7/12-Only One Job to do Today

Well, I just couldn’t make it to the end of the movie last night. I finally gave up at 9:45, and retired to my tent. 

Goodnight campstool!

I was up shortly after 5:00, even though I didn’t have many miles today. It’s still quite the heatwave, so best to get going earlier. 

Good morning, campstool!

What I should have done was fix my breakfast first before the wind started. Alas, I did not. So I had a banana cream pie for breakfast (my nutrition has been pretty crappy on this trip).

Before I got back to the highway, I saw these buffalo (maybe they are “beefalo”). They were with some mighty fine looking steers. 

I just had a short bit to go back to the route (Lytle Creek Rd). It was a good gravel road. I saw some turkeys, then a more unusual bird sighting. 

Run turkeys run!

Good gravel, and into the trees

Oh look! A peacock!

Also some deer. 

The job for today was climbing up into the Black Hills Forest. I knew it would be pretty long. I also knew it would be in the trees, so lots of shade (thanks for the intel, Ben). The climb was about a total of 11 miles. The climb pro broke it into two climbs which was funny because there was only 1/3rd of a mile between them. 

I walked this part because the cows were on both sides of the road. 

I climbed ever higher among the ponderosa pine. Eventually, near the top, I could look back and see this. 

Long views

Do you see it?

Zoomed in…it’s the campstool!

At the top there was a woman in a van. I was getting worried about running out of water. I asked her if she had some. She filled my bottle, and I promptly drank half of it! Her name is Linda, and she’s from Arizona. She doesn’t think it’s hot at all! She’s #van life. And she has a cute Corgi. She was heading to the Devils Tower. I told her the KOA was nice. Interestingly, she has just pulled into the campground I’m at. I’ll go talk to her soon. 

From the top it was just 5 miles to Reuter Forest Service Campground. There’s not many sites, and only, counting Linda, 4 of us camped here. 

Look out at Warren Mtn. The route said to do the out-and-back to the top, but…too hot!

Down down down

Still down! There was one more short climb before more down to the campground. 

Your basic FS campground. 

I went over to Linda’s campsite. We are the same age! We spent the afternoon chatting about our travels. Gertie the Corgi is very friendly, and loves her some belly rubs. 

Linda and I exchanged numbers so we can keep track of each other on our travels. 

This was another short day at just under 25 miles. Tomorrow should be about 40.