Devil’s Tower

Last night at Wyatt’s Hideaway, after stopping for groceries in Belle Fourche, I retrieved my cast iron skillet, seasoned my steak with freshly purchased salt and pepper (how could I have forgotten that?), and cooked up the meat medium rare. After supper, I had a big bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough and then sat outside in my chair, sipping an IPA, as temperatures cooled into the evening.

These are some of the luxuries that I never enjoyed on my Appalachian Trail thru-hike, made possible by Scamp Manufacturing (a/k/a the Brew Hut).

Empowered by wi-fi at Wyatt’s, I caught up on the news, blogs, and email. The days are getting shorter. By 8:00, it was dark out, and by 8:30, I was asleep. Several times during the night, I awoke to the sounds of trucks passing close by on the highway. I realized that the weather is also starting to change. Last night was the first time that I actually got cold enough to wrap up under the heavy double sleeping bag.

By 4:15 a.m, I was pretty much wide awake. I tossed and turned for an hour, gave up, and fed Elvis, who was only too happy to get an early breakfast. By 7:15, I had eaten breakfast, used the luxurious bathrooms, hitched up, and dumped by gray (sink and shower) and black (toilet) tanks. I gave Julia a call and then was on the road by 7:30 a.m.

My initial plan was to visit Devil’s Tower National Monument on the eastern edge of Wyoming and continue across the state to Buffalo, Wyoming for a camping spot nearby. However, Devil’s Tower was much more spectacular than I was expecting. Also, even though it was only about 8:30 a.m., people had started leaving the full campground, and there was a beautiful campsite on Loop A (the no generators loop), which looked directly at Devil’s Tower. I snagged the site, paid by $20 and went to see about the trails.

Stymied again. No dogs allowed on the trails. The sign suggested walking your dog in the campground, limited picnic area, or on a dirt road with no directions to get there. The sign also said that dogs were no allowed more than 15 feet off the road. Okay, we would improvise. Elvis and I walked about a mile and a half from the campground towards the visitor’s center. We had to dodge a few buses, motor homes, and large campers, but we made it to the dirt road that I believe they were taking about. It was definitely a challenging walk, but still fairly cool out.

During the afternoon, the temperatures climbed to 90 and higher than that inside the Brew Hut. We had a couple of shade trees at the campsite, and we moved our hanging out shady spot to match the sun’s progress across the sky. I read and blogged. Elvis slept.

After Wyatt’s, I  appreciated the quiet of nature again. The wind and the rustling of leaves. And there might be a bit of ice cream left in the freezer.  I will be headed west next.

Water problem in the Brew Hut

I didn’t sleep all that great last night.  The winds were from the wrong direction and didn’t cool off the trailer much at all.  Finally giving up, I fed Elvis before sunrise and hiked the lake trail.  The mixture of clouds and blue sky produced a startling sunrise.

I used the water jug to fill my teapot and Elvis’ water bowl.  That was enough for breakfast’s needs:  coffee, oatmeal, dishes, brushing teeth.  Then I started getting the Brew Hut ready to hitch up and go.  One of the things I do is to empty the toilet and give it a good rinse by turning on the water pump.  When I flipped the switch, I heard the sound of silence.  Not good.  Back and forth with the switch.  Nothing.  I had a full water tank with no way to get the water to the sink, shower or toilet.  Bad.

Now the worst case scenario is running through my mind.  Was the water pump dead?  Would I have to return to Rapid City to get it diagnosed, fixed and/or replaced at an rv shop?  Muttering sweet nothings, I lifted up my eight inch memory foam mattress which covers the access door to the water pump.  Can’t see a thing.  Next, I put on my headlamp and stuck my head in further, lifting the wires gently to see what was going on.

One of the electrical connectors to the water pump had apparently vibrated out.  Using my immense mechanical/electrical skills (not), I stuck it back into the slot.  Tuned on the switch.  The pump was working again.  Blood pressure returned to normal.

After I finished hitching up, I drove to Spearfish, South Dakota, intending to stay at the City Campground. Reports on the Campendium website indicated that rates were as low as $10/night off-season.  I guess it’s not off-season yet because the campground was nearly full. The attendant quoted rates of $45 for a narrow RV slot with hookups or dry camping in the primitive area without any hookups for $30/night.  I said no thanks and drove to Wyatt’s Hideaway at Belle Fourche just up the road.

With my Passport America discount card, the rate was half-price and $25/one night, electricity, wifi (serviceable), hot showers, laundry, dump station and fresh water.  Although I’m sure it’s packed during Sturgis Week, there’s hardly anyone here now.  A swift running river runs along the back of the campground and a busy road in front.  Not a nature experience, but I will get my errands done, resupply with groceries and be ready to head out in the morning to Wyoming.

Bear Butte State Park

I’m camped at Bear Butte State Park, which is just a few miles from Sturgis, South Dakota.  The campground is small, no hookups, vault toilet (i.e. outhouse), a water spigot, a few small trees for shade, and decent T-mobile service.  The only noise is the sound of the wind.

There are a couple of tent campers and a campground host with a big motor home.  He/She has full hookups.  But I didn’t camp here for the company or the amenities or the $11.67 (tax included) campsite.  Bear Butte is a special place, long-held sacred by the Cheyenne and Lakota.  On the summit trail, the indigenous people perform ceremonies during special occasions.   Just off the path appear sacrifices of tobacco, pieces of clothing, and other items. Hikers are requested  to remain quiet and respectful.  The place made a special impression on me during a previous visit many years ago.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the summit trail. I could try to leave Elvis in the camper or the truck while I hike the two to three hours round trip, but it doesn’t seem right.  I’ve been here once before, I remember the trail; it needs no repeating if Elvis can’t come.

So I’ll spend my time here enjoying the views of Bear Butte,  the reservoir, and the Black Hills in the distance.  There’s a stiff, cooling breeze, blowing across Bear Butte Reservoir.  A couple of hiking paths lead from the campground around the water.  Even though I’m not up on the mountain, I’m still getting that peaceful feeling of enjoying the simple things in nature.  There will be other mountains, Elvis.

Now that I’m Settled In, It’s Time to Go

I absolutely love this camping spot in the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.  Free, access to water in a nearby town, relatively decent Internet, lots of solar energy to harness, views to forever, a nice five-mile hiking route, bighorn sheep and whitetail deer, and did I mention free?

Elvis and I have settled into a routine.  We get up before sunrise and go for a hike along the Wall’s rim, trying not to wake up other campers on their own perches on the cliff. 

Then I eat breakfast outside, enjoying coffee, the view and pleasant temperatures of the morning.  By late morning, the sun has driven us inside the Brew Hut, which is still pleasant with the cooling strong breezes.  After a light lunch, we take short walks and spend the afternoon in the shade, reading the (digital) newspaper and my Kindle.  By late afternoon, it’s time for a beer or two, supper,and then more view enjoyment as the temperatures subside.  We end the day with an evening walk as the sun sets.

With a routine, however, my mind starts to wander and thoughts rise of cooler weather and higher elevation.  I’d like to hike some bigger hills and a couple of mountains before the cold weather comes.  So in a day or so, Elvis and I will head north and west to a special place in the Black Hills.  With that move, we will probably lose Internet reliability, so do not worry if I do not post for a bit.  I will continue blogging and post online when able.

At least, that’s the plan.

The Badlands: It’s all good

I made it to the Badlands yesterday at about 1 p.m. (Mountain Time Zone).  This isn’t my first trip; I’ve been here several times as a kid and as an adult.  There’s something about this place that takes all of life’s tensions and washes them away.  Blows it away is more apt.  The wind is nearly constant here.  Some people complain about the wind, but I’ve always found the wind soothing.  One of my Iowa relatives used to say that the wind blows the stink off you.

I’m camped just a few miles from Wall Drugs.  This place has nothing in common with Wall Drugs.  Coffee might be five cents at Wall Drugs, but it doesn’t taste anything like the coffee that I roasted myself, ground on a manual knee grinder manufactured over 50 years ago, made in a cone filter without any electricity. and sipped outside while overlooking the wide expanses of the West.

I’m perched on a cliff in Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.  The temperature gets up into the 80’s during the day but falls into the 50’s at night.  I hear coyotes at sunset and steers at sunrise.  I’m just going to let all of this soak in for a few days, but all is well.

Magnolia, Minnesota

I’m not going to lie.  Last night was rough.  I picked up Allie at O’Hare in Chicago at about 11p.m., dropped her off in Milwaukee, and arrived home at about 2 a.m. She was sick and understandably upset about saying goodbye to her boyfriend for who knows how long after having the time of her life in the Greek Isles. Once home, I slept for maybe four hours, off and on.

Then, with the help of a full French press pot of fresh-roasted Brazilian coffee, I began making my way west.  I was originally going to stay off of the interstate, taking Hwy 60 and then Hwy 18 across northern Iowa.  However, there was extensive flooding along that route, so I opted for Interstate 90, boring but not flooded.  By afternoon, I was making frequent bathroom stops to balance out all of the coffee consumed and was singing loudly to myself with the windows open to stay awake.

We arrived at the Magnolia City Campground at about 4 p.m. It’s a typical Midwestern small town with no services except for this nice campground less than a mile from the interstate with full hookups for $10/night. A café offers breakfast but closes at 2 p.m.  There’s a campground sign that says no discounts are offered  because the rates are already so cheap. I can’t disagree: electricity, water, showers, dump station, good Internet coverage from T-mobile, and a bunch of free digital tv stations.

Unfortunately, there’s no grocery store or even a convenience store.  I haven’t really stocked my fridge, so it’s a cold beer and scrambled eggs and cheese for dinner.  The good news is that I’m ahead of schedule and hopeful that I’ll be in the Badlands tomorrow night.

Elvis is very excited about this trip. Or maybe he’s just ready for supper.