Winter is Done

Another week has come to an end and with it, our winter vacation, or as we prefer to think of it, time to head north.  Last week I promised to let you know of what we found in the town of Santa Rosa, NM.  Well, after checking on the weather, we decided that we best head out as Mr. Weatherman was promising to show a nasty side as he was predicting some winds.

On our way out, we passed a couple of parking lots near a railway track where they were unloading automobiles that had been transported in by rail.  There were two huge lots which were both full of new vehicles.  That may not be so unusual in a large centre but Santa Rosa is a town with  a population of just over 2,600 people so it obviously was not for the local dealership.  Always a mystery as to where these vehicles ultimately ended up.

It wasn’t too long before the wind came up and it was a bit more than a breeze.  Of course it was a north wind which would shift to northwest.  As you can see, the road was a bit on the narrow side, and there was nothing to block the wind.  It was definitely a challenge.

  After a long day of almost 400 miles, we stopped for the night. We had wanted to spend a night or two at Spearfish, SD to do a bit of sight-seeing so the next day was also a fairly long day of almost 500 miles, with even a windier day, narrow roads, and rough roads, we decided we best check into a campground – wise choice.  We ended up staying four nights as the wind got windier, there was some snow and it was co-o-o-ld!!

We took a drive out to Devil’s Tower as that is a spot I have been wanting to see for quite a long time.  Devil’s Tower is a butte which rises 1,267 feet high and definitely adds a different look to the landscape. 

The scenery on the road to the tower is very scenic which makes for a wonderful drive.  When I got out of the car to take a photo, the wind almost knocked me over – it was blowing.  Heading back to Spearfish we passed through some old settlements where the old buildings are still around.

The day was not conducive to spending any time outside, we decided that we would take a drive out to Deadwood to see the changes.  The town has sure expanded with the addition of hotel accommodations and casinos.  There were a few of the old buildings left but the neat little gambling town of days past are not longer there.  We saw a deer come across the street and went down a set of stairs and who  knows where.  It all came so quickly that I wasn’t able to snap a photo.

Heading back we took Spearfish Canyon highway which is a beautiful drive.

The campground we were at had a bit of wildlife.  Each morning at 6 a.m. the turkeys would go gobbling throughout the campground. 

Then again about 3 in the afternoon, the turkeys would show up again, but this time some deer would come by and spend some time feeding. 

One afternoon, a squirrel came by with a nut in its mouth and went to bury it.  He/she would start to dig a hole, stop and go to another spot and start to dig a hold, and then go to another spot, same thing.  I never did see where he ended up burying his nut (if he ever did) but there were areas scratched up all over the place.

In all this, Gerry ended up catching the stomach  flu for a couple of days so it was a great place to lay low.  Finally the weather turned, the sun shone and the wind was minimal (and eventually from the south) so we headed home.  We put Gerry in the drivers seat where he stayed until we got home some 8 hours later.  It was a nice drive as we go along the edge of Theodore Roosevelt Park which has some great scenery.

I enjoy seeing freight trains go by as some of the graffiti is quite amazing.  This particular train had quite a lot of cars that were potential canvas for some budding artists.

The border crossing was easy and pleasant and quick - always a great way to end a trip.  So with this, I say goodbye for a couple of months when we plan on heading out on a long awaited trip to Newfoundland. 

I hope you enjoyed following along on our winter journey and that you will be able to join us on our next one.  Thanks for reading and take care.