A visit to the town of Hill City was mainly to ride the 1880 train. Initially, this railway was used for mining and timber interests. This steam engine runs on recycled motor oil, unlike its counterparts which use wood or coal to generate the engine’s steam. It’s a two-hour, twenty-mile round trip ride traversing the hillside. It travels to Keystone, letting passengers off and boarding new passengers wishing to go to Hill City. We got off the train in Keystone only to get ice cream, as we had visited Keystone the day before. It was a pleasant ride, with spotting of deer along the way. The 1880 train was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. Once we departed the train, we had lunch in the quaint town of Hill City and even enjoyed a small art show that was going on that day.

A trailhead to get on the Michelson Trail was not far from our campground. This trail is 109 miles with 100 converted railroad bridges and four rock tunnels. A bikers paradise – a straight run as far as the eye can see. We only did 25 miles, but the best part of the ride was witnessing the beginning of the Chief Crazy Horse monument. This monument is on private land, depicting the Lakota warrior riding his horse and pointing to his tribal land. It has been in the making for the last 74 years. Private donations solely fund it, and the originator’s grandchildren have taken over the operation. Completed, it will be 563 feet tall and 641 feet long. It will far surpass Mount Rushmore in size.

Our morning started with a tour to the Wind Cave National Park. Here there are acres of prairie grasses, swaying ponderosa pines and glimpses of the wildlife inhabiting this area. Beneath this vast land, lies a cave system which was discovered by Alvin McDonald. In 1881, this seventeen year old explored the passageways carrying a candle and a ball of string which aided him to find his way back home. He kept a journal of his discoveries, and began offering tours to others to eek out a living for his family. This cave was different from others we have visited. There were no stalagmites or stalactites, but a unique woven, lace-like texture called Boxwork. It became a National Park in 1903.

After our tour, we headed to Hot Springs where we a delicious meal at before our first adventure visiting a natural hotspring. Moccasin Springs National Mineral Spa was designed around the hot springs. The outdoor pools range from 88′ to 102′. They offer massages and lunch and dinner options are available in the restaurant. I really enjoyed luxuriating in the warm water with my honey. Its an experience I would do again.

That feeling was short lived as Mitch wanted to hike Little Devils Tower upon our return to Custer. This hike lived up to its name. A three mile hike starts out pretty easy as it gains elevation as the hike climbs towards the top. Then you are faced with the devil himself as the rest of the climb is over uneven terrain and rocky as hell (excuse the pun). I felt like Tom Cruise in one of his movies where he scales the rock to get to the enemy fortress. Admiring the the view from the top was priceless, however, the images of scaling down the rocks was at the forefront of my thoughts. We made it back safely and suffice it to say, it was an early night.’

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It’s early morning, and we are ready to drive Wildlife Loop. Early risers benefit from witnessing nature before the roads get congested and enjoy the birds singing and the sun rising above the hills. Buffalo herds were busy grazing on the grasses and seemed unphased by visitors. We spotted Pronghorn, which can reach speeds of 61 mph, and our favorite little guys, prairie dogs.

From the Wildlife Loop, we traveled the Iron Mountain Rd with all its pigtails (fancy name for corkscrews), tunnels, curves, and switchbacks. Driving on the pigtails felt like being on a roller coaster as we circled the road to the bottom. The wooden bridges made completely of wood gave it a rustic flavor. The second tunnel led straight to a fantastic view of Mt. Rushmore. We lingered at the scenic viewpoint to take pictures and for Mitch to use his new 360′ camera.

We continued on the Iron Mountain Road to the State Game Lodge. This was the “Summer White House” for President Calvin Coolidge and was visited by Dwight Eisenhower. I can see the appeal of spending summers in the Black Hills. Today, this lodge is home to a restaurant, hotel rooms, and venues for special occasions. The breakfast was hearty, and I especially loved the etched glass adorning the restaurant.

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Humble Hill Winery

The first stop to the Black Hills was at this quaint winery. We had been here before and thoroughly enjoyed their Honey Crips Apple wine. We usually don’t like fruit wines, but this wine is so refreshing. It’s one of those wines where you sit out on the porch enjoying a beautiful sunny day and want something light. This time we were smart enough to buy more than one bottle case to enjoy after we left the vineyard and purchased case.

Diamond A Cattle Co

This stop was a unique one for us. It was a ranch owned by a family whose business is ranching and passed down through the generations. Upon our arrival, the family was at a rodeo, watching their grandson participate in the activities. Having never been to a rodeo, I’m unsure what those activities are. Remember, I am a big city girl who never sees herself living on a ranch with various farm animals. The most impressive aspect of the ranch was the one-room schoolhouse. It was exactly like the one depicted in “Little House on the Prairie.” Everything was left as it was in the 1800s, even down to the lunch pails. The books, posters, and writing tablets were now faded to a rusty brown but still intact to see what lessons probably were taught to the youngsters of yesteryear. I was happy the family chose to preserve the schools’ history so many could visit and be taken back to a simpler time.

We left early the next morning to start our road trip to Custer, South Dakota. The roads seem infinite, and often you find yourself the only one traveling. Mitch and I got a kick out of the innumerable amount of signs posted roadside to visit Wall Drugs. We visited this tourist attraction a few years back but were still amazed at the marketing to get people to come and visit. It was a one-time attraction, so we didn’t stop to get their 5-cent coffee this time. We were excited to get to Custer and explore the Black Hills of South Dakota, a frontier town just about a mile from our campground Fort Welikeit. Throughout the town, there are buffalo statues with different artistic themes, much like the artistic turtle statues in Clearwater, Florida.

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This campground has 1500 acres around the lake. It was a busy campground with a playground and beach facilities for the children to enjoy. Our campsite was nestled among the trees on one side, which lent privacy when we sat outdoors.

The area was only 25 minutes from Omaha, Nebraska which was great since we met up with one of Mitch’s co-workers for brunch. We visited Omaha and were treated to a local market which is always fun, and then strolled the Old Market. This neighborhood hosted shops and restaurants and an old-world flair. I especially enjoyed the candy store. I have never been in a store that supplied almost every type of candy you could think of, and it was all stored in what was once a warehouse. Next stop, Joslyn Art Museum. Big disappointment as the museum was going through reconstruction, and the opening date was sometime in 2024.

We visited Bob’s Bridge which is located in two states. Of course, Mitch had to capture his moment of being in two states simultaneously. The next day we decided to ride our bikes from the campground to the bridge passing through downtown Council Bluffs. Unfortunately, there was construction before we reached the bridge, and we had to turn around. It wasn’t a total bust, as we recorded 24 miles. Not a bad trek for a day.

I convinced Mitch to take me to a Lavender farm, a 40-minute drive through farmland. When we arrived, we were surprised to see only eight bushes. It seems they experienced a cold front the month before, which affected the plants. Mitch made the best of it, eager to experience the lavender ice cream they sold in the store. The flavor met with his approval, but he could have any ice cream daily.

The campground boasted some of the most beautiful sunsets as the orange and yellows swirled around in the sky, creating unique formations each evening.

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