Day eleven - Thursday

We left Buffalo, Wyoming, this morning at 7:30 am. A couple hours later we were driving through Sturgis, South Dakota. Other than a few motorcycles downtown, Sturgis looked like a ghost town. Nothing was open. A few people were walking around looking lost. We drove through, turned around and got back on the freeway to Rapid City.

After a brief stop in Rapid City we continued on to Keystone which is a small town very near Mt. Rushmore. We settled in at the Holy Smoke Resort just outside Keystone and then drove to a drive-through zoo called Bear Country. A three-mile drive lets you get very close to bears, elk, wolves, bison (as though we needed to see more of those) and various goats. Well, we finally got to see a bear which we didn't get to see in Yellowstone. Black bears we can see at home but the Grizzly Bears were awesome.

After a quick stop to let the dogs out of the motorhome, we drove into Keystone. Looks like another tourist trap. We walked the two blocks of "down town," made some minor purchases and got a tip on a good place for dinner in Hill City about ten miles away.

A half-hour later we were in Hill City and reserving a seat at the Alpine Inn. An hour later our names were called and we got a table. This restaurant is unique in that it has no menu. Its owned by a German couple but serves only steak. The waitress comes to your table and asks if you'd like a 6 oz. Bacon wrapped Filet Mignon or a 10 oz. Bacon wrapped Filet Mignon. The first is $8.95 and the latter $10.95. And, that includes salad, baked potato and bread. Great meal!

Picture above is Ann feeding the Gray Jays at Yellowstone. These birds will fly into your campsite and, without hesitation, land on your hand to eat whatever you have to offer them. Its a federal offense to feed the wildlife in Yellowstone but that minor threat won't stop Ann from doing what she does - feed critters!