Homestake Mine/Sanford Lab Tour - Lead, South Dakota

This week we took a short ride over to Lead and took the mine tour, which we've wanted to do for a while.

Lead is the home of an old Homestake gold mine (they also got silver and copper out of the mine), and a huge open cut by the center of town.  Google Lead, SD for the history of the town and mine.

A few years ago, Homestake sold their holdings to Barrett Gold, and the State of SD bought part of the Lead holdings.   The State said there wouldn't be any more mining in Lead, and the old mine (which is 8,000 feet deep) has been turned into the Sanford Laboratory (Sanford Lab - About Us).   They are searching for Neutrinos (google that).  Our guide said that an experiment is going on now where a lab in Chicago (the Fermilab) is shooting a beam underground to the Sanford Lab.  They're hoping to find proof of Neutrinos.  Way over my head.  Here's a link to the article:   http://www.sanfordlab.org/article/2414

The lab itself is only 4800 feet deep - below that it is full of water.  We've had so much rain this year that they have to keep pumping water out to keep the lab from flooding.

The visitor center has a 3-D model of the mine - you wouldn't believe all of the tunnels and shafts.  It's really interesting.  If you ever get a chance, check it out!

We had to wear hard hats

This is part of the mine on the opposite side of the open cut.  Notice the shaft for lowering miners.

This is a close up of that shaft.  We went in the Yates shaft which is opposite this one.

This is the spool of cable actually running to bring scientists up from the lab.  It was surprisingly quiet!

Carhenge - Alliance, Nebraska

Today we rode to Alliance, Nebraska to see Carhenge.  You've heard of Stonehenge?   This is the same thing only made out of cars!  They even celebrate the summer and winter Solstice - just like Stonehenge.  It's in the middle of a corn field.  Google it - they have a visitor center and everything!

It was an awesome ride.  Just about 350 miles - a long day - but really awesome.  We rode South through Hot Springs and into Chadron, and south on 385 to Alliance.  On the way back we cut over to Crawford and then up to Hot Springs.  We rode by the Wild Horse sanctuary - and saw the Spanish Mustangs out there.  It was really beautiful - and still so green from all the rain this summer.

We had supper and "Chops and Hops" in Hot Springs, and then got home just in time before it started raining. 

We're going to go back to Crawford to go to the Fort Robinson museum - we didn't have time for that today.

Carhenge

An old Cadillac

I love this one - Vera Valiant!   I used to drive one of these - push button transmission and everything!

Paw Paw in front of a spawning salmon - made out of car parts!

75th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

This week is the 75th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally!   You can't believe all of the motorcycles in the Black Hills this year - they're estimating 1.2 million people will attend this week.

We usually do the Dakota Thunder ride, but this year the were limiting it to Military ID holders only. 

We'd heard that the traffic is terrible, so we didn't want to ride in.  I decided I had to say I was there, so today I drove in with good pals Sally and Teresa.  (Girls day in Sturgis - whoo-hoo!!!)

This year they have a park and ride - great idea!  We parked, got dropped off at 4th and Sherman, and we were on our way!   Sally had never been during bike week, so this was a good break-in for her.   We ran into Annette and Mike Yarusso on Main street (what are the odds) - they're here for the week.

We did some T-shirt shopping at Hot Leathers, had lunch at the Loud American (legendary steak tips), and just walked around gawking.   What a blast!  So glad we went.  Tomorrow is the motorcycle parade here at Hart Ranch - we're trying to get "75 for the 75th".  We'll see.....

Teresa and Sally at the new Harley Square at the corner of Main St and Harley Davidson Way

The Girls in Harley Davidson Square

Lunch at the Loud American

Can you believe this trike????

Here's the front....

Main Street