JOY'S

         Joy is the feeling of grinning on the inside

STURGIS  99

My God, these folks don't know how to love -- that's why they love so  easily." 

~ D. H. Lawrence ~

All & All, A "Fine Ride"!

"He who hears not the music, thinks the dancer mad"

August 1999

Yep, made it finally to South Dakota. It was touch and go there for a while, but....as luck would have it everything fell into place. The drive out was pure fun; however, the drive back bittersweet; but, isn't that the way of "vacation", and life if one thinks on it.

My first impressions on the trip were how huge the sky seemed the further from my beloved Blue Ridge mountains I became. The land was of different color and scent. The grass seemed more green to me & I'd never seen so many acres of corn or soy beans in my life!!!! The farmers are to be praised, can you imagine just how many snakes were under those plants??????? I'd never made it as a farmer....too afraid of the "beasties of the field"...

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed how the trees changed in density. One tree in particular, I just know someone was hanged there!

The air was easier to breathe, or maybe it was just traveling far away from home and the breathing was more of "freedom", than air; most pleasant, whatever the reality. When push comes to shove, isn't it the "feeling" that counts, moreso the actuality?

We drove through the Badlands; totally awe inspiring. I could just imagine Jessie James and all the outlaws hiding from the Marshals, dodging Indians and shooting rattlesnakes for supper. (If you haven't already guessed, I have a vivid imagination)...I can understand how the early Indian, frontiersmen and women loved the land. It was magnificent. Maybe next time to camp over one night and see the sun rise and set. I'm told the colors at those times are more beautiful than the rainbow!

 The closer to Sturgis, the more excited I became. One hears so many tales of the "bikers" and their "women"...I wanted to experience for myself; more as an onlooker than participant. That'll come next time! This trip was a "testing of the waters", as it were. Least I know what to pack, (or better yet, NOT pack). I also discovered it's hot during most days, and colder than a well diggers tail in the evenings! I know for a fact, there will be more than 2 pairs of pantyhose packed for  the next trip....think maybe leggings would be more in order!!!! There was one night it began to rain as we were on our way back to the cabin in Spearfish Canyon; thought I was actually going to freeze to death, think that was the coldest I'd ever been in my life! We'd had problems with the hot water, and I was praying we didn't now. All I wanted was a HOT shower and a fire built in the fireplace. As it turns out, the Lord was merciful and the water was to my liking! Spearfish Canyon was a gorgeous place!!! Tall mountains, some with lots of trees, and then parts with none. A mountain lion lives in those hills, cause he ran right in from of us late one evening as we were on our way to the cabin. What a RUSH that was !!!!!!!!!!! Luckily we'd stopped to look at the waterfall, or he may have actually gotten to know us on a personal basis !!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The first day was an experience in more ways than one. Only speaking of good things, Sturgis was all I'd been told and more. I watched people of all ages, sizes and possible description mingle with each other, smiles on their faces and "toddies" in their hands (inside of course)..... Had I been able to sit still, I'd have liked to have just seated myself behind a tripod and "clicked the day away"! This year, I was too busy "absorbing" to seriously think I could sit still eight minutes to shoot, much less an entire eight hours!!! Next time, I've promised myself !!

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We spent time roaming the country side during the week, including Wyoming and Montana--beautiful country. We saw, among other things.. Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse; visited Hewitt, Rapid City, Keystone, Deadwood and the beautiful drive of Needles highway----filled with animals and "pigtails"! Of everything seen, Needles & The Badlands were my favorites. One hearts desire of mine was to see the buffalo. I'm told there are thousands in the park; however, I only saw one lone buffalo, a couple rams, a little goat wanting to cross the road, a chipmunk (Alvin)...& a few donkeys; which I did get to pet; regardless of disappointments, the hours spent there were grand.

 

 

 

 

 

Pactola Dam and Reservoir on the way to Needles Hwy.

 

 Scenes from Needles Highway

 

Mt. Rushmore of course..... 

 

 

 

 

 

 DEVILS TOWER

A tornado was in Sturgis....I heard bikes went "flying", but didn't see this for myself, thankfully! All I witnessed was the cold and rain. The phone lines were "fuzzy" for a while....tried not to think of home while there..don't understand why people "vacation", and then spend so much time calling home. Cat phoned home every day and was upset every day in regard to them....(some people just don't appreciate the reasons behind "getting away"....Doesn't make sense to me. I phoned twice all week I think it was....had a lovely surprise when I got home due to that too. My first day back, a Police Officer came to my door, informing me I was "missing" and could understand why they were concerned.....I laughed & and told him my friends get weird when I actually go anywhere.. Mentioned in the future about the same time if he gets another "missing persons" on me, to just forget it....I'll be where I was supposedly "missing" this time !!!!!!! Wonder how friends will react if & when I disappear to St. Thomas in the dead of winter?????  Like that's going to happen......LOL