest hot rod chick on the planet is another!

Sign me up!

 

Denise, did I miss something? Sounded like your on crutches? Did you have an accident on the trip? Wow? Sorry Gal!!!!!!!
I just hung on every word of your trip. What a great
time you guys had together. The pictures were just great, and like Woody said, since we were just there not too long ago, in Deadwood, we felt like we were back there in a flash. Fantastic scenery, awesome views, and really great friendly
people out there....yeah without a passport. Why ever go out of this country?
Thanks again Denise and all of you for this journal. Time to publish it all and make it a coffee table book!
Sandy

 

Great pictures, your making me home sick. I grew up in Rapid City, SD. Great place to take nice top down drives, as long as the weather cooperates.

 

Denise, hope you're feeling better. I know how it feels. I turned my lower leg into a slinky about fifteen years ago. All I can say is listen to your Doc. Do everything they tell you to do to a T. It'll hurt for a while and you'll bitch and moan, but it will be worth it. Trust me. I know people who thought they knew more than thier doctor, and they're still mesed up.

Soooo....are you gonna make the Pile-up? I'll bring you cookies this time.

 

Denise thanks for the pic's, SD is a great place to ride or drive around. Was there a few years ago during bike week, and saw some wonderful country. Seems like SD has some weird weather.
Robert

 

Let me add to this.......Denise, those piles of wood? Fire prevention, smaller than logging slash piles, they will be burnt to reduce fuels IF we ever get enough moisture.

That little town you fond is Boondocks....the FED is supposedly from American Graffitti II?

As for the rest of the folks that read this post. We all were blessed by GOD that night. We had plans of a HAMBbq at Daves place and then things went bad. After The Salt Cured Crew and I split ( I didnt want to alarm them of my fears) I headed south. The town I get my mail from was hit with a 20 foot wall of water. I dodged some shit, too much to say here. Lucky nobody died in the flood.I posted something in the drags forum afterwards. Lets say I was beat down after this night/weekend.

The last thing I said to the Salt Cured Crew before we split was "see you next week in Mokan!" Little did I know what we would go through that night................damn, I hit Mokan with an exhaustion and a fervor that helped me unwind.

 

Pics are great thanks. How was Deadwood? I saw special this evening on the History Channel. I would like to make a trip there some day.

 

Deadwood is Las Vegas with Historically regulated builing codes............I miss the military surplus, the car lots, the diners, the FUCKING TOWN. It is a tourist attraction now. Like to gamble? good for you.