Today we travelled from Custer to Thermopolis, Wyoming. On the way out of Custer we caught a glimpse of the unfinished Crazy Horse monument.
After a scenic drive through the Black Hills National Forest, we passed through Deadwood, SD. Apparently, the town began illegally during the Black Hills gold mining boom in 1876 on land designated as Indian Territory (what else is new). It’s also famous for gaming, the place that Wild Bill Hickok was murdered and then buried, and Kevin Costner owns a restaurant in town. Oh, also his film, Dances with Wolves, was filmed nearby.
This cowboy and his two horses waited patiently for the light to turn green in downtown Deadwood.
We had to depart from our two-lane road rule and take the interstate for several miles. But if we had not taken the interstate, we would have missed Gillette, WY, the probable source of the coal we saw being hauled on the long trains in Nebraska. It looked like it was quite an operation!
We went through the Big Horn Mountains and reached an elevation at the pass of 9,666 feet. Signs along the way pointed to rock belonging to geologic periods, the oldest we saw formed 3 billion years ago.
Thermopolis is the site of Hot Springs State Park, the largest single mineral hot spring. The temperature of the water out of the ground is a constant 135° F that has to be cooled to enjoy, plus there’s the added bonus of the distinct odor of sulfur in the air.
Revisiting yesterday’s adventures with some more details: In the Black Hills, we saw 1 buffalo, mule deer, wild turkeys, antelope, birds of various descriptions, prairie dogs, interesting flora specimens used by Native Americans, and 10,000 year-old petroglyphs. Our guide at the horse sanctuary cut a stem from the prickly poppy to show us the bright yellow liquid the plant produces which the Native Americans used to paint their skin. It was amazing how much it looked like yellow paint, the consistency a little thicker than watercolors and glossy when applied. It stayed on our skin until we washed it off.
