Note: Due to the lack of internet at Carsten Cottages, the date of this post does not coincide with the day on the trail. Day 4 is Tuesday, September 18.)
We decided to limit our sightseeing in Deadwood today to a self-guided
tour of the Mt.
Moriah Cemetery (where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are now buried)
and itsVisitor Center (which had interesting historical information and
photographs). The weather was great and
we were itching to get on the trail.
Just as we were starting our ride we had a brief surprise
visit with Judy & Gene, Diane’s sister and brother-in-law. They had come out to the Black Hills last
week, and are staying in Custer. We will get to see them again, in Hill City
and in Custer. Fun times!
Thank heavens we planned a short ride today. It took us five hours to traverse 18 miles
(averaging only
All but 3.5 miles was climbing a 4% grade with a few steeper places,
gaining 1600 feet of elevation. The
happy side of this is the trail was in great condition and the scenery was
splendid, especially the vistas as we climbed the switch backs of the trail.
We were pleasantly tired by the time we arrived at our home
for the night – Carsten Cottages. This is the site of the former Bulldog Ranch,
a stagecoach station back in the day. We
were in a “dry cabin” which had everything we needed except running water,
bathroom, sink, etc. But all that was
just a few steps away in the next-door shower house. After our warm showers, we made dinner in our
cabin -- grilled cheese sandwiches and canned chili, and the last of our fresh
cherry tomatoes. Yum!
Tomorrow we have a 32-mile day, all but seven miles downhill. We hope to get into Hill City by 2:30 and hook
up with Judy and Gene to celebrate their 48th anniversary.
Diane & Rob
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| Wild Bill's resting place in Deadwood |
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| Mile 0 on our ride. |
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| The Trail begins with a relatively easy but steady uphill climb |
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| Diane powering up through the switchbacks on our way over the mountain. |
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| Still moving forward in late afternoon and finally over the crest of our climb |
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| Diane performing magic with an electric skillet. |
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| Oh boy, even simple fare tastes great after a long afternoon of grinding gravel. |
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