Friday, August 19, 2011

Life in Custer

After originally coming to South Dakota for a family reunion, we ended up sticking around and taking seasonal jobs in Custer State Park. The Black Hills area has been a beautiful place to call home for a bit.  This limited prairie terrain (less than 2% still remains) is home to a lot of wildlife to which we've been lucky to experience on a daily basis.  It almost takes you back in time, seeing the herds of buffalo meandering these hills.  It makes you want to race a horse across them, right along the ridgelines...or maybe that's just me. :)




racing with pronghorn



some days are harder to get to work than others













Sturgis

The 71st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.  The population goes from 7,000 to 700,000 for a week duration.  In other words, it's like Edison during Oyster Run on steroids...but way more risque.  From burnouts, to topless bull riding, "midget bowling" and 5am pickle contests...I don't think anything here is off limits. 

by day

by night

at The Knuckle Saloon they take volunteers from the crowd, women included, to fight each other

Full Throttle: biggest biker bar in the world.
They even have a reality show to showcase all the drama.

Jason, Stu and Dan
a dangerous trio to go out drinking with


Deadwood


Made it to Deadwood for the Days of '76 Rodeo.
"Best Rodeo. No Bull."  











ouch.

Harney Peak

elevation: 7242 ft





"highest point east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Pyrenees Mountains of Europe"