Day #17 August 9, 2007

Day 17
Thursday August 9th, 2007

Hot Springs, SD to Piedmont, SD
175 miles today (17,658 – 17,833)
3,723 miles total

No new states today
8 states total

Slept in till 6 or so this morning. I went straight to the shower first.
I sometimes don't like to, as I get hot and sweaty packing stuff up.
I get especially hot putting the tent away and hitching up the trailer.
And the sun will be hot once it comes up today.

I starting packing up right away. Moved stuff for the bike out to
the picnic table. Stored stuff inside the trailer as I went. I am
s-l-o-w-l-y developing a system for getting things packed away
so I can get on the road. I’m going to need to get some tent poles
and a larger tarp after yesterday afternoon’s rain! I want to put
the whole camper under cover in case I have a downpour like
that again.

I went to breakfast at the pavilion here. Had pancakes, bacon
and good coffee. Got out just before 9. Headed up 385 to Custer
where I went to the Nat’l Woodcarvers Museum. Got instructions
on how to get there from the lady at the downtown Custer
visitors center. She had a good friend who had lived in Eugene
and had heard it is so beautiful. Lots of Eugene, OR connections
along the way!

The museum consisted of just one mans carvings. He was a
Disney animator. In fact, he was one of the first to work on sets
for the Anaheim Disneyland in the 1950’s. I wondered if he was
a Nazi though, as several of his works had the swastika in them.
(I later saw this same thing at the CORN PALACE in Mitchell, NE
and read that the swastika was an early Indian good luck symbol.
It was shown on some Indian like work in the museusm as I recall.)
It was interesting, but Nat would have HATED it. I’m so glad we
didn't stop last year when we were here. Both Custer and Hill City
have blocked off their main streets for the Sturgis Rally.
There are lots of bikes here already on this beautiful warm day.

Got into Rapid City in the heat of the day. Went to a sporting goods
store AND a WalMart...but no tent poles. Got a few things I
needed, including the single cup coffee screen for a single cup of
drip coffee. I made a phone call to Selco, transferred money and
got a cash withdrawal at a bank inside Wal-Mart. I am amazed
at how little T-Mobile cell service there is in a city the size of
Rapid City.

Got to the CMA campground. Made camp right under a shade tree,
next to a camper similar to mine. Went back to the Black Hills
HD dealer, just off the interstate, but several miles before Sturgis,
where about 50 more vendors are. JM radios is there. Going
to try and get them to adjust my radio tomorrow.

I will get to breakfast early and then the 9AM church service so
I can volunteer to help somehow. The CMA'ers do several things
during the rally.

My campground is just a 1/2 mile off the freeway and the bikes
are a constant drone in the distance. I suspect they will last all
night. I'll sleep with ear plugs TONIGHT!
And I am sunburned too...on top of my nose. It is really sore.

Turning in. A good day, but less than 200 miles traveled.