On the 9th day of Sturgis

My true love gave to me ...

one night of romancing

Sweet! Perfectly rhymes with dancing, or should it rhyme with drumming? I've googled the lyrics to the song and discovered two different versions but i'll stick with this since it's the day before my birthday and romance is in the air, as well as the moon above Devil's Tower.

We rode only as far as the trading post at the base of the national monument as I was already hot and tired by mid morning and didn't have the energy to climb the rock. It's not like I was going to have a close encounter of the third kind. Instead I had a close encounter with a bird trying to steal my ice cream cone while sitting on the picnic table in front of the store. There we other bikers there, just not same amount that were probably there the week before, but we talked with other tourists, took pictures and jumped back on the bike.

After slathering ourselves in sunscreen, we "head out on the highway" (looking for adventure - like we haven't found enough yet eh?) towards Gillette, Wy for lunch. It was strange riding the red highways of Wyoming after spending the last week in the "Black" Hills of South Dakota it was strange to ride the Red Highways of Wyoming and return to the flat prairie like landscape. Felt a lot like home. Gillette is a coal mining town, and Ray was astounded at the size of the open mines and I am sure we will definetly return someday for a tour so he can fully embrace the magnitude of the operation. Working in a gas field, with everything underground, is quite a different mode of harvesting energy in comparison, and with a windmill farm being planned near his farm, it's quite intriguing to say the least. Anyhoo, I'm kinda paraphrasing but Ray has given me the okay to publish this so I'm all cool and he's down with that!

After lunch at Taco John's, it was back on the road which changed from straight and narrow to long and winding (went from quoting steffenwolf to the beatles now). We were planning on heading up to Sheridan and over to Cody but discovered, thanks to the GPS, that it was shorter to head southwest from Buffalo and also thanks to the locals, we even ignored the GPS and took their recommended shortcuts. The terrain on the drive reminded us of the drive from Lethbridge to Calgary, plains on the east, foothills and rockies to the west. Not exactly the magnatude of the Canadian Rockies, but still a part of them. I didn't realize they extended so far south, but then again I haven't picked up a geography book in ages, You would think the queen of google would know these things! ha! One is never too old to learn!

We rode on through the prairies and the canyons to Cody, Wy and looked for a place to rest for the night so after dinner, and many phone calls in search of a jaccuzi suite, we got ready to settle in for the night. Ray asked me if I wanted a suite tonight or tomorrow, the night of my birthday (what's wrong with both?) and I chose tonight, for I would wake on my birthday to a huge tub to soak my aching muscles. It's not only hard on the driver but the rider on the back as well on such long trips. But then again, it's not all about me. Today is our anniversay (3 years, 11 months) We always celebrate it monthly, whether it's something extravegant like a jaccuzi suite or simply a card and an I love you, Sept 12th is OUR day!

We ended up at Buffalo Bill's Antler Inn. There were antler coat racks and antler chandeliers, but it would be better named Buffalo Bill's Tree Hotel. (hmm, sounds like a hotel for trees so maybe not) As you can see, the bed and frame is made of natural trees, as were the lamps, desk and vanity legs in the bathroom. There was the biggest (and greenest) jacuzzi tub that was calling my name. I had a wonderfully long soak while Ray went in search of...I can't remember now. May have been food, mix, bike wash or all three. It didn't matter at the time. The only thing that mattered to me was hot, steamy bubbly water and a soft warm bed. I was out like a light before midnight. Here my birthday was beginning and I'm already dreaming of the day to come.