The Royal Enfield Bullet Blog
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Departing Red Corral Ranch
To Joppa
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Pedernales & Blanco Rivers
Staying near Blanco river.
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Back Home
Whew.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Spending night in Vernon TX
Chain stretched 1 to 2 inches in 2 days of strong headwind
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Arrived Washita Site
Beautiful place
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Departing S
To Washita
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Arrived Syracuse KS
Too tired, needed to do wash.
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Departing SB
Heading to Washita
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Monday, June 06, 2005
Arrived Scottsbluff
Hard ride - strong headwind
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Departing Rapid City
To Ft Robinson
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Arrived Deadwood
Tourist trap
--
At one time Deadwood was a happening place, but now it is happening because it was once happening. There were too many tourists for my taste, but I can see that a biker could have a real good time there running amok. Had I been with a group of friends looking for a good time, we would have found it.
It's actually a cool little place, despite being slightly on kitschy side.
But I headed deeper into the Black Hills.
The ride down 385 was a beautiful one. The Sioux consider the hills to be a holy place, and as I rode down the twisty, narrow highway, the smell of pine washing over me and then a light rain stinging my face, then a sharp sunbeam warming the wet asphalt -- their understanding began unfolding before me.
I camped at Sheridan Lake. Here's a self portrait:
After setting up camp (I was starting to get pretty adept at quick setups) I went into the woods.
I climbed shallow hills for some time, playing with my GPS unit, but really looking for why it was that the Sioux believed the Black Hills was a holy place. If I recalled correctly, the Sioux (and other Amerindians) would come to what they called Paha Sapa on vision quests. I was looking for a place that a warrior might seek out to find a powerful medicine dream.
It didn't take long.
The Paha Sapa is filled with hillocks that rise steeply up and are crowned by granite rock out croppings. Often the outcroppings are weathered in such a way as to allow sufficient space between boulders to lie down in. And that is what warriors and medicine men seeking visions often did. They sought out a secret spot, then deprived themselves of food and water and stayed put through whatever the weather brought until they recieved some sort of dream.
I found a medicine spot. It is near this small grove of Aspen:
From the elevated ground of the medicine spot I could survey most of the surrounding Black Hills. Tremendous slideshows of cloud shadow and sunshine played across the hills and vales. In the distance I could hear boat motors, shouts of kids being towed through cold lake water.
It was a bizarre contrast.
The Sioux believe the Black Hills have been contaminated and desecrated.
The National Park Service asks that you pack out what you pack in, that you confine all fires to the pits provided, and that you respect quite hours that begin at 10:00pm and end at 6:00 am.
I had heard the Sioux, but I paid my $17 to the park service and slept soundly after a cupful of chili and an oilcan of Foster's Lager. My campfire burned itself to dead ash in the firepit while I watched its fading embers from inside my tent.
Departing Little Bighorn
Heading to Black Hills
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Little Bighorn
Tired, Haue dilapidated room across from site,
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Sheridan WY
Sandwich and smoothie
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Battlefield
Arrived Fetterman battlefield 2 hrs ago
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Departing Ft F
OD 5372
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Friday, June 03, 2005
Ft Fetterman
Arrived 2 hrs ago
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Grattan fight
OD 526O
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Torrington
Arrived Torrington via Scottsbluff - in Crazy Horse country
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Departing Ft Morgan
Thanks Ed and Mel at Morse motorcycle
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Fort Morgan
Pizza and beer
--
Mobile Email from a Cingular Wireless Customer http://www.cingular.com
