Along the Geronimo Creek: Highpoint roadtrip -Day Four

Left Scottsbluff headed toward Black Hills. Was planning to stop by and say "hi" to Justin's parents, Dean and Sonya, in Hemingford, NE but missed them....it seems that not everyone is on vacation this week. They were busy planting conservation trees some place in northwest Nebraska. Continuing north, I rolled into the only gas station in the small town of Crawford and was surprised to see horses at the pump...it turns out that I was flat dab in the middle of a trail ride rest stop. Me being me, started asking questions.. and I found out that it was the Crazy Horse memorial ride that goes from Fort Robinson to Pine Ridge( lasts three days and goes 75 miles). I decided that I didn't need gas so bad that I wanted to make the riders move their horses and the convenience store was packed anyway so I decided to move along. I went ahead of the riders who were starting to move out. Up the highway about one mile, there were some friendly guys that were sitting on the tailgate of their truck and preparing to pass out water to the riders. I pulled up next to them and meandered over to talk.... one of them had ridden last year... it turns out that they have about 250 riders and they make two overnight camps before reaching Pine Ridge. I took a few photos of the riders as they approached (no one seemed alarmed that I might steal their spirits) and when I left the guy passing out water (having found out that I was from Geronimo,Texas), invited me to bring my horse and ride with them next year. I didn't disappoint him by telling him that I don't have a horse.

On to the Black Hills... First stop was Evans Plunge in Hot Springs that I last visited with the family on vacation in 1989. Back then, we swam in the mineral (not so hot) waters... the kids thought that it was too smelly. I roamed around town to look for the main spring but turns out that there isn't one... instead there are many small springs with different temperatures... histiorially there were 170 springs, but only a few still flow. Back in the Honda Accord(which is holding up nicely) and heading toward Custer, South Dakota. Before you get to Custer, you enter park grounds and there are abundant wildlife photo opportunities...I saw many buffalo, pronghorns and Justin's favorites(cute little prairie dogs). I went to a visitors center and made reservation for Center lake(it was the closest tent camping to Harney peak trailhead that was available). On my way to camping, I stopped by to see the trailhead for Harney peak at Sylvan lake(met alot of nice vacationers around the lake). I wish that I had a rod and reel because they were catching trout in lake. This would be a great place to take the family...hiking and fishing plus convenience of general store with canoe and paddleboat rentals. After snapping a few photos for myself and for others, it was on to find my designated camping spot. Arrived Center Lake campground and set up camp...there were very few campers around but it soon began to fill up.... the couples that settled in next to me were from Greenville, California and Omaha, Nebraska. It soon turned into the battle of the grandkids... the California couple showed tons of photos from their iphone of their five grandkids, the Nebraska couple had eleven grandkids to talk about and I think that I had the best grandkid stories... thanks to Lucy, Grace and Haley. Yes, I know that I have two more grandkids but so far they haven't given me much story material...you can only go so far telling about smiles and cuteness...cause the other folks think that their grandkids are just as cute. Settled in for the night to the sound of the creek.