It's a New Knee

It's been a long time coming.  Harold has needed a new knee for years. This summer, we finally got it done. We planned to spend three months in SD to allow for surgery and physical therapy afterwards. We did move to a couple of different campgrounds to change up the scenery, but we were always within an hour of Rapid City. 

The surgery was completed mid-July and we wrapped up therapy the last of August. The doctor says to allow about a year for things to be "normal." So far, things have been moving along, though not as fast as we had originally hoped. Harold had a lot of bone spurs and those have affected his recovery time. As of early October, his knee still looks somewhat swollen. Ah well...

out of surgery

great ice pack

big helper

Nothing to see here, Just a man with his teddy bear

unhappy camper...handicap shower seat broke

Where Are We Going Next?

Not the Road We Expected

So when does a road stop being a road? Curious about Cicero Peak, we decided to take a drive. We expected a well-maintained gravel road, similar to the one that takes you to Mt. Coolidge Lookout. Our first clue that the Cicero Peak Rd would be different came the moment we turned onto the road. Large ruts dominated. Hmm, time to switch to high clearance. 

Those dirt ruts quickly turned to rocky ruts with sharp rocks everywhere. Harold was keeping an eye out for tire sidewall hazards. I was busy trying to plot our path through the ruts. We rocketed along at about a 3 - 4 mph pace. I remembered why I'm not crazy about off-roading. The bouncing around just gets old. I was quite grateful for the air-conditioned ride and comfortable seats of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

Cicero Peak used to be a fire tower lookout. The lookout has been long gone. A radio tower is in its place. We enjoyed the views and did not see a single person on the road. That was good. I didn't relish the idea of meeting a side-by-side zooming along, especially on some of the limited sight distance turns. 

The photos below are not the greatest and do not reflect the mostly rocky nature of the road. A side-by-side or ATV would be better suited. However, Harold says he would call it a road. I'm not so sure a sign recommending high clearance isn't warranted. The road is closed to any vehicular traffic December to May.

The road was not what we expected. Yet, perhaps because of that, it will probably be one of our more memorable adventures of the summer.

Type of dirt road expected

What we got

Made it to the top

Amazing views

Beecher Rock

Where Are We Going Next?

On the Edge of the Sturgis Rally

Usually we are gone from the Black Hills area by the time the Sturgis Rally rolls around. This year, with Harold's knee replacement surgery and physical therapy sessions, we knew we were going to be in the area during Rally. We planned accordingly. We booked our campground, Heartland RV Park and Cabins, early in the year and booked the entire month of August. Heartland is in Hermosa, an hour from Sturgis and about 15-20 minutes south of Rapid. While the campground was full and the cabins sold out, it was relatively quiet compared to closer locations.

In the weeks prior to Rally, Sturgis and surrounding areas fill with vendors setting up. Tents start to line the streets and once empty, open fields fill with tents, portapotties, RVs and cargo trailers. Speed limits are temporarily lowered; I-90 goes from 75 mph to 65 mph. City streets go from 45 mph to 35 mph. Temporary stop lights and stop signs spring up. 

According to DOT statistics, Rally attendance was down 8% this year. Attendance was shy of 500k. Even though events are spread over a number of venues and the surrounding area, it's still crowded. Google some of the statistics. It's crazy. 

Large groups take on roads like Iron Mountain and Needles Highway. Cars are prohibited on main street in Deadwood. Lead, Keystone, Spearfish, Custer, and Hill City are favorite destinations. The Badlands, Wind Cave, Hot Springs, and Devils Tower get their fair share of riders too. 

So, what was our plan during this week? Quite simply, pretty much stay put except for the physical therapy sessions. We deliberately stayed away from restaurants and roads in and around any of the tourist areas. 

We did take a picnic lunch to Hole in the Wall Picnic Area in Custer State Park one day. With the roar of the motorcycles echoing through the rocks, it was rather noisy. We did not attempt to go through any of the one-lane tunnels or park at any of the overlooks. 

We did stop at the Central State Fairgrounds in Rapid to view the Budweiser Clydesdales who were in town for Rally. We didn't go to any of the official events though so we didn't see the team hitched to the wagon. 

Harold had two physical therapy sessions at Ft. Meade in Sturgis during Rally. We scheduled them for 9:00 a.m. with the goal of avoiding traffic. It worked beautifully. We'd arrive in Sturgis at 8:00 a.m. and grab breakfast in the hospital cafeteria. When we left Ft. Meade, we took dirt roads back to the freeway. 

Our photos below don't show a lot of motorcycles and people because we stayed away.  The Rally wasn't too bad for us, better than expected really. 

Wyatt raised $13K for St. Jude's Children's Hospital

8:00 a.m.

Tent city and motorcycles only

Sturgis. The Ride. The Roar. The Rally.

$20 per tent

Budweiser Clydesdales

Where Are We Going Next?

The Friendship Visit

Becki and Christian (#Friendship2023) were on their way to our favorite Indiana town of Nappanee. They were able to stop and visit for a few days. We drove through Spearfish Canyon, stopping at Bridal Veil Falls, and took in Sturgis, Lead, and Deadwood.  The Sanford Lab Homestake Visitor Center in Lead is always worth a stop. The open cut is impressive, and the visitor center takes you through the history of the mine from its mining days to its use as an underground research center today. 

How many states  have a Bridal Veil Falls?

Main Street Deadwood

Sanford Labs Homestake Visitor Center

Thanks for dinner!

Where Are We Going Next?