We are camping at No Name City Campgrounds, just south of Sturgis, South Dakota. The thing I was most excited about is there is a real grocery store in Sturgis! There were only convenience stores in Medora, so by the time we left there our refrigerator was pretty empty. Sturgis is buzzing with excitement as everyone gets ready for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, August 2-10. It sounds like half the businesses in the town don't even open until a couple of weeks before the rally. It is truly a town of motorcycles and the biggest bars I have ever seen.
What I didn't expect was how much there was to see here. I had read about Bear Butte Mountain, so we decided to drive out and try the hike up to the summit. It is easy to see why it is a holy site to many Native American people, as it rises out of the prairie.
I stopped in the welcome center and learned more about Bear Butte and its importance to the Native Americans. When white men were moving into the area there was a council of tribes called to discuss what to do. There was an estimate of 30,000 horses there, so imagine how many people. It remains a holy site today and there are offerings on the mountain, like holy cloths and tobacco pouches hanging in the trees.
Since Ron & I have been walking 5-8 miles a day, we thought this 2 mile hike would be easy.
Not so much. The trail is narrow and winding, and before you know it you are pretty high up. The views are spectacular - except looking down- that's pretty scary!
Being on the mountain gave me a
a feeling of why this is such a holy place. It has an ability to awe you with its power, but is peaceful and alive with the magic of nature.
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