2nd Day of Vacation - Buffalo Sale!

Heh?  A bison sale?  What the heck? I know....were cattle and hog people.  But if there was a snail show, I would have suggested it.  As long as we were out of Dodge, it was in the Black Hills and there was a nice hotel. 

So anyway, the night before had terrible weather from Hermosa to Deadwood and beyond.  Our hotel, the Deadwood Lodge is on a "mountain" and when we finally got to the driveway, there was people having to turn around mid road and start again. 

Needless to say it was stressful. 

Until we got in the hotel. 

Awesome place.

Awesome employees.  These are people that you could just sit and chat with.  They were fun!  They were so customer service oriented it was amazing.

Here's a link.  http://www.deadwoodlodge.com/


Check it out, it's gorgeous. 

My camera takes unbelievable crappy photos, but this is the lobby floor.  There's beautiful photography, western leather furniture and accents.  The rooms were just as beautiful. 

So after we ate a fabulous breakfast (at the hotel they have 2 restaurants, a gym, a casino etc.  If I would have looked closer I'm sure I would have seen a partridge in a pear tree).  We were off to Custer Sate Park.  We were warned about the bad roads, but holy cow the roads really were terrible.  Big D had told me that if I squeezed the door handle anymore it might come off.  He also asked about my pretend break and how that was holding up. 

Let me tell you, I thought I'd put my foot through the floor I was so scared!  I tried to fiddle with my camera so as not to look down into the valleys as we got higher and higher up (where was this damn sale anyway?)

Finally! They had the best set up...D and I talked about wanting their chute system...hey, cull cows are just as mean as a bison! =)  Ron said he went there to see something get wrecked. 

It turns out that we are the only ones with crappy working equipment.  He was disappointed.  No, it was really cool to see how they handled them and we got a few tips for working our own stock here at the farm.

After the sale, we went into Rapid to see Prairie's Edge http://www.prairieedge.com/  the neatest place that held so much art, furnishings, etc.  You gotta see it!  Then we headed down the street to a little shop called Reflections Gallery.  They had the most gorgeous things to buy.  I knew I was going to get something...but what?

Here it is...this big basket made out of Dogwood, bark, deer antler, pheasant feathers and a rabbit pelt.  We both have to agree on our buy, I actually picked out a smaller one, but Ron wanted this...who was I to say no? =)  The gallery is called Reflections gallery of South Dakota.  Here's the link:  www.jlowephotography.com


Then downtown Deadwood, where here again we were pleasantly surprised.  Usually we stay in Deadwood to go to our favorite restaurant (which isn't our favorite anymore, now its the Deadwood Grille)  but we hang out in Keystone and Hill City.  I mean, you see one slot machine and you've seen them all.  Right?  For us anyway because we aren't gamblers. 

When going out to Deadwood the first time we were so upset to see a town with so much history, laden with gambling and nothing to show but a sign hanging here and there about what happened to a certain building.  BUT...the last time that changed when we went to the Adam's House Museum and saw some great stuff!  I know gambling had saved Deadwood's life in the past, but there is so much more to that town or at least there could be. 

The one thing that I was THRILLED about was when we went downtown this last time was an art gallery!  Woohoo!  They had turned it into a strip mall kind of (can't remember what the name of the building was) there was a candy shop, a gift shop, restaurant, casino and the gallery upstairs.  It's called The Spotted Pony (it only holds local art.)  Her email is:  spiritedponygallery@gmail.com  her name is  Karen  Mahoney and she does some great photography herself. In fact, I want a large gallery wrap photo of a buffalo.   Here's the general store link on the first floor and they have some great stuff too:  www.prairieharvestmercantile.com

So anyway, this spot was cool!  Amidst the junk (gift) shops here was this place that was trendy, artsy, CLEAN, with a real uptown feel.  Loved it.

Then back to our hotel for a great dinner, (so great in fact it was exactly what we had the night before!).  This was the dinner salad.  Candied walnuts, green apples, bacon and blue cheese on a butter lettuce wedge.

This was the main course, Asiago mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and bacon wrapped buffalo tenderloin.  It brought tears to my eyes to know that I was finished eating. 

IT  WAS THAT GOOD!

Until tomorrow,

Fairchild "laying on the bed to zip my jeans" Farmgirl