November 17, 2013
Keystone, SD
133,319.5 (166.4 miles)
It was darn right chilly last night in fact its the first time I had to use the Buddy Heater right up until bedtime. I knew snow was in the forecast and expected it to hit us overnight which I prefer to driving in it. So we were braced for wha ever came our way.
It began around 5am. I felt the bus begin to shake like someone was outside rocking her back and forth. Someone was, it was Mother Nature. The winds coming off the plains was brutal and i could hear ice hitting the outside of Sandy. I took a peek and everything was white. I pulled the covers back up over us and went back to sleep. Next time we woke up it was 8am and the wind was still blowing, I retreated back under the covers again. Finally at 9am, the wind had died down a bit and it stopped snowing so I took Lexie outside and then we jumped back into Sandy for breakfast. By the time we were defrosted and had the ice off the bus it was 11am.
I pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the only gas station in town a couple hundred feet down on my left. The road was slick and completely snow covered. There were dozens of tractor trailers all pulled into this parking lot. As it turned out, the Pass we came over last night was now closed until further notice. I spoke to one of the truckers coming in from the East and he told me the roads we just OK with some bad slick spots here and there. As the sun was rising, the snow was melting off the road so I jumped in the bus and we hit the road. Slow and Steady. Not 5 minutes later it was blacktop roads and just a spot or two of wind blown snow covering the road surface.
Not long after we left Alzada, MT we arrived at the border of Wyoming. I’d been to Wyoming before, but on the southerly end. This time we’re headed for Devils Tower. Just up ahead I saw a tower and some vehicles. I slowed down and took a closer look. They were military vehicles and missiles mounted on one of them. I don’t know if they were real or not, but the sign said Keep Out and I KEPT OUT.
The trip was a pleasant one now, the wind had all but died down, the scenery was beautiful with the fresh fallen snow and it was warming up nicely. We rounded one turn and there it was. Devils Tower was rising up from the horizon like the Majestic Mountain she is. I stopped a number of times to take pictures before arriving at the gate. I paid our way and in we went.
I stopped for a picture of Devils Tower from inside the park, then I noticed a sign saying don’t feed the Prairie Dogs. There on my left was a field full of them so I pulled over to take some pictures. One of the little guys who obviously has been fed one too many times, came right up to us. I had Lexie at the window and he was very curious about her, but more so to see what I was giving him. He didn’t get a thing from me, but it was cute to see him come up and inspect us and the bus. He actually leaned against my door as he and Lexie looked at each other. He even took a trip around Sandy before giving me the All Clear to depart.
We continued up the snowy hill to the top of the base for Devils Tower. I put Lexie into the pouch as this was Sacred Grounds and allowing your pet to walk on it and do their business is simple rude and insulting. We should each understand that as we visit Devils Tower. This is a holy temple for the Native American. We took the path to the right and walked the entire base. I was simply in awe staring up at this amazing rock formation which offered itself to me for numerous photo ops.
After we returned from the hiking trail, we headed down the road and set out for Deadwood, SD. About 20 minutes after leaving Devils Tower, we were pulling onto I-90 and the scenery changed a lot, but we were making good time which I needed as we had gotten a late start for this busy day. I pulled over for a photo op at the South Dakota State Line and then it seemed like we were arriving at our exit for Deadwood in no time at all.
I had numerous people tell me I had to see Deadwood and I must say, the town is quite cute, however, I did find their ban on street parking to leave the little city with an, ummm, dead feel. Having been to the Market in Seattle and numerous other small congested places that seemed to handle traffic well, I was really turned off by it and only stopped briefly for a few photos before pulling out of Deadwood, SD to make tracks for Mt. Rushmore or rather Keystone, SD at the foot of Mt. Rushmore.
As we pulled out of town, we got a good glimpse of the dead wood on the surrounding mountains and thus where the town got its name. We began a gradual climb up another Mountain pass and when we hit the top, there was over two feet of snow on the ground. It looked like it had just fallen and i thought to myself, I am sure glad we did not camp up here last night. My GPS said that we were less than a 1/2 hour away from Mt Rushmore and it was just :3:30 so I began to look for a place to camp. And I looked and looked and looked. Nothing! Eventually the signs for Keystone began to appear and I figured we’d find someplace in town. Well, if I thought Deadwood was dead, I was in for a shock when I pulled into Keystone.
Up by me back home is a lake called Lake George. Its a bustling little town that really comes to life in the Late Spring, Summer and Fall. In the winter a umber of businesses close, but there is still a town with a school, police force and life. Keystone is not like this town at all. When Keystone closes up for the season, they CLOSE UP! I was puzzled, the place looked like a ghost town. There were only a couple of cars passing through and some people walking around taking pictures, but every store, every hotel (even major chains) and every gas station was simply closed up. It was downright scary. And now what? Here I am at the foot of Mt. Rushmore and I have no where to camp. I turned around in a closed up strip mall and as I headed out of the parking lot, something caught my eye. An outlet!
Humm, I wonder…I pulled the bus up to it and took out my heater. I flipped open the cover and plugged it in. She began to blow! Could I? Should I? What are my options? I must! So I pulled Sandy up into the first level parking spot closest to the outlet and I ran my cord. Plugged her in and waited to be kicked out. And I waited and waited. Finally heard a truck pull up and park right in front of me. I knew it, this was too good to be true so I stepped outside to talk to them and try to see if they would let me stay, but I didn’t need to. They too were tourists that had just pulled into town and were looking for a place to eat. We talked for a minute and then parted ways.
I fed Lexie and could feel the temps dropping. We’ll be expecting 20 degrees tonight and it was now just 6pm and already bitterly cold. I fired up the Buddy Heater and debated on if I should cook dinner yet or not. I was still expecting someone to kick me out. Suddenly I heard a door and I looked around, but didn’t see anything. Finally peeking out on the drivers side I saw another pickup and it was just sitting there. I thought I could make out someone on the phone and was sure this would be it. I’m going to get kicked out and will need to resort to Dry Camping – and by dry I mean with no electric for heat. I did not want to sleep with that Buddy heater on. I hemmed and I hawed and I finally went out to talk to the man.
The man had gone into the restaurant next to me that was closed up as well. I knocked on the door and he greeted me and invited me inside. His name is Ron and he is a former bus owner too. We talked for a bit and he said I should be fine here and if anyone says anything, just tell them Ron said its OK. COOL! Then he invited me back in the morning for coffee. 😀
So here we sit, in the middle of a parking lot in Keystone, SD without a soul around. Ah yes, sleeping tonight will be fun, but hey. I’ve been here 4 hours already and it’s the quietest campsite I’ve had the entire trip. Its also the coldest, but I am still glad I am here rather than up where we are headed as they had tornados last night and today.
Link to album: Â https://goo.gl/photos/W8iMEE13wT5b582k9
