Day 15: Tuesday June 12, 2011

Today was a day of joy riding, not that the other days haven't been a joy. But today we didn't have to pack the bikes and check out of a hotel. It felt like taking off for a ride in the country, except this wasn't California and we don't have any faces carved into the Sierra mountainside! Yep today was a ride into the Black Hills with a stop at Mt. Rushmore. We talked to our new friends Robert and Brian and they recommended a route to take that is a lot of fun on the bikes with great scenery. So we cruised out to highway 16a and wound our way up the mountain to the national monument. I have seen Mt. Rushmore several times but the view and history of the sculpture is fascinating and never gets old. It was Dave's first time viewing "The Faces" and he was awestruck! We stayed for about 1 1/2 hours and started hearing thunder and the skies were getting dark. Knowing a thunderstorm was approaching we wanted to get out of the hills before the golfball size hail began to fall. (Last time I was in the Black Hills we got plastered by a hail storm that dented my parents motor home.) Dave and I made it out dry and safe. When we got back to Sturgis we visited the motorcycle museum which had interesting history and fascinating bikes on display from a 1907 Indian to the Bic chopper built by Orange County Choppers (you may have seen the episode of OCC when they built the Bic Chopper) After we got out of the museum the skies in Sturgis were turning black and the rains started to fall. We rode back to the hotel parked the bikes under the awning and protected them in the event the hail should fall. Because Sturgis is the home to the largest motorcycle rally in the world the town is very friendly and accommodating to motorcyclist. We met up with Robert and Brian for dinner and talked bikes, politics and family. We enjoyed our stay in Sturgis and the Black Hills and tomorrow I am looking forward to visiting my aunt and cousins as we trek to the Ernst farm. Total miles rode today 153, total miles ridden 3814.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.