Day 2 Update



Iron Mountain with Mt. Rushmore in the distance
 

After completing over 680 miles on day 1, today was much easier with less than 200 miles. I started out riding Iron mountain highway that featured two pigtail bridges (where you go under a highway bridge and curl back up over the bridge) and three tunnels. The road offers scenic mountain and Mt. Rushmore views.

I also rode through Custer State Park where I encountered highway panhandlers and a gang blocking the roadway. The panhandlers were a few wild burrows begging passing travelers for food. The gang was a herd of wild buffalo that split the highway. A little excitement as I passed the buffalo when a bull decided he wanted to cross the road as I was about to pass by. I quickly stopped to yield his passage!

Custer, SD Main Street

Being the day before the official start of the Sturgis rally the roadways were not as congested.  I did get slightly wet from an isolated thunderstorm near Hill City. But at least there was no hail with the rain which is so often the case this time of the year. Also killed about a million mayflies as I hit three big swarms. I guess  they didn’t know it’s August. I ended the day with a brief stop in Sturgis to pick up a few souvenirs before the crowds get too large. Tomorrow will be Needles highway and possibly the Badlands in daylight. More pictures to come!