8.3.06 - Deadwood & Other True Stories

This was a lucky morning for the chopper. Her drive belt was loose to the max from riding it like a dirtbike. A motorcycle lift is not in my toolbag, but this morning, I found one...IN A TRAILER! Back on the Black Hills byways, without having to worry about cracking the throttle wide open, life is good. With overnight showers ending, it seemed like a good idea to head for Lead...a suburb of Deadwood, just a mile up the mountain, but not much was happening. Backtracking the mile down rt 85 to Deadwood, I sprang for a breakfast buffet at "Tin Lizzy's". Eggs, hashbrowns, french toast, bisquits, sausage, ham, gravy and fruit. All you can eat for $3.99. Only problem is, first you have to walk past 150 slot machines to get to the food! Many bikers never make it to the buffet, preferring to sit down with a fist full of tokens & a pack of smokes. For you REALLY CHEAP SUCKERS, the slots right near the entrance door are penny machines. Great, if you over-gamble, because you won't loose much money, but if the bandit goes off at a thousand to one, all you get for half a days squinting at the screen......is a Hamilton! If gambling is your thing, Deadwood is home to nearly 80 gaming establishments, but beware: They took out Wild Bill Hickock boots first, after he'd been in town only 2 weeks. Deadwood's a great place to eat..All you can eat buffets are everywhere for 11 or 12 bucks, but remember, you'll probably have to walk past the slots and blackjack tables to get to the slow roasted prime rib, and buttery crab. They voted in legalized gambling in 1986 because their historic buildings were falling to ruin. Now, Deadwood is one of the hottest tourist destinations anywhere, and the largest historic restoration in the country. Sheriff Bullock, Wild Bill, and Calamity Jane would be freaked to know they're on HBO. Other famous towns are here...Lead & Forouche...The two most newcomer mis-pronounced names in the Black Hills. They probably figure that it's called "Led", because of it's proximity to Deadwood, but it's actually "Lead", like inthe newspaper's "Lead" story. Belle Forouche, is pronounced, "Bell-Fooo-sssh", like in fooseball. Some people ask directions to "Bell Fore-oo-shhhhh-eh". Back at the Buffalo Chip Campground, there are enough rabbits running wild to feed every citzen in North Korea. They're wild little cottontails, and only the bikes seem to scare them off, people friendly little critters, and the 'bit population here could give Australia a run for the money, at sunup, you have to be careful not to step on one. Their little dukey looks like rasinettes..