We went into Custer again this morning, more supplies and a hair cut for Norm. Then we headed north to the Needles Highway. It is really spectacular as you climb to over 5,000 feet and are in the middle of needle-like granite formations on all sides. Thank goodness they have pullouts to do some picture taking. The driver, poor Norm with over 20,000 miles under his belt, needs a chance to really gaze at the scenery. There are some really narrow and low tunnels going through the granite. We could reach out and touch the sides as we drove through. We stopped for a picnic at Sylvan Lake. It is a jewel with sparkling water framed in rugged granite boulders. Norm got his nap while Chris and I rented kayaks for an hour on this pretty lake. Fish were jumping, people were having fun climbing over the rocks and a few were in the water. It was lovely!
We continued our drive and stopped at the Black Hills Playhouse. It’s a classic summer stock theater that puts on four plays a summer. We have tickets for “Run for Your Life” on Friday evening. When Chris and Norm were here in ‘93, they were using CCC stone and log buildings for costumes and set making, etc. Too bad for us that those have been replaced. Some of the quaintness has been lost. We talked to a young man from East LA, Norm’s old stomping grounds, who has been coming back for 10 years. He is the grounds keeper, and will be doing the lighting or electrical for our show and in “The Three Musketeers” late in the summer.
Norm and Chris wanted to check out Center Lake Campground where they had stayed with Mom. It’s lovely sitting in the pines with the sites sitting up against the rocks. When they were here the entire campground was filled with bikers from the Sturgis Bike Rally! It was one hopping place. Today it was very quiet and serine. We were hoping to spot some mountain sheep as we looped north but were delighted to see a burro along the road. They were let loose long ago when they were not used as pack animals any longer. They love the tourists and come right up to your car for a treat.
June 15
Chris and I had a lazy morning waiting for Faye and John’s arrival but Norm had spent the night awake with a fever and aches. Chris and I went over to the Game Lodge just up the road to meet and greet Faye and John. We found a little corner alcove with a game table just for us. The sky was getting pretty dark and rain was in the forecast. So, we sat around and got caught up with their train trip and B&B experiences while we played a new card game called Garbage. They had learned it from four little old ladies from Iowa on the train. What a nice way to spend an afternoon. Poor Norm stayed back at the Manor nursing his fever and achy body. The lodge is a charming building built in the 30‘s. The lobby and bar area have tables for cards etc with a lovely patio area outside. It has been added to over the years but Faye and John got a quaint room in the lodge itself. We dealt hand after hand talking and laughing the whole afternoon until it was time to go into the dining room with white linen table clothes and waiters in crisp white shirts with little bison on their ties, lovely. What a delicious gourmet meal. How fun to have good friends with us! I wish more people could have met up with us to share in some of our travels.
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