Keep Riding On…South Dakota Here We Come

After our respite in the Bighorn Mountains, we made a big decision. 

Several episodes ago on our way to the UP of Michigan, we had stopped to explore the headwaters of the Mississippi River and fell in love with the idea of traversing the Great River Road all the way down.

So, it was no surprise to us when the west was once again closed off to us due to ongoing wildfires and extreme heat that we once again turned our bikes to the east and headed back to the Mississippi River.

These next couple of episodes will find us wandering down the GRR, exploring numerous the small towns that dot the landscape and getting to know the flavor and style of living next to such a magnificent body of water.

But first we have to get there and that’s half the fun!!!

Our first place to explore was Devils Tower National Monument.  Located in the northeast of Wyoming, the tower stands 1,267 feet and was proclaimed the nation’s first national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.

Continuing on down the road we came to the tiny town of Aladdin—population 15. A must stop is the Aladdin General Store, dating back to the 1800’s.  Be prepared though, as they do not have indoor plumbing. So, if you need to use “the facilities”, look for the outhouse out back!

From there - just a few short miles down the road – we stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump – an archeological site that was used as a slaughtering place for stampeding buffalo.  The “Jump” is actually a sinkhole with a sheer 40-foot drop where the buffalo would fall to their deaths, thus ensuring the survival for the Wyoming’s Plains Indians. 

Our camping spot for the night was in Deadwood, SD at Hidden Valley RV Park – a very quiet, peaceful park with deer wandering throughout our camp.

Rich & Chris ❤️