Northward Ho; Day 3; June 12, 2011

We left Alliance, NE at 8:00 am.  It was 61 degrees under blue clear skies.  A great day to ride.

Our route today was Hwy 385 north all the way to Lead, South Dakota and we used Hwys 87 and 16 around Custer State Park.

Just south of Chadron, NE we rode through an area that looked very similar to the Black Hills area.  It didn’t last long, however.  We got gas and took a break at the junction of Hwys 385 and 79, 5 miles south of Hot Springs, SD.gas stop; junction of Hwys 385 and 79; 5 miles south of Hot Springs, SD

We rode through Wind Cave National Park and saw a lot of buffalo very close to the road.  They are big critters.Buffalo in Wind Cave National Park

We paid our $10 to ride the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park.  They provided each of our motorcycles with a colored band to show that we had paid and they were good for 7 days.  On the Wildlife Loop we saw donkeys,donkeys in Custer State Parkpronghorn antelope,prong horn antelope in Custer National Parkand a wild turkey or pheasant with babies tagging along beside the road.  It was a pretty ride but not a lot of wildlife to view.

Immediately upon leaving the Wildlife Loop of Custer State Park we found a nice picnic area for lunch.picnic stop

After lunch we went to ride Needles Highway.  It was a pay to ride part of Custer State Park, unbeknownst to me.  Carl and I had already disposed of our park pass bands that we got from the Wildlife Loop.  Mel, the HD boy, was the only one who still had his band on his bike.  Fortunately, the man at the entrance believed we already bought one pass and he gave us another for free.

Needles highway was beautiful,following two unknown motorcyclists on Needles Highwaybut it was a slow steep ride up a steady and steep grade.  My motorcycle started to over heat, just as it did last summer in Rocky Mountain National Park.  We stopped and I dicked around with it a bit and made it over Needles Highway.

We stopped for a DQ break in Hill City, SD before riding up to our rented cabin south of Lead, SD just off Hwy 85.Cabin south of Lead, SD; our lodging for two nights (June 12th and 13th)Nice digs!  Carl and I rode into Lead to pick up steaks, taters, and veggies that were cooked up for a dinner that was absolutely LARRAPIN good.

240 miles today with great scenery.

For pictures from today click on the following link: https://picasaweb.google.com/goldwinger.shawnee/NorthwardHoDay3061211?feat=directlink

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