Pigtails and Presidents - Iron Mtn Rd & Mt Rushmore & Custer State Park

Friday July 11/2014   Hot 87, T Storm late afternoon, then cool at night 65.
It is Mountain Time here so we are 2 hours behind our body clock from Ontario.  We were up at 6:11 am this morning.  And that felt like we were sleeping in!!!!
Oh well it was bright and sunny and warm.  By 8 am we were on the bike and ready to ride The Black Hills.  Appropriately named for the colour of the cedar trees.

We chose to take one of the most scenic loops in America.  Mount Rushmore is so impressive. WOW.  Carved in granite from 1927 to 1941.  We had went in and toured it before so today we just road by but it is one of our favourite attractions, you really have to see it.

the presidents

There are picturesque lakes, towering granite formations, six picture-perfect tunnels, tight hairpin curves, spiral “pigtail” bridges, and the wildlife ranges of Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, Black Elk National Wilderness Area and Custer State Park.  We encountered steep grades, sharp curves and tunnels with height and width restrictions definitely not a place for a motorhome!

8ft tunnel - must honk horn before entering

pigtail bridges - the road winds around itself

You can expect a traffic jam here caused by tourists watching a herd of buffalo, or burro, deer or mountain goat.  We stopped for the jam and got caught in the middle of the buffalo.

in the distance that brown line is a herd of buffalo

now right in front of our bike

Phew good thing we had our windshield on, that made us feel very safe!  Ha ha.  "Billy don't move"........ here they come right at the bike.  So many young.  We shut off the bike as we heard the Bulls do not like the noise.  Yikes!