In the Black Hills

Next week Sturgis Bike Week starts already!  I can't believe how fast the time is going.

In the meantime, we've been getting in a lot of rides.  Last week we took a short little ride, and we took the back road from Hill City to Keystone - the route that the 1880 Train takes - and we stopped to get a picture.  It's fun to stop and wave to the passengers.

Here comes the 1880 Train!

I also went to lunch with a group of gals from Hart Ranch - we went to Prairie Berry Winery and had a great time!

More later....... We're going on the Dakota Thunder ride again next week with a group from Hart Ranch.  Should be fun!!

Little House on the Prairie

We just got back from a great three day trip to De Smet, South Dakota.  I wanted to go there because this is where the Ingalls homestead is, and it's been preserved historically.  Laura Ingalls Wilder lived here, and met her husband, Alonzo, in De Smet.  Remember the TV show with Michael Landon as Pa? 

It was really fun to see it all, and oh by the way, the ride was great too.  :-)

We rode through Pierre (pronounced "Peer"). The population in Pierre is only 14,000!

The Missouri River in Pierre

The De Smet cemetery.  Ma and Pa are on the right, Laura's sisters are the other three

Laura and Alonzo are buried in Missouri

Laura and Alonzo's house in De Smet

Ma and Pa Ingalls house in De Smet after they sold the homestead

A covered wagon on the homestead

A dugout house - the Ingalls family lived in one like this in Minnesota

A hay-roof barn

 

 

 

The water pump

This is the "Little House".  It sits on the exact location of the original house, and was built to specs

The original Loftus store in De Smet on main street

Happy 4th of July!!

We've had a lot going on since the last post.  We started working, and we ride whenever we can (in between rain).

The Hills are spectacularly beautiful because of all of the rain.  There are a lot of pictures I haven't taken, but here are a few from a couple of recent rides.

Next week we're heading to De Smet, SD which is where Laura Ingalls Wilder's home was.  It's the Ingalls homestead (Little House on the Prairie).  We'll get pictures there for sure!

Artwork on Main Street in Custer

Main Street Custer

View from Iron Mountain Road

Mt. Rushmore from Iron Mountain Road

Pronghorn at Wind Cave National Monument

Devil's Tower