South Dakota Day 5 Trail Riding to Mt Rushmore

Wednesday, August 5, 2010



Wednesday was the day for the ride to Mt. Rushmore. 2 of us were a little apprehensive, as our horses have never been on such steep, rocky paths. Thinking about it was actually worse than riding the trails though.

We left at 9:10. We traveled Centennial 89 from the Iron Creek Campground to the Blackberry path that led to Mt Rushmore.



The paths were very rocky and I would not want to ride the trails without shoes. If you were adamant about staying barefoot, then I would highly suggest Easy Boots, or something to protect the soles.



There was one ledge that I thought was the worse. You had to move between 2 very close rocks and turn and step up on to a stone ledge. For about 3 steps, I held my breath. The rest of the terrain had dirt between the stones, so that even if you stepped onto flat rock, there was an area with dirt a step or 2 away.



The last ½ mile up took about 45 minutes and was the steepest and rockiest. We rode 4.4 miles and arrived in 2 hours. The views were breathtaking.



We could see Mt Rushmore through the trees.



We tied the horses to trees, which were in sight of a viewing of the presidents.



We walked across a small parking lot and the road that led into the Mt Rushmore area.



We walked between the state flags,



and arrived at the base of the viewing. It is amazing that, in the 1927-1941, the President’s heads were able to be carved out of stone.



Many years ago, when the kids were little, we came to Mt Rushmore for the first time. Someone had told us to view the rock monument at night. The area has been changed, as they added more buildings. At that time, I remember walking down a long path, state flags waving on flag posts on each side of the walkway. It was dark and we had to wait in semi-darkness. The lights came on the side of the mountain. The background was pitch black. In the foreground, the monument was like a 3D picture in front of us. White stone against a black sky. That was our first viewing of Mt. Rushmore. It has left a lasting impression on me, seeing that huge mountainside carving, brilliant against the night sky.



We were at Mt. Rushmore, sightseeing, taking pictures, and had lunch for about an hour and a half. We left, traveling back down Blackberry. For some reason, down seemed easier than up. I wouldn’t have thought so. Maybe I was concentrating on each step or 2 in front of me, helping my horse, Savannah, to find the best route. Down was slower, as the horses slowly found their footing between the stones, placing their feet carefully. When we come to a ledge or big step, they stepped slowly down, reaching with their front feet, then just went. I was glad when that part of the ride was over.

Riding back down Blackberry took about ½ hour. I think it took a little longer going up. This is definitely the steepest place of the trail. From there we turned northwest on Centennial 89 to Horsethief Lake, and continued south on Grizzly Bear Creek, back to C 89 to camp.

(The following pictures don't show the steep trails. I had my camera put away for those. I know my friend, Dianna, kept her camera out, and I can't wait to show you some of her pics!)



Our total mileage was 13.4 miles. Travel time was 7 hours, 10 minutes, which included the time spent at Mt Rushmore. Our moving time was 5 hours, 10 minutes. The extra non-moving time was spent on letting the horses eat some grass, picture taking, and just letting the horses rest after a steep climb.



I would trail ride to Mt Rushmore again. I wouldn’t lose and sleep, anticipating the climb. I only had Savannah less than 1½ months, and after the first 2 easy days of trail riding here, which including some climbs with stony areas, I knew she could do the steeper climbs.



Keep your horse slow on the up and down climbs. Help them to be sure footed, by helping them pick their way sometimes, and other times, let them find their own way.

We had a fabulous day. The weather, sunny and low 80’s, couldn’t be any better. Gorgeous views everywhere!

After a hard ride like today, tomorrow is rest day for the horses. And for the riders!

Resting in camp in the evening, the deer came out to graze.

South Dakota Day 4 Shopping in Custer and Buffalo

Tuesday, August 10, 2010



On Tuesday, we wanted the horse with the sore leg continue to heal, hoping that she would be sound to ride later in the week.



We did some sightseeing, visited some shops in Custer, went through the French Creek campground, and toured the Wildlife Loop.



Since last weekend, motorcycles, from all over the US, were in Sturgis. Motorcycles were everywhere!



All shapes and sizes, to both riders and bikes. Lots of Harleys! Everyone was in black leather, and on some, there wasn’t very much!!! Can you imagine shorts just a little bit more that a black leather thong? Geez! I’ll stick to leather chaps and half chaps! Custer, and nearby Hill City, are about an hour away from Sturgis. I can’t imagine how many motorcycles are there! In Hill City, they closed down main street to cars and trucks, because only the bikes can get through!

On the way to Custer, we saw one, lonely buffalo, and decided he was an older male who got kicked out of the herd by the younger, stronger males. Later, along the Wildlife Loop, we were delighted and excited to see a large herd of buffalo. And not only 1 group, but a 2nd group. The first group traveled out of the trees and across an open area.



We drove down the road and into a parking lot. The herd passed within 30’ of us, in an unfenced field.



A park ranger asked us to stay in our trucks as they were moving the buffalo past the parking lot. We felt like we were part of the herding!

We saw a 2nd herd, that stopped to drink water in the creek.



Once again we were lucky enough to park inside a small parking lot before a lot of people got there. We had front seats as the buffalo came to the creek, about 20’ away.



It was breathtaking to see the herd up close, yet inside or near the safety of the truck. When some of the herd crossed the creek to come to our side, we immediately got in the truck.



Being Sturgis weekend, bikes were soon everywhere near the buffalo. Not everyone was respectful of the buffalo and their young, as one cow snorted and half charged at 2 guys when her calf got too close to the guys. Talk about how this is how to get hurt or die! I wouldn’t have parked my bikes so close. One bike, with 2 people on it, were only 10’ from the nearest guy. He did start his bike, which seemed to irritate the closest buffalo, but they did move away and back into a field. The buffalo have to be used to traffic, as they got very close to the road and the motorcycles who were going back and forth.



If I was one of those bikers, I don’t think I would want one of those buffalo 10-20’ from me and my bike as I drove past them.

Some came down to the creek to drink. Some moved along the trail.



Some crossed the creek to graze in the tall grass.



Standing there by the truck, it didn’t even seem that we existed to the buffalo. I had stayed near the truck, moving from in front of the truck when the buffalo came up to the creek to standing on the running board when the buffalo crossed the creek and got closer. I knew what they could do if angered, and I rapidly stepped into the truck when they where within feet of us, even though I was on the opposite side of the truck.

The view of the buffalo among the trees made it seem like something right out of a movie. It gave me goose bumps. The buffalo were spread along the whole hillside, moving in and out of the trees.



I will always remember that hillside viewing of the buffalo herd.

We saw some deer with a young, spotted fawn. We spotted many antelope.



And we saw some young turkeys. And it was fun to see so many different colored donkeys. The mares and babies were so tame. We laughed as the donkeys would stand in the middle of the road, holding up traffic.



We stopped to shop some more. We are going to make dream catchers with items that seem relevant to the trip. At one of the store, they had miniature stone cutouts of animals. We picked a horse that was similar in color to our own horse. We picked a while buffalo, which is held sacred to the Indians. Perfect! Later that week, we found other items, a small pinecone, some flowers to dry, pine needles, small stones. This will be a special piece of history, as well as a symbolic artwork of our South Dakota trip.

We picked up dead tree branches on the way back to the campground. You are not allowed to haul in lumber. We plan on taking a trail ride in the morning, and coming back to enjoy a campfire at night!

South Dakota Days 1 -3

SET UP CAMP AND THE FIRST 2 TRAIL RIDES

Saturday-Monday, August 7-9, 2010



In the previous post, we traveled from Nebraska to near Custer, SD, in just a little under 12 hours! That’s all! I thought it would be 10 or less. With 5 women, I guess we needed more potty breaks!



But we arrived at the Iron Creek Horse Campground safe and sound. The trip actually went fairly fast, except the last hour. That last hour always seems slow.

The campground was small, and we parked head to tail in our own numbered site. The horse corrals are awesome.



Large and spacious, with 7 paneled sections and a walk thru gate. On the downside, we had no electricity and no near water. We could walk the horses to a tank, or carry water. Dianna had the great suggestion to wheel water in a clean muck bucket with the muck bucket holder. This saved carrying water buckets each day.

With 1 corral pen to each site, Savannah had her own corral, since I trailered by myself. The pens were not connected, which I liked. She could see other horses, but she couldn’t touch noses, or fight, with her neighbor.

We arrived Saturday about 6 and set up camp. I am self contained, so all I had to do was park as far off of the road that I could and not hit the large boulders. I hayed and watered Savannah first as she has had a long day in the trailer. I did give her hay in the manger for the trip. I also gave her a small, ½ bucket of water to be able to slosh her hay in.

Once she had eaten for an hour, I grained her. I have decided just to give her 4# of her high fiber pelleted feed, split between 2 meals. She will also be able to graze as we rest on the trail.



Savannah is being pretty good! She is just a little goosey and jumpy on the trails for the first hour, then settles down into a nice, ground covering, flat walk.

We had decided ahead of time that this trip is a vacation, and that we were not getting up early and riding all day. We wanted to sleep in and alternate longer, 6 hour riding days with shorter, 3-4 hour riding days.



Sunday and Monday, we rode out each day about 11 in the morning, and got back to camp about 3.



On Sunday, we followed Centennial #89 to the north, along the Centennial Bypass #89B route east to the iron Mountain #16, which brought us back south.



We saw deer along the way.



At the end of that trail, we tied our horses to trees as we climbed a rock ledge,





to take in the view.





We returned to camp by the same route.

One of the horses jumped a log, catching the fetlock area on a sharp edge of the log. We went into a creek to let the horses drink, and once we were out of the water, we noticed the horse was bleeding a little. We were heading back to camp, and the horse starting favoring the leg as we neared camped. The owner soak the foot in Epsom salts, put an ointment on the cut, and applied a bandage with some drawing salve. All of us helped to bandage the leg that first night. The horse did not want anyone near her foot. Later in the week, 2 small pieces of wood came out of the cut.



Monday, we rode Centennial #89 to the south, which would be an easier ride for the horse. But within a ½ hour, the horse with the cut was walking stiffly. We returned to camp, and the owner stayed and retreated the leg as the rest of us rode back out for a short 2 hour ride.

We continued to follow Centennial #89 south for a little over an hour, then turned around and headed back to camp as there was not any other alternate route. Along the way, we stopped for many picture shots.



We also just had to pick up some pretty white, quartz and pink stones.

Aren't the skies really blue out here?

Black Elk Wilderness

Saturday, August 7, 2010


We're here in the Black Elk Wilderness in the Iron Creek Campground, near Custer South Dakota. I loaded Savannah at 6:30 on Saturday morning. We arrived at 6 Saturday evening! Long day, which went faster with a CD book. I won't be posting too much this week, as I don't have much internet signal. I'll have pictures from every day once I get home!


Savannah in her campsite pen. They were large and roomy. I liked that each pen was totally separate from the next pen.


Our campsite area.


Savannah and I are ready to go riding on Sunday morning.


Riding down the rode, a few riders in front of us.


Savannah waiting patiently, tied to a tree, as we walked a rocky edge for a better view of the area.


That marvelous view!


Another fantastic view.


My riding buddies, Cindy, Sharon, Vicki, me and Dianna. We are having a fantastic time!