June 29, 2023
I passed through Sturgis, South Dakota three times getting to both Devils Tower, Wyoming and Bear Butte, South Dakota. Interesting town. Lots of motorcycle-centric businesses. I’m glad it wasn’t motorcycle week.
Next up is Bear Butte. It’s a big dang hill! This also a pay to enter site and there was an honor box for cash, but I did not have enough cash on me. Plus, it was a weird amount -$8.00. There was a QR code on a sign to scan, so I scanned it. This connected me to a South Dakota DNR site that asked me to create an account. I entered my email address, and the site stated to check my email for a code to enter to create an account. Checked my email, got the code and went back to the DNR site to enter the code. The site clears my email address and asks me to enter my email address to get the code to create an account. I did this four times and gave up. I could have entered without paying, but I always get caught being dishonest, so I decided not to do that. Which is too bad, because there were signs that buffalo were wandering the grounds. I would have liked to get some photos of buffalo. So, I did the honest thing and stood outside the fence and took photos. No buffalo in sight. It looked like the weather was going to cooperate, Then I turned the car around. Next up Wall Drug!
Comments
3 responses to “Following the Oregon Trail: The rest of the trip – Bear Butte”
Interesting about the QR code thing.
Maybe it’s Republican sabotage so they can say “this government technology doesn’t work. We better sell this park to some developers and put a mall on top of that useless hill.”
Yet another place in this part of the country where you have to pay to see something you can see form a distance for free anyway.
So far, in all these instances, I don’t see any reason to get any closer unless you have kids in the car and you desperately want a place to let them out so they can run around.
Beautiful, though. The air is so clear and the light is interesting.
Also nice pic of the rain storm on the horizon.
Thanks Bob. Here’s the thing, though: you can’t let your kids out of the car here, unless it’s outside of the fence. There are signs everywhere warning of roaming buffalo and that you should stay in the car and not to engage the buffalo.
Assuming the QR code worked, you would be paying $8 to drive around a big pile of dirt surrounded by antisocial tourist-hating buffalo? Such a deal.