If you drive south out of North Dakota, and if you are successful, eventually you will come to South Dakota. Personally, one Dakota would be enough. Just call it Dakota, but then we would have to change the flag. But then if the District of Columbia becomes a state, we would have to change the flag, and add a star, so I see a win win situation. Just One Dakota, and D.C. takes the star, no need to change the flag, and the money we save, we can give to the rich, cuz dammit in amerika that’s what we do, make the rich richer.
A lot of tough problems are solved when you just mosey
along.
South Dakota has some interesting things. The Crazy horse monument.
The mountain someday will look like the statue posed in
front of it, but for the last 20 years or so it hasn’t changed much.
Of course, there is Mt. Rushmore. And the mecca of the
motorcycle world Sturgis.
Ice Gal has never been to the rally. Most likely never will,
but the first time I rode around in the Black hill’s way back in the 1990’s.
Sturgis was a tiny town that you parked in the middle of the street, to go to
the shops. Today the town is a major city, with everything imaginable, but what
is stunning to me is the investment in venues for the rally. They are HUGE
places, and only used for a week or two during the rally. When I cruised
through all the big venues were boarded up for the season. I guess build it and
they will come is alive and well here.
Further south on highway 385 is Nebraska, and that’s where I
wanted to be. Specifically, the Union Pacific Baily Yard in North Platt.
I had some miles to cover, but when I saw the visitor center
for the Platt River, I thought ill just stop at the next Platt River Visitor
center.
This road like most roads I have been on are two lane with hardly any shoulder, and a almost 45 degree drop off. So just pulling over is out of the question. When I saw the sign for Ash Hollow Windlass Hill, I knew I was stopping. I needed to brew some koffee.
I pulled into the pullout by the pioneer cabin. I really like to photograph these old stone structures. Seems like there are hardly any left, and fortunately this one was protected with a fence.
I would have brewed my koffee right here, but someone
had taken a big poo right in the lot, and even left the T P to blow in the
wind. I didn’t need to be around that. Leave it for the fly’s.
Pulling up the hill I discovered the real reason for the
wayside. Windlass Hill
In the pullout was another vehicle pulling a caravan, and as
I was brewing my koffee a little lady walked up to the van and asked if I had
seen her up on the hill. Hell, I never saw her walking up to the van.
She turned out to be the highlight of the day. A solo traveler heading north. We had a delightful conversation, and she new the reason the site was there. It was a stop on the Oregon Trail where the wagons were winched up the hill. If you look in the photo the wagon wheel ruts are visible in the grass
Hope my ancestors that traveled the trail from Ohio to the Willamette valley didn’t have to tough a time getting up that hill.
The rest of the way into North Platte was pretty easy going. Just two lane “Bike Roads”. A couple of rolling hills and lots of Sunflowers, that are just about ready for harvest.
These commercial plants are no where near as tall as some of
the ones Numbers grows, but they all have giant flowers, that must yield a lot
of seeds.
The much-anticipated Bailey Yard did not disappoint. The
link has all the specifics, but I came to see trains, and from the tower, you
can see them.
For a measly $7.00 you can ride the lift up to the top. The tower has two levels you can access. The highest level 8
is enclosed, but I liked the open level 7 better.
I think you need a Cessna or maybe a drone to capture how large this yard is.
Trains. Wagons. And a new friend. Another excellent day of
RV’ing
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