Day 21 Devils Tower National Monument, Vore Buffalo Jump, Evening Ranger Program Belle Fourche Campground, Wyoming

Captain’s Blog
Tuesday
June 23, 2009

Today we chose to take the hike around the base of Devils Tower – no climbing for us!
Devil’s Tower is America’s first National Monument designated as such by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. His action made Wyoming the home of both our first national park – Yellowstone in 1872 and first national monument.

There are two theories about how Devils Tower came to be. There are several American Indian versions of the mythical circumstances surrounding the tower. One is that eight children were at play- one boy and seven girls. Suddenly the boy was struck dumb and began to run on his hands and feet. Through metamorphosis he changed into a huge bear. The girls became terrified and ran with the bear chasing them. The girls came to large rock and jumped on and begged the rock to save them. The rock grew into the sky preventing the bear form getting the girls. The seven sisters rose to the heavens and became the stars of the big dipper. r0n NOTE: ya sure?

Scientists believe that about 60 million years ago molten magma was forced into sedimentary rocks above it and cooled underground. As it cooled it contracted and caused fractures into columns. Over millions of years, erosion of the sedimentary rock exposed Devils Tower and accentuated the formations on the tower walls. The tower rises 867 feet from its base and stands 1,267 feet above the river and 5,112 feet above sea level. The area of its tear dropped shaped top is 1.5 acres. The diameter of its base is 1,000 feet. I keep looking out the RV window expecting to see a space ship to hovering over it as it did in Close Encounters of a Third Kind. The Ranger stated that right after that movie tourism to the Tower was up by 75%.

Up close the Tower is magnificent and the boulder field below the Tower facing the parking lot was buzzing with kids climbing all over them. This is a no-no without a permit but I guess a school brought the 100 kids here to view the Tower. Of course the boulder field was too much of a temptation for them. The Ranger was surprised at the number of people at the Tower. He chose not to turn in all the kids climbing on the boulder field without permits. They sure were having fun. As we hiked the trail around the Tower every angle of the Tower seemed to change making it appear mystical just as the Indians believe. The last known bolder to fall from the Tower was 10,000 years ago.

Along the route there were prayer clothes and ribbons tied to the trees with small bundles of tobacco or sage attached. As part of the American Indian religious ceremonies the winds were to take the fragrances and blow them to the spirits

The first climb of the Tower was on July 4, 1893 by William Rogers and Willard Ripley. They used a wooden ladder they had built that spring for the first 350 feet.The remnants of a similar ladder that was built years later is visible from the base of the tower. Records of Tower climbs have been kept since 1937. Approximately 5000 climbers ascend the tower annually and more then 220 routes have been used in climbing the Tower.

Later we took the 85 - mile scenic loop around Devils Tower. The ride was long but the scenery made up for that. We stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump discovered when I-90 was being constructed. It is said that when the Indians were preparing for the long winter they would herd the buffalo over a rise into a huge sinkhole. The buffalo that did not die immediately were killed with arrows. They were then skinned and the skins, meat and bones that could be used were salvaged and brought back to the reservations. There are thousands of bones at the site being excavated.

We then headed back to the campground to enjoy the rest of the day sitting in the shade looking at Devils’ Tower from our campsite.
We ended the day with a talk on the landscape of Devils Tower held at the amphitheatre under the shadow of the Tower. This is a beautiful place to stay and to contemplate what the important things in life – Health, Family, Friends, Love and the Beauty of Nature. N. Scott Momaday wrote,” There are things that engender an awful quiet in man; Devils Tower is one of them.”

Day 20 Devils Tower National Monument, Sundance, Belle Fourche Campground, Wyoming

Captain’s Blog
Monday
June 22, 2009


We drove the seventy miles to Devils Tower

enjoying the beautiful landscape and wild animals everywhere.

We stopped at Sundance a small town nestled beneath Sundance Mountain in the Black Hills. Within the town are a replica of the jail that held the Sundance Kid, the old Sundance bank and a monument of the Sundance Kid.

We opted to stay inside the National Park at the Belle Fourche Campground adjacent to the Belle Fourche River and tower. Yes, we just left Bell Fourche SD and the river runs through both SD and Wyoming. The campground is beautiful and is adjacent to Devil’s Tower. We chose not to do much today but did get to the visitor center to view the tower up close.

June is the summer solstice and is when the Native Americans have their religious ceremonies around the tower. Out of respect for the American Indian traditions climbers have been asked to refrain from climbing during the month of June. About 85% of climbers honor that request but some still climb.

When we walk around the campground we are in awe of this monolith towering into the sky. It is different then any of the other rock formations of mountains in the area.
We attended an evening ranger program and learned about how varying cultures view the tower. Tomorrow we will take a guided tour around the tower on the one and one-quarter mile trail.

NOTE FROM r0n, jewel stepped on a prickly barb so she was limping after Deb and I fussed over her for about an hour Deb propped her rear leg up on a cushion and that is where she stayed for about a half hour when I left the camper she came along and was miraculously cured running and skipping (no limp) maybe all that Indian folk law really works? Side note I had mentioned to Deb my foot hurt and her reply was look out I need to get to the M and Ms.

FOTOS FROM BUFFALO JUMP

Day 19 Wyatt’s hide-away Campground Deadwood, Broken Boot Gold Mine, Mount Moriah Cemetery (Boot Hill), Geographical Center of the Nation Belle Four

Captain’s Blog
Sunday
June 21, 2009
Our plans for a quiet evening yesterday were dashed when the CG began filling with lots of MH’s and people. Ron insisted a wedding was being held but I think it was a family reunion and anniversary combined. The people next to us had three kids that were screaming and banging in the rental MH the entire time they were there. It sounded like they were jumping off the furniture.

Around 7 PM the band started and they were pretty good, playing a lot of songs we like. I’m not sure when the party ended but this morning most everyone was headed out by 10 AM.

Our plan for the day is to drive the 77 miles to Deadwood and take in the town. Oophs, did I mention that the 77 miles was actually 22 miles. It seems the Captain put in a stop at Rapid City adding additional miles. We had already been to Rapid City and were at least forty miles west. We drove through Deadwood in the MH and of course no place to park. Ron gets all stressed and then wants to forget Deadwood and the trip to the geographical center of the country in Belle Fourche.

Before heading out of Deadwood through those narrow roads we stopped at a place called Broken Boot Gold Mine. A trip is not a trip unless we spend time underg
round or at a waterfall. The mine was in business for several decades without much luck mining gold – it never did produce what had been hoped with pyrite being the main substance mined.

The mine is huge with maze-like corridors. The smell of sulpha was particularly strong. It is all over the cave walls and ceilings, very thick and difficult to remove if you get any on you. Gold mines were mined a little differently then coal and copper mines but the end result the same. This mine goes down 800 feet with the average temp between 45and 62 degrees year round.

The mine three miles down the road is closed but was mined down to 8000 feet with the temp at that dept being 114 degrees. They were only able to get the temp down to 90 degrees using two huge cooling units. It would be tough to work in that environment. That mine hit what was called the “Mother Load” of gold.

OK, now Ron is bummed out because of his miscalculation and he is willing to throw in the towel and forget touring Deadwood and the other attractions in the area. Being such a sweetie I did not make fun of his mapping error and suggested that we get a nearby CG and not just give up the things we came to see because he was mad at himself. He conceded and we found a very centrally located CG that fit our needs.

Hissy-fit out of the way we settled in at Wyatt’s, had lunch and headed back to Deadwood. It was much easier to get around and find a parking spot with the Jeep.
We walked through Deadwood admiring much of the architecture of the time. Most of the old buildings are now casinos. It was amazing to walk the streets and with almost every storefront a casino.

Deadwood was named because of the dead timber on the surrounding hills. The discovery of gold in the Black Hills brought thousands of sober, hardworking people to the Deadwood area. Some residents were quite colorful including James Butler Hickok (Wild Bill) and Martha “Calamity Jane” Canary.

We stopped at the site of the assassination of Wild Bill Hickok at the #10 Saloon. It was interesting to learn that he was not sitting in his usual seat with his back against the wall on the night of his murder. He always sat with his back against the wall to avoid being shot in the back and from this position could monitor who walked in the front and side door of the saloon. On this day another poker player was sitting in Wild Bill’s usual seat. He had been winning and since most gamblers are superstitious he refused to give up his winning seat. Wild Bill looked around and sat in a chair with his back to the door. When Jack McCall came in they exchanged hellos and Wild Bill felt comfortable and resumed his poker. The night before Wild Bill had won all of Jack McCall’s money at a poker match and not realizing Jack was furious did not feel threatened by him. Bad move on his part because without warning Jack McCall pulled out his pistol and shot Wild Bill in the head killing him instantly. Jack was later tried twice acquitted once by a hastily convened miners’ court but at a second trial by a regular court that found him guilty, sentenced to death and hanged for the murder.

Then it was on to “Boot Hill” or the Mount Moriah Cemetry to view the site of Wild Bill’s

burial site. Mount Moriah sits atop a beautiful hillside –very steep hillside – overlooking the town of Deadwood. The site of Wild Bill’s grave is surrounded by a high metal fence to keep people out. Some Wild Adventure Vehicle?--->

Of interest is that right beside Wild Bill’s gravesite is the burial site of Calamity Jane. She is said to have requested to be buried next to him. Calamity Jane lived more then most in her 53 short years. She worked on a bull train, performed in a wild -west show and was a prostitute of little repute- most assume because of her appearance. Most historians believe that her claim to being Wild Bill’s sweetheart was a figment of her imagination. Despite all this she was a kind person who devoted herself to acts of charity and caring for the sick. She died in a mining camp from a variety of illnesses among them, acute alcoholism. She was granted her dying wish and lies buried next to Wild bill.

The cemetery was quite beautiful and a walk uphill most of the way but worth the effort. In the cemetery overlooking the town is the American flag. This may not sound unusual but the flag flies twenty-four hours a day. The town received permission to fly the flag continuously to honor all our military past and present from the federal government.

We returned via Spearfish Canyon an absolutely gorgeous canyon with the walls high above our heads. Every turn presented us with more beauty and ooohs and aaahs from us. En route we stopped and took a two mile round trip hike to see the very beautiful Roughlock Falls via the nature trail.

CLICK ON VIDEO:

The walk was great and the scenery equally as great.and when we reached the falls we were not disappointed. We noticed people entering the area of the falls from a different direction and discovered that there was a parking lot outside the falls with about a 300 foot walk. Oh well, the one mile hike back to our car was what we really needed anyway.
Further down the road within the canyon was another beautiful waterfall called Bridal Veil. I guess every state has a Bridal Veil falls.

Our next stop was at the Belle Fourche visitor center to view the monument built to distinguish the geographical center of the nation. Of course finding the monument was no easy task. Despite the notoriety associated with the location there is a definite lack of signage. The monument is quite beautiful but difficult to photograph. Then it was back to the campground to prepare for tomorrow’s adventure to Devil’s Tower, Wyoming.


Center of the Nation LINK:
http://www.bellefourchechamber.org/index.htm

Day 18 Elk Creek Resort Piedmont, SD Petrified Forest

Captain’s Blog
Saturday
June 20, 2009

Our original plan was to head out to Deadwood but due to a minor mileage miscalculation by Ron we opted not to travel the 77 miles to Deadwood. We’ll catch that on our way to Devils Tower, Wyoming. It was nice hanging around and finally getting the blog updated.


Look close you can see our Motorhome down there in site # 25 in the valley.

( YOU MAY CLICK ON FOTO TO SEE LARGER)

Jewel waiting to go for a hike in the Petrified Forest!

The Petrified Forest adjacent to the campground was offering free admission to anyone from the campground. Free has us written all over it so we did the self guided tour.

It is amazing how trees can be affected by climate changes and catastrophic events. Laced throughout the forest floor were examples of petrified trees, looking exactly like tress but are now rocks.

Again a thunder and rain -storm lasting about 30 minutes.

Nothing much else to say today. Now just let me get that last day of the BLOG in!