|
Join us
for a leisurely jaunt through the Black Hills
with like minded freedom fighting individuals who
appreciate the sacrifices inherent in preserving freedom
of the road. |
Tuesday August 8,
2006
A FREE ride during Sturgis Bike Week
Dinosaur Park
Skyline Drive, high atop Rapid
City, look for the brontosaurus
7:30 pm
Rain or Shine
Mt. Rushmore is free (but
it's $8 bucks to park in the garage)
We ain't lookin' to raise any money. We ain't lookin' to
heighten world awareness to any plight. We just wanna relax,
forget about life for a while and do what we do best, ride our
motorcycles.
An incredibly memorable experience riding a Black Hills Sunset
during the Sturgis Rally. There are no words. Rushmore at night is
beyond compare. This ain't no race. No attitudes, confirmed.
IT DON'T MATTER WHAT YOU RIDE, IF YOU RIDE, YOU'RE INVITED
Dinosaur
Park
Dino saur Park is located at 940 Skyline Drive, high atop
Rapid City.
Dinosaur Park was
created in 1936 with WPA funding. Originally, the dinosaurs were
grey but today they are bright green with touches of pinkish red.
The dinosaurs are lit up until 10 pm during tourist season and
there is a gift shop on the premises. Local residents refer to the
Park as the "DamEyeSore" Park. For more photos and info,
see these websites: 1 and 2.
Dinosaur Park
is one of the most elaborate examples of roadside sculpture in the
state of South Dakota and an excellent example of vernacular
public art. Mount Rushmore, about 20 miles southwest of Rapid
City, became the site of the great carvings of four American
presidents who played a major role in westward expansion. That
sculpture was first dedicated in 1930, and by 1935, some 200,000
visitors had visited the unfinished monume nt. These statistics were not lost on the promoters of
Rapid City. Tourism was big business, and the chamber of commerce
was eager to make the connection between one successful sculpture
and another.
The idea of
dinosaurs as the subject of a new sculpture came from Dr. C. C.
O'Hara, the retired president of the South Dakota School of Mines
and a paleontologist who was fascinated by the prehistoric
dinosaur remains he had found in the Badlands of South Dakota.
Others also liked the idea. The creation of concrete dinosaurs hit
three nerves in the American aesthetic—a sense of the history of
the West, an enjoyment of things larger than life, and a secret
pleasure in being frightened. Dinosaur Park, located on a
prominent hill above the town, was dedicated on May 22, 1936.
All five of the
original dinosaurs were built in identical fashion. The frames are
composed of two-inch-diameter black iron pipe set in concrete.
Around the central frame, body forms consist of a steel skeleton
covered with wire mesh to which the concrete skin is applied. Oral
tradition has it that the park's dinosaurs originally were gray,
but today they are painted vivid green, with touches of pinkish
red. Built to authentic size, the measurements of the five
dinosaurs are as follows:
1. Triceratops—27
feet long, 11 feet high, 40-inch horns
2. Tyrannosaurus Rex—35 feet long, 16 feet high, 4-foot-long
head
3. Brontosaurus—80 feet long and 28 feet high
4. Stegosaurus—11 feet long and 7 feet high
5. Trachodon—33 feet long and 17 feet 6 inches high.
Somewhere along the way, two other statues were added:
Dimetrodon and Protoceatos.
The
brontosaurus, the largest of the dinosaurs, is visible for many
miles and has become a local landmark.
In The Colossus
of Roads, art historian Karal Ann Marling explains the appeal
of the awesomely large prehistoric animals in this way:
"Humor and fakery create situations that appear 'dangerous,
horrible or uncanny' and then disperse the sensation of terror
with the sudden realization that the whole thing was a hoax."
Keystone
Watch a gun fight re-enactment on Main Street, dress up in
old-fangled garb and pose for an old time photo. Sample some
homemade candies or dine in one of Keystone's unique restaurants.
Just two miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone
also offers easy access to Custer State Park, the Needles and
Crazy Horse Memorial. The world famous Pigtails are just down the
road. Keystone is the top destination in the Black Hills, offering
over 700 rooms, 50 gift shops and restaurants, hundreds of
campsites and cabins, and m any family-approved
attractions.
For more info, visit the Keystone Chamber of Commerce Website at
http://www.keystonechamber.com/
The
1880's Train
Imagine
you're gliding over the rugged landscape aboard a vintage steam
train, like those that helped settle the Great American West! The
1880's Train offers a western experience like no other. Feel the
power. Hear the bellow of the engine and the whine of  the whistle as it winds it's way through the scenic
hills between Hill City and Keystone and back again. The trip
takes approximately 2 hours.
For more info, visit the 1880's Train website at
http://www.1880train.com/
Road
Kill
The Black Hills
are full of crazy critters lookin' to take out a Biker. Some of the
larger species of speed bump are.....
 
Click on scientific name for pictures and habits
Jackalope
(Lepus
cornutus)
 
CLICK HERE to visit Splatt's
Jackalope Page
CLICK HERE to visit Dr. Chuck's Jackalope Page
CLICK HERE to see the complete Mammals of South Dakota website
Turn In Poachers (TIPS) 1 800 592 5522
Mount Rushmore Night Lighting
Ceremony
 Parking Fee: $8.00. The parking fee is a
special use fee and is valid for the entire calendar year in which
it is purchased. This is not a Federal entrance fee, so National
Park Passes, Golden Age, Access and Eagle Passports are not accepted
for parking. The $8.00 parking fee is the only fee for the park.
There are no other fees for use of facilities or special events.
CLICK HERE to visit the Mt. Rushmore website
 If you're a
Vet, you get the honor of helping to retire the flag at the end of
the ceremony, just like Herman and Jim from ABATE of California,
seen here in 2004.
CLICK HERE for South Dakota Motorcycle Laws |
