When we last left you we were bidding a fond farewell to Rapid City on our way to Deadwood through Sturgis ND. Before we left Rapid City, we had the opportunity to visit with a few presidents. Fred got up close and personal with Calvin Coolidge. As we left Rapid City again we were taking the road less traveled and low and behold found a huge chair that was also an advertisement for Harley Davidson and a wind chime. Things that are never seen from the highway.

Sturgis is famous for the annual motorcycle meet. It is a town of around 2000 full time residents. During bike week around 800,000 people visit the area. If you all will recall when Fred and I were at Wall Drug Store I was watching a woman’s poker hand. That was Poker Alice Tubbs. Alice moved to Deadwood when she married her second husband George Tubbs. After George died she moved to Sturgis, opened a brothel and began dealing Faro, A game she played and dealt in Deadwood. After she shot a soldier she was found not guilty of the murder but had to shut down her brothel. She died a lonely old woman in 1930 in a small cottage in Sturgis. Legend has it she was familiar with cards, guns and men and could handle all three.
Also in Sturgis are Pappy and Pearl Hoel, the founders of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Someone decided to pay homage to them by doing a wood carving. If I were Pearl I would not have been happy about the likeness.

From Sturgis we went to Deadwood and spent two days in Deadwood. Deadwood has a very interesting history. It is in the middle of nowhere and ownership of the land was made to the Lakota Tribe. However, in 1874 Custer led an expedition into the Black Hills and announced the discovery of gold. With that a town was born. According to the history two brothers led a wagon train to Deadwood with all the commodities needed. The wagon train included Madame Mustache and Dirty Em. They established some of the more profitable business ventures in the town.

Two very famous people from Deadwood are Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Deadwood was known for its lawlessness and one of the casualties of that lawlessness was the murder of Wild Bill. While we were in Deadwood we were able to witness the murder of Wild Bill which occurs daily at 1, 3 and 5. At 7 every evening they have the trial of ack McCall, the man that shot Wild Bill.

We were able to go to Mt. Moriah cemetery where both Wild Bill and Calamity are buried. It should be noted that the rumors of Bill and Calamity being romantically involved were dispelled by Bill yesterday prior to his murder.

Just as an FYI, if you ever find yourself in the area, it is a great little town full of history and in a beautiful part of the world. Also we stayed and played at the Tin Lizzie/Hampton Inn and were treated very well.