Outside Challenge Week: Day 7- Mt. Roosevelt

WE DID IT!!!

Enjoying the view. 5.1.13

Today was the culmination of a weeks worth of outside family adventuring. Getting out each day hasn't been easy. A few evenings it was tough getting out the door but the rewards have been countless.

This evening we headed into the Black Hills to Mt. Roosevelt, a favorite spot of ours. The road to Mt. Roosevelt isn't plowed throughout the winter so we weren't sure if we would even be able to make it through. Thankfully, most of the snow had receded and there was evidence that many vehicles had been up through. The road was clear.

We parked and got Eli wheeled up and released Wu. The trail was easy going until we were 2/3 of the way and we ran into snow. It wasn't a huge patch so we portaged Eli over. Then hit another patch of snow and we took to the woods. Eli loved going off trail. Apparently it was very exciting.

His off-roading face! 5.11.13

The ground around the tower was clear of snow. The trees opened up and the sun beat down upon us. We took the Friendship Tower in.

The last 4 years (since we moved here) have brought a lot of change to the Roosevelt's Friendship Tower. When we first visited it was sealed off to visitors but in true Black Hills fashion, the gated door had been altered so that one could squeeze through. Then a year or so later construction began to repair the mortar and then to reconstruct a staircase. Then the roof was put on to protect it a bit from the elements (but it's not historically accurate).

Mt. Roosevelt's Friendship Tower. 5.1.13

We were hoping to follow the loop around but snow covered the rest of the trail. We opted to take the trail back the way we came but instead of blazing trail in the woods we portaged Eli over the snow patches. It was kind of awesome and we felt like we could do anything.

After working our way through several hundred feet of snow patches we were back on gravel. It was all downhill from there and our hike was over before we knew it.

Our seven day adventure was complete and we asked "why stop there?" Why not challenge ourselves to do this everyday as a habit? I think we will.

 

Nemo 500 Outhouse Races

This weekend we attended our first Nemo 500 Outhouse Race. Usually the event is held out in Nemo but over the last couple years it had outgrown it's venue and this year was moved to the Day's of '76 Museum and Rodeo grounds right here in Deadwood.

Since we moved here we'd heard a lot about what these outhouse races entailed but until today we had no idea of how much fun it could really be. There were events planned all day long. There were two auctions, a few raffles, a chili and rib cook-off, live music, drinks and food and of course the outhouse races.

Josh enjoying the ribs 2.12

We arrived around noon and immediately set upon the chili and rib cook-off. I tried every chili I could and was surprised and inspired by the variety. A couple had quite a kick and one in particular was almost sweet and had pineapple chunks. I voted for the one with the best kick. Josh set upon the ribs. There weren't too many choices but he tried a few and was impressed (which isn't easy to do). After placing his vote we decided that next year we would definitely want to be competitors. I know we can make a darn good chili and I have no doubt that with his southern blood his ribs would be top-notch.

The crew of "The Wizzer" 2.12

After eating our share of food we made our way to the 'outhouse' area. There were roughly 14 teams competing and each had their outhouse on display. We were blown away by the creativeness of the designs. Each team was dressed thematically to match their outhouse. It's amazing how many puns and witty jokes about poop we heard. People are so creative.

Competing Outhouse 2.12

Of all the teams our favorite was 'The Wizzer of Oz". Their team members were dressed as the main characters from the Wizard of Oz and there must have been 40 people in their entourage. That is, 40 people dressed up as citizens of Oz. The Wicked Witch was there and so was the Witch of the East. They even had a 6-8 piece band that struck up "We're off to see the Wizard" every now and again. It was a fabulous display.

After touring the museum and checking out the silent auction we watched the live auction in anticipation for the races. I mentioned to Josh that I was surprised that they weren't taking bets on the various outhouse teams and about 10 minutes later the biding started up. I love Deadwood.

The Litter Box, 2.12

The official start of the outhouse races was at 1:45. Each team was to pull or push their outhouse on a track that looped around the football stadium at the '76 Rodeo Grounds. Most teams had at least 4 people. Three to push and one to ride inside (this was an official rule). About 3/4 into the loop the team members had to do a fire drill of sorts and run around the outhouse while stacking colored toilet paper onto plungers stuck to the ground. It was incredibly silly.

Along with a few hundred people we watched and cheered. One competitor lost his shoe halfway through the track and just kept on going. A few were bogged down by the slushy track and had to walk part of the way. The 'Wizzer of Oz' definitely stole the show (they did have a live band!). They ended up winning the entire event!

After watching all of our favorite outhouses race we decided to call it a day. It had been a long time since we had laughed to hard and had such a great time in Deadwood. And now the countdown is on for next year. Hopefully we'll have an outhouse to race and be in the chili & rib cook-off!

The Black Hills Pioneer wrote an article about the Nemo 500 which can be read here.

This is a short video of the Outhouses that we watched. They are each doing their fire drill so it's funny to watch. And make sure to listen for the band!

Deadweird

Though we've been living in the Hills since 2009 this is the first October that we've actually been in town. Somehow we are bouncing around the east coast at this time of year and we didn't realize all the fun we were missing here in Deadwood.

Our friend, Matt Kinsey was visiting from North Dakota and it turned out that he had chosen the perfect weekend to head south. Two years ago we had spent Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts with Matt. Salem was interesting and people had been creative but we left feeling like there should have been more going on. We should have been in Deadwood.

10.31.11 Crowded at The Franklin. Photo by M. Kinsey

Saturday night we dressed up and headed downtown. I threw on a Greek goddess costume that I had worn a few years back- a long white satiny dress with gold arm bands and trim. Josh morphed into a hunter. He was dressed from head to toe in camouflage, complete with deer calls and a hunter orange wii rifle. Matt was Matt.

I don't think that the guys were all that excited until we were on Main St. There were people everywhere and dressed up as everything imaginable. It was fun just to take everyone in. We managed to cram into the Franklin Hotel just as they were announcing the winners of the costume contests. As we made it through the door we caught sight of one of the most impressive costumes we had ever seen- the Transformer, Bumblebee. Then there was the Nazgul, from LOTR who was 8ft tall. There was a real pirate with his own live macaw. I say 'real' because the man looked like he just stepped off of the ship from waging hell on the open seas.

10.31.11 There's Waldo! Photo by M. Kinsey

The Franklin was so cramped that we decided to head down the block and keep people watching. We ran into a very leggy Lt. Dangle, several Waldo's and I'm pretty sure we saw a Snooki! Or at least I hope that's what she was going for. There were pimps and ho's, devils and angels, priests, clowns, bees and a even a Santa. Everyone looked great, was in a great mood and it made the whole town feel alive.

Since we weren't drinking we spent most of our time meandering through the crowds and popping in and out of the bars. I wish I had taken a picture of the blackjack tables at Saloon #10. Where else could you see a true group of characters playing cards?

10.31.11 Best group- Green Army Men. Photo by M. Kinsey

After about an hour we decided that maybe we should head back to the house. It was becoming obvious that everyone was a few drinks ahead of us and since we weren't going to be catching up it was time to call it a night. Before we made our way back up the hill we decided to cruise down Main St. and take one last look at everyone. We ended up seeing some of the best costumes yet including a troop of Green Army Men. They were painted olive drab form head to toy and as we drove by they all struck a pose. It was the best group costume that we had seen all night.

After we had time to take everything in, we decided that we won't be missing another Deadweird! It was too much silliness and fun. Only next time we'll really do ourselves up right. Maybe we'll be characters from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (our favorite movie) or maybe we could be the cast of Game of Thrones. There's so many good ideas and too long to wait!

The Places We've Seen

Since Josh and I began our geocaching explorations, we have come across a few unknown spots that completely surprised us. We would be on our way to find a cache and all of a sudden there was an amazing canyon or waterfall ahead. All we could think was "How have we never been here before?" Intriguing us more was that our friends hadn't heard of these places either.

One afternoon Josh and I explored the Whitewood Creek Reclamation Area which is located behind Schade Winery, at the beginning of Boulder Canyon in Deadwood. There's a dirt road that follows the creek back towards Whitewood and it looks like it dead-ends in a storage yard but alas, it winds to the right and heads into the canyon.

We crossed a couple of trestles and slowly made our way along the creek. The canyon walls rise up hundreds of feet on the left and the creek flows on the right. There's not much for traffic in this area, because it is a dead-end which makes it even more peaceful and relaxing. Maybe two miles in there is a large man-made wall which acts as a retainer but also gives easy access to the creek. To get on top of the wall you have to drive through an 100 foot crevasse. It's awesome.

We had heard about a railroad tunnel in this area. Our eyes were pealed for any sign of it. The road continues for a few miles more but eventually ends at private property. As were were turning around I saw a large black void.

8.11 Josh at Whitewood Creek Train Tunnel  

It's at moments like this that I know Josh loves me. I started hooting about a tunnel and how we should walk to it. It was ridiculous but he obliged and we set off down the road.

8.11 Whitewood Creek Train Tunnel

We had found the old abandoned train tunnel! The entrance was gated but it was still really cool to be able to see through it and to imagine a train rolling through there. I wish that there was information on the land owner because we would love to hike above it and around the area (and obviously to get inside)!

After playing for a bit we headed back to town. On the way out we spotted several hiking trails that we had missed on the way in. We are going to go back later to hike and explore a bit more.

During the week I had been geocaching on Annie Creek Rd. and found a great spot. I didn't investigate at the time because I wanted to do it with Josh and we were able to make it there just a few days later.

9.11 View of Annie Falls from landing

Annie Creek Road is about 2 miles North of Cheyenne Crossing in Spearfish Canyon. It's a little dirt road just before a sharp corner. The road seems to be laid on an old railroad bed and in a few spots they are surfacing. There's a nice hiking trail that follows along the left side and can lead you to some great views. About a mile or so in there's a small pulloff on the right and a steep pebble path on the left.

We parked there and Josh, myself and Wu made our way down the path. For a few yards it's rocky and steep but it leads to a natural landing. Lining the edge were huge boulders that made perfect benches. Josh sat out with his legs over the edge but it was a bit too high for me.

From there we overlooked a waterfall that fell onto a large boulder and split the stream of water in two. The path down to the creek is a bit trecherous but it's worth it. There's some climbing and the pine needles can make it a little slick.

8.11 Josh at Annie Falls

It was so steep that we had to leave Wu at the top. Josh told him to stay and we hiked down. The creek was really easy to cross and we didn't get our feet wet. We enjoyed the waterfall and were in total delight over the new hike we could do here.

There a bit of space by the creek and it would be a beautiful area to eat lunch, which we will be sure to do. After taking a few photos and realizing that Wu was waiting we climbed back up.

To our delight the dog was still there and when we crested the top he let us know that he won't be left behind again. This wasn't a hike for young kids or dogs but it was a good challenge for us and we have started to try to find a route up the creek instead of down that steep incline.

We made it back to the car and kept exploring the Canyon. It was a perfect way to have started the day. 

Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary & Community Caves

A few days ago I came across an article about Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary, a place open to the public as a place to reflect and be at peace. This seemed like a very cool idea and on my next day off I headed that way. Nate happened to have the day off and he came along. The dogs were in tow. I instantly realized what a special place this was and knew that I'd be back in a matter of days with Josh. It was something that he needed to experience.

Entrance to Pathways 8.11

That day came on Sunday. I had told him just enough details to get his interest peaking and we woke up early with anticipation. We were in great moods as we cruised out on Rochford Road. It's beautiful country out that way. Pathways is located on Juso Ranch Road, just across from the Dumont Trailhead of the Mickelson Trail.

We parked in the lot, leashed the dog and passed through the gate. It felt as though we were entereing a private, sacred place. We read the welcome prayer, which wasn't religious, so much as spiritual. And when we walked on I think we both felt lighter.

The Invocation, 8.11

 The walking path was wide easy to navigate and natural to follow. Our first stop was at the statue called "The Invocation".  It's a larger than life depiction of a warrior on the back of a bucking horse with only a buffalo hide between them. Raised to the sky, the warrior holds a buffalo skull. The statue has begun to patina and it was awe inspiring. It was impossible not look look at it from all sides in wonder.

The path first lead us through an aspen grove, then up a slight hill and through the woods. Along the way were nooks with plaques with quotes to contemplate and benches to sit in wonder. There were many religious quotes from a wide variety of regions, each emphasizing one-ness. It felt like a very positive place. We don't want to give away too much because it really is something to see.

Gandhi quote on the walking path, 8.11

We took our time and sat on quite a few benches. We sat and listened to a symphony of insects wake up and enjoyed the dew on our feet.  We eventually made our way back to the beginning. As we exited through the gate we promised to come back here soon. Our early morning visit had been inspiring.

Late that afternoon, after lunch and a nap, we headed to Spearfish Canyon to find Community Caves. Earlier this spring I had thought that I had glimpsed a frozen waterfall that could have been the Caves. I had asked just about every local friend and search every blog on the Black Hills and it was only a few days before when a few friends had hiked it. After a few details, we had a better idea of where we were going.

Community Caves, 8.11

We parked at the turnout that was 2.7 miles, crossed the highway and walked back towards Spearfish along the creek bed. The trail was fairly easy to find and we began the assent up a rocky ravine to the caves. About halfway up a small stream of water washes through the path and it seems as though we've stepped into another world.

Community Caves 8.11

At the top of the ravine a waterfall spills over the overhang that houses a series of small caves. Some of the caves had smoke damage and one had artwork. The water spilling over the edge was cold and we used it to cool ourselves. We hung out for awhile and enjoyed the peacefulness.

On the way home we had to pass through Deadwood, which is gearing up for Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It seemed like a nice night to enjoy a dinner at Diamond Lil's and an ice cream. We walked around town and took all the bikes in. The streets rumbled with the thunder of Harley's and it was a good way to end our adventurous day.

A Wedding

For the last two years Josh and I have shared our lives. It 's been the best time of my life. Two years ago on my drive to Deadwood I wasn't expecting what I would find there. I found work, friends and adventure but I also found Josh.

I remember the exact moment when I saw him. We were standing at the back of a equipment trailer when he smiled and introduced himself. His smile lit up his whole face and I took note. We were instant friends. At work we chatted and told stories. After awhile we started to hang out outside of work. We explored the town and the Black Hills. We found Art Alley in Rapid City and became regulars at Mustang Sally's. I had more fun with him than I'd ever had in my life.

We had our first kiss at Wonderland Cave. Then several more kisses at Black Hill Caverns, Crystal Cave, Wind Cave and Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns. We kiss in every cave now; it's become our tradition. On the road to each of those kisses we grew to know each other and even more about ourselves.

Then, on Friday, the 8th of July, we began the greatest adventure yet and pledged ourselves to each other in marriage.

The sky was clear and the sun was warm. The ceremony was at Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon, in a private clearing that was edged in giant pines and thick

softwoods. We could hear the creek

running under the bridge and every tree seemed to be a little greener.

Our nieces, Ayden and Ava were excellent Flower Girls. They looked beautiful in their ivory dresses as they carried smaller bouquets of daisies. My Maid of Honor was my closest friend, Amy. She wore a dress in my favorite hue of blue and had her hair pulled up. She looked fantastic! Josh asked his father, Willie to be his Best Man

and he and Amy walked together. Willie, my father, Bob and Josh wore dark suits and matching ties. They looked so handsome.

I will always remember the moment that I saw Josh waiting for me. It looked like the sun was shining down upon him and he was wearing that huge smile that I love so much. I walked a little faster when I saw him. My Dad asking me why I was walking so fast, and I told him that my husband was waiting for me!

Our best friend and roommate, Nate preformed the ceremony. As I was reciting my vows to Josh I could hear my voice cracking and see tears in his eyes. Everything that I had tried to memorize seemed to disappear and as I held myself together I told Josh that he had taught me to love and how I pledge myself to him. Josh vowed to me that he'd always let me catch the bigger fish, something I intend to hold him to, and that he'd love me forever. It was very casual and very us. Nate did a great job and free-styled some of the most beautiful parts of the ceremony.

Our friends, Dan and Kindell, took our pictures. They captured not only our families but also the candid moments throughout the day. We love the pictures that they took. They came out beautifully.

After the ceremony everyone headed for the reception, which was at Butch Cassidy Sundance Kid Luxury Suites in Deadwood. The Suites have an amazing patio and since Josh's parents, Uncle and Grandmother had rented the building for the weekend it was the perfect place for our reception.

We really to have food that you'd find at a Southern Style BBQ. There were ribs and brisket, prepared by Willie & Uncle Terry. I have never had BBQ better than theirs. Josh's Mom and Aunt prepared a potato salad and a strawberry salad that were unforgettable. We had made pasta salad, which wasn't so bad either. There was corn, rolls, and fruit in case we were still hungry. Everything was delicious.

We had asked Josh's sister, Jawauna, to make our cake and cupcakes and she blew us away with her red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Our cake she decorated with pine trees, chocolate rocks and even a small deer. It was a winter scene of the Black Hills and it was perfect! We cut it and as we served it to each other, Josh pushed my piece into my face and up my nose and I served him a sweet little bite. Delicious!

When our song, Wagon Wheel, came on we danced, sang and reveled in the moment. We sang it to each other and Josh spun me around a bit. In that moment it seemed to be just me and my husband.

As the afternoon came to an end, we began to realize how all of this excitement had worn us out and we returned to our home.

Later that evening we went to Saloon 10 with our friends and my new sister- and brother-in-laws. We popped in to the Deadwood Tobacco Co. and listened to music until Josh excused us and informed me that our night was just beginning.

We stopped up to our house, grabbed an overnight bag and we were on our way. I had no idea where we were heading. I thought maybe we were going to a hotel downtown and when we passed the last hotel I was truly confused. Then I thought maybe he had set up the tent somewhere and we were headed out to a night under the stars. It was when we were at the top of Strawberry Hill that I realized we were heading to the Fish n' Fry Campground, the place I had been camping when we first started dating. It's always been a favorite of ours and we've often toyed with the idea of camping there again one summer.

Josh had reserved a cabin for us and it had been decorated with a "Just Married" sign and balloons. We had brought Wu because we couldn't escape him and he made his bed on the floor as we made our bed. Josh had brought the computer and a movie, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. He had recreated our first date on our wedding night. It was so sweet that I cried a little. I'm such a girl and I'm so in love with my husband.

In the night it hailed and rained harder than it had in awhile. It was awesome to hear it fall on the metal roof. I felt so snuggled, secure and safe as we watched the movie and sipped champagne. It was the perfect ending to our wedding day.

More wedding photos can be viewed by following this Family Photo's link.

Mother's Day Weekend Adventure

This week my mom is visiting from Maine. She happened to plan her visit to fall on her birthday, the 7th and Mother's Day, the 8th and so we decided that this weekend would be her chance to drag us around town to all the things she wanted to do. It turns out that there were more than a few things that we had been talking about and so we all went adventuring.

5.7.11 View of Lead SD from White Rock Ridge

On Saturday, we hung out locally and explored a few corners of Deadwood that were still a mystery. Early that morning Josh, my Mom and myself headed across the valley and crawled up to the ridge above Mt. Moriah. Wu & Brady accompanied us and kept us on our toes. It's amazing how two pups can make everything 3x's more hectic. It's a gift. We walked the ridge up to White Rocks and enjoyed the vista from there. It was a bit windy so we found a spot to hunker down and enjoy being on top of the world for a few minutes. When we made it back to the jeep we cruised the ridgeline and discovered a few places that had previously been covered in snow. It's an amazing area up there with some unbelievable views of Lead/Deadwood. We were able to see two Homestake entrances, the open cut, Mystic Miner Mountain and Terry Peak- it looked like an advertisement for Lead.

5.7.11 White Rock Ridge, Deadwood SD

Once we made it down White Rocks, we headed over to Forest Avenue to spy Seth Bullock's house. Just a few weeks ago we heard that his house was still around and went in search. We found it and thought maybe my Mom would enjoy it too. It's just a quick jaunt up from Main Street and is marked by a plaque in the wall.

After that to the Kirk trailhead of the Mickelson Trail. It's a railroad grade trail that runs through the hills for a hundred of miles or so but this section is just a few miles long, runs along a
small creek and is just slightly uphill. It's a perfect

5.7.11 Bullock House, Deadwood SD

spot to get away from traffic and let the dogs run a bit. Along this section Wu has a favorite swimming spot and though we hadn't seen it since last year, he remembered exactly where it was. He whipped off the trail and was wading in the water when we caught up with him. Little Brady ran right up to the water's edge, stood on a rock, looked at us, then turned and jumped into the creek. He was a little more than surprised when the water was icy cold and the current began to pull him. He dipped under for a second and when he surfaced be did the doggy-paddle like no puppy had done before and made it to shore. Within 5 seconds he had successfully completed his first swim. After all that excitement we got back on the trail and within a 1/2 mile we had found a better spot for the dogs to swim but apparently only Wu was interested. Brady stayed back, sitting on the edge and watched. Apparently he'd had his fill.

After all that swimming and walking we brought the dogs back to the house so we could enjoy the more adult things in Deadwood. First stop, Schade Vineyard & Winery. It's just inside of Boulder Canyon and about a mile from our house. It turns out that at this winery you can try however many wines you would like. Oh, no. I would feel pretty comfortable saying that their dessert wines dominated the menu. My mom ended up buying a bottles of the Buffaloberry, Chokecherry, Rhubarb. Josh & I bought a bottle of their 10th Anniversary Signature Red. All off us went a little crazy on the tastings because we had always been limited on the number. Mom tried every dessert wine- she was in it.

5.7.11 Belle Joli Winery, Deadwood SD

We were getting into the spirit of things and headed downtown Deadwood to hit up the Belle Joli Winery. It turns out that when you pay $5 for a tasting, you really get your money's worth. We tasted everything on the menu. Delicious. There were a couple that weren't too memorable but the rest were tasty. I should have stopped at the tasting but Mom and I decided to indulge in a glass and we all sat out watching people pass by.

Bertha at the Midnight Star was the next stop. She's a super large slot machine but she didn't pay out at all after $5 so we headed up the street to the Miner's Den Steakhouse. We ordered burgers and fries and drank water. After that wine tasting it was perfect and cleansed our pallets. We were full, exhausted and ready to head home only to begin it all again the next day...

On The Hunt

A tom in the yard that morning. 4.16.11

I knew it was going to be a great day when we woke up to find thirty or so turkeys in our yard. The tom's strutted up the street with their feather's displayed. Each trying to outdo the other. These were some of the largest birds any of us had ever seen. Three turkey's had beards that were so long, they stepped on them when they were eating. The tom's took their turns strutting and impressing us and after about an hour we still had them in the yard.

The same tom with two companions. 4.16.11

With our turkey's taunting them, Josh and our roomie, Nate, decided they wanted to go turkey hunting and invited me to tag along. I thought it'd be fun to  see the guys in action. We loaded up in the jeep and took off towards Nemo. Somewhere off of Nemo Road we cut into the National Forest on an old two-track. It lead us down into an area that was dense with new pine growth. Within 20 minutes the guys had spotted Elk on the port side. A bull and a cow stood fifty yards off and watched us for just a second and before I could get my camera out they were off. That was the closest any of us have been to elk yet. They're no moose but they're still pretty sweet.

After that road came to an end we wandered back and took a smaller side road. It was beautiful and it held a couple of surprises. It's a wonder how the forest divides to reveal a beautiful grassy meadow. We traveled that road until we couldn't go any further. At the end, we came across a house cat that never made it home. When we turned around and headed back out, we came across a cow that had died in childbirth. Both sights were gruesome. Where were we and what was going on here? The day was turning into an oddity. Turkeys, elk, dead cat, dead cow, what could be next?

Creepy Meadow. 4.16.11

It didn't long before we were on the road again and heading for the Experimental Forest Road. It's a favorite of ours and I think we've written about it before. Once you're on that road there's a variety of roads that lead out. Somewhere in there we came to a four-way and as we were crossing Nate saw something in the road. We stop and what Nate had seen was a pair of brand new Oakley's. Score! They didn't have a scratch on them. What was going to happen next?

At some point we turned off this road and headed into a long meadow. Josh and Nate saw some turkeys and when they got out to see if they could get one I hung out a the jeep. About 30 seconds after they disappeared out of my site the turkeys flew back my way, right over my head. I let out an audible laugh. If I'd had a shotgun of my own and I had been practicing skeet with the guys then I could have had two turkeys. Instead I shot some cool pictures.

Last attempt to call 4.16.11

We headed further into the meadow, went around a bend and just as we could see the entire meadow, Josh spotted a coyote. It blended perfectly with the meadow grasses and danced along the stream edge. We watched for a few moments and when we thought he had taken off we moved in. It wasn't until we were at a 90' with where the coyote had been that we realized that he hadn't gone anywhere- he had hunkered down. It was awesome. He sat just like a dog with his head held down watching us intently.

There had been a tom past the coyote deeper in the field, maybe that had been his intended dinner but with our arrival that tom was gone and soon the coyote had enough of watching us and took off, too. We meandered through the meadow and parked at the beginning of unused two-track. We hiked in over a couple smalls hills and the guys used their turkey calls to try to lore in either the coyote or a turkey. Neither were interested. We tried some more. Still no takers. So after tiptoeing around the hills for awhile we skirted the trees and headed back to the jeep. We tooled around for awhile more and tried calling again but didn't have any luck after that. It was starting to get later in the afternoon and we decided to call it a day.

Josh at White Rocks 4.16.11

Once we were back in Deadwood, Josh and I decided to pack up Wu and to hike up to White Rocks. It's a rocky peak that looks over town. There are dirt roads that go almost all the way up and we decided to explore those a bit. It turns out that you can drive the entire rim of hills around Deadwood. We parked at a radio tower and hiked about ten minutes to White Rocks. It was a fairly easy hike and Wu was anxious to lead the way.

Overlooking Burnham Hill from White Rocks 4.16.11

At the top we had a spectacular view of town. From up there our street, Burnham Hill, looked flat.  The view was 360' of beautiful. When we went to the actual top Wu had to stay behind and he did his best to keep his eyes on us. It's great to have a dog that wants in on every adventure.

We eventually headed back toward the Jeep, hopped in and kept exploring the roads along the rim. We took every turn we could and followed it to it's end. Unfortunately, the snow hadn't quite melted everywhere and there were still a few areas that we couldn't get to. That just gave us another reason to get back up there.

View of Lead, Homestake & Terry Peak 4.16.11

Then, from one viewpoint we were able to locate three old mines that had either been blocked off or were open but definitely abandoned. Suddenly we had a new goal. We are going to get to those mines.

Finally, we decided to to head home. We could only do so much and after the day's excitement we were completely exhausted. The day had started out with turkeys and ended with expansive views of the Black Hills. A perfect day. Let's do that again.

Mule Deer Down

This year seems to be stating off wonderfully. We are back In Deadwood, SD and were lucky enough to get back into the house that we'd moved out of. To help out with the cost we are living with our two close friends, Nathan and Dan Hayes. They're brothers. All that is great but....

1.1.11 Excitement after the shot

On the 1st day of the New Year, Josh took down his first Mule Deer with his bow. He and Nate were scoping in the bows when they saw a doe feeding on the hillside. Josh threw on his snow shoes and headed her way with Nate and his camcorder in tow.

They crept up on her until they were 17 yards away. The doe had watched them approach and just stayed there watching. She wasn't spooked at all .When Josh went to let loose the arrow she saw it coming.

The shot was a clean, through-and-through shot to the lungs. She took off and only made it about 20 yards. With the fresh snow the trail she left was blazing. The boys watched as she reacted, ran and then ultimately fell. And they got it all on tape!

Of course the fun was just beginning. The boys got it back to the house and dressed it. Nate fed the dogs some liver and it turns out that Wu doesn't really care for such things. Tahquitz loved it! The sun was setting at this point and they set it up so the doe would last through the night.

1.1.11 The first Mule

The next day when Josh and I set tot skinning it I realized it's been awhile since I had a hand in such things. It was fun learning all over again with Josh. The dogs cruised around us like sharks in water, getting bites now and again. Priscilla, our neighbors' dog even got in on the action. With two of us it went pretty quickly. The hardest part was getting our scotch tape to stick to the freezer paper. It's something to remember next time; always keep freezer tape on hand.

When all the work was done and everything was packaged and labeled we were exhausted, exhilarated and very happy that we had a freezer full of meat. Now our biggest decision is what cut to eat for dinner! Or is it what to hunt next...

Hike Towards Mt. Roosevelt

After a week of snow and rain there is finally sun in the Hills again. Josh, our roommate; Nate and myself went for a hike behind our new house. Our place is located at the top of the steepest hill in town and has no neighbors. It feels like the country but we're just a few steps from downtown. Our lawn blends into the prairie grasses and gradually blends to evergreens. Each day so far we have seen deer (whitetail & mule) next to turkey's feeding on our lawn. The cat thinks it great and likes to stalk them. No luck so far.

The first twenty minutes of our adventure were spent walking up hill.

After about five I was seriously wondering where we were heading. We followed an old two-track up a ridge. Wild grasses had taken it over and just a remnant of a road remained. After several rest stops we made it to a landing point. We found ourselves in a little clearing between small mounds with rock outcroppings. The boys hiked up to the top and I realized that was the place to be for great views.

After a few minutes of meandering I noticed I was going a different direction than the guys. This is typical. I tend to wander. Crap. We grouped up and walked up to the top of the ridge. On the way we came across some unusual scat and then the scattered and bleached remains of an Elk. We tried to find the skull but we didn't have any luck. The wind was unbelievably gusty and consistent. I was happy I'd grabbed my beanie.

The three of us finished walking the ridge line and ended up sitting for a bit in a thicket of birches. As we were trying to find a place to rest three deer came upon us and then skidded away. Maybe those were the deer that would be finding their way down to our place for dinner. Their dinner not ours. Not today anyway.

As we headed back down the hill it was much easier going. My legs ached from the hike up but that didn't seem to matter as I chose the easiest way down. It was the perfect afternoon for a long hike.

Hideaway Road

This winter Josh and I made many attempts to take one particular cut-off that leads between our work and home. As soon as it opened up for the year we started exploring. It's a rough ride but quite beautiful and we actually get cell phone coverage. A rarity on these back roads.

We had taken an off-shoot from Hideaway Rd last week and after about 4 miles ended up in snow and mud, as always. During that adventure we had noticed an off-shoot on the Off-shoot that we had surmised was a snowmobile trail. The other day we went and investigated. The road itself is a little two-track. It's predominately downhill and heading into a valley. We should have thought more carefully about that. After about a mile we crossed over a maintained dirt road that isn't on any maps and lead to private property. Interesting, we thought, where are we? So, like fools we crossed this decent road and continued on down our two-track. After four minutes of cruising we rested at the top of a knoll and surveyed the road. We tried to back out but we were already spinning. So, my brilliant mind says "Let's go down the hill and turn around and then drive our way out." It would have worked, too, if there hadn't been 8 inches of mud at the bottom and a good foot of snow to climb back up through.

The fun had just begun. We had made it about 30 feet before we really got stuck. Out came the hatchet and we laid pine bows under the tires for grip. We used old logs and leaves for traction. Not enough. We had manage to get just above the snow when we hit mud & boulders on a 20% incline. Then it rained.

We had already been there for about 2 hours when it rained. It definitely was working against us. But like good little worker bees we didn't give up and tried for another 2-3 hours to get it out. We tried so hard and for so long because the walk out was going to suck. Eventually the sun was starting to drop in the sky and we decided that we had better start walking out. Every so often I'd check the cell phones and finally up on a ridge we had signal. We let our friends know where we were, what we had been doing and the direction we were walking. Thank goodness for good friends. Nate Hayes attempted to come pick us up but his Hombre wasn't having the dirt road. Tyler Bachand made his attempt and was successful in finding us. We weren't surprised since he's a local. When we told him where we had been all we got was a long laugh.

The next day we had decided to go out in the afternoon to try to get the Jeep free.

Nate said that he'd come out and help. I ended up looking at the forecast and rain was heading our way. We booked it out there armed with 2x6's. We used everything we had. Our towels over the wood, more bows. Nothing was helping. After about an hour and a rain shower, Nate suggested that we back it up down our mud run and onto a dry hill and to just hammer it out. I had actually suggested this the day before but it was too wet. I backed the Jeep up, it gripped and went up like a charm. I was a little nervous about the run, it's not my vehicle but also my seatbelt wouldn't come out to latch.

I hammered on it anyway. I hit the rocks that we had been stuck on and it felt like the Jeep bounced it's way right through. Before I knew it I was unstuck and at the top of the hill. I heard the guys let out a holler and I answered it. Freedom at last and all before 1PM.

It all turned out better than we had anticipated so we headed to Mystic Hills for lunch and beers. Both delicious and a perfect ending to a hellacious adventure.

Black Hills NF Experimental Forest

While I was at work today I met a couple who told me about their adventures in the Black Hills over the last thirty years. They were a great people and really charming and told me about a cemetery back in Galena. There is supposed to be a razed mining town behind the town of Galena. Galena is one of the original mining towns that was settled in 1876. It's just one road that runs Northeast through a gulch. We had seen a picture taken while the mine was still in operation. It was a beautiful meadow with a church and school and several houses all along one dirt lane. The church was still standing when we found it today. It's nestled up the slope in a setting of evergreens and looked to be completely restored. We attempted to go off of Galena road onto a offshoot but didn't make it very far. Snow and mud were abundant.

We cruised through town to get over to Boulder Canyon and started taking whatever road interested us. We were abble to get this picture of Deadwood Gulch from looking Southwest. Eventually we found a road called Two Bit and I recognized the name. The road we take from work has a Two Bit offshoot. There was a Dead End sign but we went on. We've found that those signs often mean "for the truly devote off-roaders" and end up coming out somewhere. It was a beautiful ride. There were deer everywhere. We'd jump them and then watch as they ran up the cliffside. Mostly Whitetails today, not many Mule Deer.

Eventually we ended up finding an Experimental Road that led us through the Black Hills National Forest. There were more deer here than anywhere. It was relaxing to ride miles of dirt road and never see another person. We've decided to picnic here tomorrow.

To finish our adventure we hit up the Moonshine Saloon in Rochford. The locals had gathered and I almost felt like we were interrupting something but that soon passed and we ended up enjoying our beers and having good conversation.

Gilt Edge Road

Josh & I have been so busy planning our wedding that it's been hard to spend non-wedding time together. Who knew it would take so much time and effort thinking about the details? So we started taking the Jeep out and doing some adventuring & off-roading each day.

Today we explored a road off HWY 385 that we'd never been down before. I knew that there was an active mine at the end but our journey was all about finding a great view of it. We found a road called "Last Chance" and ventured forward. It was rutted, muddy and snowy. Some hills are nearly bare from the wildfire a few years back but most were green and starting to bloom.

Right away we found a beautiful turn-around that had two log seats. I took this opportunity to use my monkey claw stand for my camera (a Christmas present from Josh) and get some shots of the both of us.

We ended up tooling around for another hour. We did see a few old mine shafts that had been closed and collapsed. But after running into deep snow we did the smart thing and turned around. I know Josh was itching to get that run in but we'll save it for another day.