The Black Hills: Hart Ranch, Rapid City and Sturgis

Mid July found us back "home": Hart Ranch, where we spent almost 5 months last summer. Kind of nice being back. We had a good spot.

Site 121

Bikes are a convenient option here for getting places: Like Water Aerobics and Pickleball

While here we were fortunate to have a couple of really nice neighbors. For the first week and a half, it was a couple with ties to Saguaro Co-Op in Benson, AZ and with whom we plan on meeting up with this coming winter season. The next week and a half it was a couple from Alberta that have taken up permanent reidence in Mexico. They had their son and his family down from Alberta for a "family get together".  And then there were the neighbors from across the street:

4 Bostons. Can you believe the coincidence.

Same spot during Bike Week. They were from Nebraska

Oh, BTW, there is a reason we don't stay in Arizona during the summer.....

While at Hart Ranch we enjoy some of the activities and events that they put on. First there was the car show, and then the weekly wednesday night rodeos.......

Really up close!

With Bike Week, we find a whole bunch of new things to do, or do over, as we have done some in the past. Just prior to Bike week, before the Bikers arrive( estimates put the number at over 500,000) we try to get to places that we know will be crowded and packed, like the Alpine Inn in Hill City, SD. During Bike Week, the actual main street is closed down to Bike traffic only, much like the main street of Sturgis. So we did lunch at the Alpine Inn and then in to downtown Rapid City for lunches at The Firehouse Brewery and Jambonz.

Always a treat. Presidential statues on every street corner.

The Firehouse Brewery

We always try to get up to Sturgis just prior to Bike Week officially starting.

Lunch at The Knuckle Brewery

A Visit to the Buffalo Chip, which becomes the 3rd largest city in the state during bike week

A new favorite beer

There are always some interesting sites, bikes, and experiences during Sturgis Bike Week.....

Under the big tent at Black Hills Harley Davidson. And yes, they are all for sale.

The Bikes Only parking at Black Hills Harley Davidson

Neighbor at Hart Ranch. He custom made both of these bikes

Parked in downtown Rapid City

While at Hart Ranch, I had the opportunity to update my one man inflatable pontoon boat.

I added a depth finder

better view of it

And this is Sheriden Lake where I went fishing

Sheriden Lake in the Black Hills, just north of Hill City

Can't forget Lexie. She really came in to her own here. Hart Ranch had a huge dog yard, however there was a problem with big dogs mixing with small dogs. Finally the complaints hit the right ears and they put in a divider fence. Big dogs on one side, small dogs on the other. The pics that follow tell the story....

Lexie and Kilani. What a ball they had together.

She ran those dogs ragged. She just wouldn't quit. And when we were done, it was back to the trailer where she would sleep for the rest of the day.

Lexie and Gabby....

Since Rapid City is our new "home", while here we did our medical things. I had a return appointment with Dermatologist in Rapid City for a check up. This happened the second day there. During the exam they found 4 areas of concern and "froze" them. No skin cancer. Yea. Mary had an appointment with her PA a couple of days later.  Some testing revealed some problems, specifically with Sleep Apnia and her heart. She was then scheduled for SleepStudy testing. Needless to say the last 2 weeks of our stay here were quite hectic, and tough for her. Hopefully we are on the right track and the testing caught some problems before they became bigger problems. Probably more to follow later.

Lastly, just before we left, we were lucky to have old friends Paulette & Jerry from Vermont take advantage of our guest stay offer and spend 3 nights at Hart Ranch. They were on their way back home to Vermont after a summer of caravaning with Airstream Group to Alberta, BC, Washington and Oregon. They were the ones that purchased our Airstream from us when we decided to go full timing. We enjoyed their company and took them to Jambonz in downtown Rapid City for some real Cajun food and ended our stays at Hart Ranch with dinner at Shipwreck's...

And a good time was had by all......

And so ended our stay at Hart Ranch for this year. The next day we would be heading out for points south, specifically Chama, NM for a week, but not before stops in Cheyenne,WY and Pueblo, CO.