Day Four of our Western Tour turned out to be grueling. We got up early and headed over the Big Horn Mountains, an incredible, gorgeous ride. You can see how majestic and vast this country is. We made a stop at the Medicine Wheel, a National historical landmark, between Lovell and Sheridan, WY, created by the Native people about 700 years ago. The site is still used for sacred ceremonies.

You have to really want to see this to get here. It’s about a mile and a half hike up the mountain from the parking lot. Motorized vehicles are allowed to pass by the site, but not stop. Some people work around this rule, parking just past the site and walking back to view it. It’s in the Big Horn National Forest, so they can’t close the road. Still, it’s a good hike and worth it. This is a sacred site. A place of power. I’ll write more about it when I get home. People leave tokens and offer prayers here.
Once down the mountain, it got HOT. It was a hot, windy ride across the rest of Wyoming with our final destination Hill City, SD. We wanted to take in at least one day of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. We rode over 400 miles. It was at least a 12 hour travel day, much of it sitting on the back of the bike and the pressure points were screaming! By the end of the day, I was so exhausted that I could barely enjoy this gift of a sunset over Pactola Lake in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

We got to our room at the Super 8 in Hill City and ordered a pizza. I tried to keep my crankiness under control, took two ibuprofen, and it was lights out until morning. The bikers staying out here are a tired lot. I didn’t hear anything until about 6:00 am. Bikers like to get up early and ride while it’s still cool. Besides, the Hills in the morning are breathtaking.

We spent Day Five in Sturgis. And, today, we’re up early and heading towards home. We’re on the Flop as the Biker Chef described it. The way out is the Flip.

For the most part, Bikers are a friendly lot. They’re a community of travelers who like a challenge, enjoy the ride, and share stories.

Be safe. Journey on, and Happy Trails!