Breakfast included with room this morning at Comfort Inn,
so set the
alarm for 6:45 and pressed snooze and got up at 7:30.
After eating and packing up, it was o
ff to Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood SD
to see the
graves of Wild Bill Hickcock and Calamity Jane, but first you have to walk up the hill, then the
steps. The walker doesn’t go up steps too well and the more the day went on, the steeper the hills got. I had no idea the ceme
tery was in the hills.
I think I’ve become one of those old people who talk to everyone. I asked another Cemetery visitor to take a picture for me so I didn’t have to walk around the grave enclosure (down the hill and back up).
There is a look out point by the US flag (up another hill to the flag) and you can see Deadwood Gulch below. TC (Tiny Clayton/Traveling Companion) wanted a better look and to have his picture taken, so I hooked him to the fence mostly to keep him safe from falling over the side. Elevation here 4,752 feet above sea level.
The cemetery has a special Masonic section established by Deadwood Lodge #7 in 1887 and the altar installed in 1914.
It was getting warmer and time for us to be off to our next stop, so down the hill, up the next, and down another hill to return to the car, of course, after stopping at the G
ift Shop (another set of S & P shakers).
Everything in the car and ready to go and can’t find TC. Not in my purse, not in the walker, not with all the reading material. Did I drop him along the way or perhaps he jumped out in the Gift Shop? So I get the walker back out to go back to the Gift Shop and realize — I left him hanging on the fence at the flag!!
I hurried to the Ticket/Admission Booth and ask if they have a young person that could go get my token from the fence. Fortunately, a couple on their way out overheard my conversation and he remarked that he saw it and was going to bring it to the office, but thought someone had left it as a memorial. I asked again if there was an employee that could get TC as I didn’t think I could make it up and down the hills again and I would be happy to give a reward. The lady kindly volunteered to go get TC and her husband said she would get her extra steps for the day! I was so elated when she returned shortly with TC in hand and hugs and pictures ensued. They were from Wyoming and on their way to a family reunion. Just proves the world is full of good people. She would not accept my reward; not
even my offer to reimburse their admission price.
My plan had been to go to the Prairie Wind Casino after Mt. Moriah Cemetery. As I was driving on US Route 18 East there were signs for the Motorcycle Museum in Sturgis, SD so I had to stop! The sidewalk in front has bricks with messages. The Entry level has Harley and Indian motorcycles on display; lower level has Triumph, Honda, Kawasaki, etc., and a section for Hall of Fame. Also a section about female riders. Worth the time.
Back on US 18 East…two lane, 65 mph, no houses, no people, no rest areas, no place to pull over, no lights, restaurants, stores or billboards – just beautiful country.
… to be continued!
