Beauty of the Black Hills & a Gift from Mother Nature

Sunday, June 12, 2011

We slept in a little today because we thought the weather was going to be a wash. “Why rush?” we thought. It turned out to be beautiful, with mid-60s temperature and blue, cloud-spotted skies. I rechecked the forecast and saw it was good until about 3 PM.

Rex! It is time to wake up; we’re going for a ride. We did a short, easy 150-mile loop from Custer to Deadwood, through Sturgis and Rapid City, then back to Custer. Riley was glad I returned just before the thunderstorm. He doesn’t like them very much.

In Sturgis I found a great little beer bar restaurant (Rosco's) for lunch. I had a great prime rib sandwich. MMmmm. Great food and great service. Oh, and really good coffee. There was a lady one table away from me eating an Indian Taco. It’s a good bet I will go back there and get one of them next time. 

Prime Rib Sandwich, MMmmm.

Where I got the sandwich.

Also in the town of Sturgis I saw an interesting use for the trunk of a large dead tree. What do you think?

Monday, June 13, 2011

Once again we awoke to a cool, beautiful, sunny morning. Rex being in need of an oil change was high on today’s list. Off to Rapid City we went in search of fresh oil, and this time we took the scenic route near Mount Rushmore. I spied some views worthy of revisiting and I will certainly add those locations to the photo list. Tomorrow’s destination will be the Crazy Horse Memorial. 

The weather here has been great in the AM and stormy in the PM. As I write this we are sitting in the middle of yet another thunderstorm. You longtime readers of our journey will remember my fondness of thunderstorms, if viewed from a safe place. previous blog entry This is such a great riding and scenic photography area it just might become our summer-over location.

Clouds are one of my favorite photo subjects. Out here in Big Sky Country they constantly amaze me. If I were to photograph each one I find interesting I would never get anywhere for all the time I would spend taking photographs. Today on the return trip from Rapid City we stopped near the Crazy Horse memorial to photograph some I found especially interesting. I hope you like them. Mother Nature is the ultimate artist.

Clouds east of Crazy Horse Memorial.

A building Thunderhead, I believe which gave me the photo at the end of this page.

A day before Flag Day, Couldn't pass this up.

Having written the previous paragraphs, we settled in to watch a movie. After the storm had passed I went outside to see if there were any interesting clouds to photograph. Was I surprised? Here is the vision Mother Nature in all her artistic glory presented to me. Thanks, Mom!

An Absolutly un-retouched image as it was photographed.