Who doesn’t yearn to visit a lawless Wild West town?  Welcome to Deadwood, South Dakota!

Seemed fitting I slept in a casino, ate dinner ‘bove an old saloon.  Breakfast’d next morning at Sheriff Bullock’s former hardware store.  Bullock rode with Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders & later attended his 1904 presidential inauguration.

It is said that “The inaugural celebration was the largest and most diverse of any in memory—cowboys, Indians (including the Apache Chief Geronimo), coal miners, soldiers, and students were some of the groups represented.”  This was to illustrate how diverse a man that Teddy Roosevelt really was.

SUPER Saturday.  Having already visited Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial & Mount Rushmore, didn’t arrive in Deadwood ‘til late afternoon.  Hotel check-in, clothes swap, got in my daily run.   Started at Days of ’76 Museum – ‘cross Main Street from Cadillac Jack’s (my casino bedroom, pre-Mother’s Day).   Followed Crescent Drive, down Dunlop & McKinley to Railroad Ave.  Hugged Wildwood Creek two miles ‘til it emptied into Deadwood’s historic downtown.  Nice trek.

Dinner reservations at Deadwood Social Club, like stepping back in time.  Housed above Saloon No. 10 – site where Wild Bill Hickok was assassinated by Jack McCall while playing a game of poker August 2^nd 1876.  A+ atmosphere, limited non-cow menu.

Early to bed, early to rise.  Read the history of Deadwood’s first Sheriff Seth Bullock, while I stuffing down a morning omelet.  Quick downtown sightsee, then UP UP UP to Mount Moriah Cemetery.  Buried high above town, walked the long hill UP to Wild Bill & Calamity Jane’s gravesite.  Odd how many graveyards I find myself – it’s the history I love.

Badlands still on the list (& 2 Black Hills marathons 🙂 ).  I’ll be back, South Dakota.  I’ll be back.

pre-Mother’s day run