Rested and finished with errands and tasks, Marc and I set off Sunday morning for a jaunt into the mountains above us. We had no specific route although I did want to see much-touted Sylvan Lake and the Needles Highway. We stopped frequently to pull over for pictures and had forgotten that along parts of the narrow, winding highway (Iron Mountain Highway) it was possible to catch glimpses of the four famous presidential faces of Rushmore.
At the Norbeck Overlook we took in vast views leading off to the eastern plains, far above Rapid City. A little later, at a much lower elevation we enter Custer State Park and the possibility of seeing buffalo. We travel for quite some distance with rolling golden hills and oak trees sporting their muted fall color when Marc suddenly swerves to avoid a cow pie in the road. Right around the corner, there are our buffalo!
Upon finding that it will cost us $15 (a ridiculous amount!) to make the Needles Highway drive to Sylvan Lake we stumble upon another lake and find it suitable instead for our picnic. Maybe someday I’ll be able to drive that Needles Highway but not today!
The final portion of our loop drive takes us past the never to be finished in our lifetime Crazy Horse Memorial. Since it too, costs money to enter, we snap photos from a distance. A quick pass through Hill City where Marc wanders taking photos of the 1880 train and depot, and then we head for home after a very nice outing.
