A Viking’s Walkabout – Day 06 Part 2

Part 2: Carhenge near Alliance, Neb. to Lead, S.D. via Nature Loop, Needles Hwy., Mt. Rushmore, and Deadwood, S.D.

Distance (Part 2 of Day 6): 217 miles / 376 km

Time (Part2 of Day 6): ~5h

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Bison coming down the hillside on the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park.

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More bison. This would not be the last time I would see bison on this trip, nor the closest, but this is the most I saw at any given time.

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Just blast it! On the Needles Highway.

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War Bus attempting to thread the Needles Eye Tunnel on Needles Highway. My key takeaway from today is that the WPA undertook all kinds of projects that would never in a million years get National Environmental Policy Act approval today. Yet, in the case of Needles Highway, the outcome was enjoyable for me. The Lakota people likely feel different, but it inspired a new respect in this place for me.

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Screenshot

Mt. Rushmore so life-like, my iPhone is attempting face recognition.

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I had no idea the Sturgis Mortorcycle Rally was happening today, so rooms were at a premium and I’m staying in Lead instead of Deadwood. Later, I would meet a guy from Lead in Alaska and meet several bikers that had rode to the rally…

A Viking’s Walkabout: | Prologue | Day 01 Calif. to Az. | Day 02 Az. to N.M. | Day 03 N.M. to Colo. | Day 04 Colo. | Day 05 Colo., Kan., Neb. | Day 06 Part 1 Neb. | Day 6 Part 2 Neb. to S.D. | Day 07 S.D., Wy., Mont. | Day 08 Mont. to Alta. | Day 09 Alta. (Banff) | Day 10 Alta. (Grande Cache) | Day 11 Alta. to B.C. | Day 12 B.C. to Yukon | Day 13 Yukon | Day 14 Yukon to Alaska | Day 15 Alaska (Coldfoot) | Day 16 Part 1 Alaska (Atigun Pass) | Day 16 Part 2 Alaska (Deadhorse) | Day 17 Alaska (Prudhoe Bay) | Day 18 Alaska (Fairbanks) | Day 19 Alaska (Anchorage) | Day 20 Alaska (Anchorage) | Day 21 Alaska (Tok) | Day 22 Alaska to Yukon | Day 23 Yukon | Day 24 Yukon to B.C. | Day 25 B.C. (Prince Rupert) | Day 26 B.C. (Prince George) | Day 27 B.C. (Vancouver) | Day 28 B.C. to Wash. | Day 29 Wash. to Or. | Day 30 Or. | Day 31 Or. to Calif. | Day 32 Calif. |