Rail fanning bike tour to Sturgis

wb47OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Leaving Thursday for Sturgis S. Dakota doubled up on the Low Rider. Stops and RR items of interest along the way. Plan to capture some pics. Thedford Ne. on highway 2. BNSF double tracks along the Loup River. See the sunrise on the morning run up the long hill towards Valentine. Then back on the bike and stop at the Spade Ranch store alongside the rails, then by noon in Alliance Ne., lots of BNSF stuff there. Up to Crawford and stop to view the only RR tunnel in Ne. Of course it is now bypassed by a double track cut, but the tunnel remains or did. Crawford where the cowboy line C&NW crossed the Burlington. Custer and the now Mikkelson trail of old roadbed. Hill City S. Dakota where the Museum is said to have a working drover car on the live steam train to Keystone. Rapid City and east to capture a couple of bridges over the prairie gulleys, nee DM&E and CN. The new grain terminal for ADM at junction of 81 and highway 20 near Randolf Ne. Great ride, great scenery with very few trees (except in the Hills) so you can see the land.

7/27/1510:03 AM

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CHOO-CHOO MIKEOGR Forum Member

I too will be leaving for Sturgis soon. I take the back way in, coming up from the south. I always stop at the train museum in Douglas ,Wyoming. Nice clean restroom,friendly people and an O gauge layout set up in the Depot ! What more could you want. I then continue on on Highway 59 toward Gillette plenty of rail action while your putting along. I then hit I-90 east and blast into the Black Hills. That rail museum in Hill City ,South Dakota has a real nice H.O. layout and some old tinplate on display.

7/27/1511:11 AM

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mark sOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBER

In Alliance, be sure to visit CB&Q 4-6-0 #719 on display. A little tricky to find as it is a bit of a way from the railroad tracks. I stopped by the police station for directions. A very pretty ten-wheeler - the last in service on the "Q" (August 1956).

7/27/1511:17 AM

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Ron_SOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

I'm jealous, NO Sturgis this year, family happenings preclude going, Have fun and take in a show at Buffalo Chip.

7/27/154:07 PM

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wb47OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Yes, I omitted Sunday night at the Chip. Thanks for all the tips, always more to see.

7/27/155:31 PM

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NortonOGR Forum Member

I will be passing through the Black Hills next week. What is the traffic like during Bike Week? I have been there a few times but never done Sturgis. Time constraints prevent much dawdlng but Hill City sounds interesting.

Pete

7/28/157:22 AM

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Two23OGR Forum Member

Traffic is very heavy first week of August. I've been to Sturgis a few times of course. It used to be pretty wild, with naked women running around and dodgy people with guns. I went two years ago and there was a cop on every corner (not exaggerating) and the whole thing had a "family outing" atmosphere. I don't know. No real sense of danger or "anything can happen," but OTOH I wasn't in danger of being killed. I'm going through there in a few days, but I'm deadheading straight through to Yellowstone. I'll resume my pursuit of the RCPE when the crowds are gone, thank you. Probably the best nearby RR action is either the 1880 Train & 2-6-6-2 Mallet, or the helpers at Crawford Hill.

Kent in SD