Threading the Needle

We pulled into our site at Big Pines Campground in Custer, S. Dakota fairly early on Thursday 8/18. (Yes, I know I have some catching up to do – but we’ve been busy! Lol.)  Trying to stay ahead of a storm front and high winds is great incentive to get your butt moving in the morning. We were partially successful – we beat the rain, but the winds… not so much.  Driving a giant breadbox down the road makes you very, very aware of (and not particularly fond of) the wind.

Anyhow, since the rain wasn’t due to hit until Friday (which I decided to make my laundry and housecleaning day - yes, even on the road the domestic goddess has duties to perform) we headed out in the CRV to explore. There is just a ton of things to see and do within driving distance of Custer and we're going to cram as many as possible into the five days we have booked here! Lol.

We’d read about the Needles Highway and knew it was on our must see list. Completed in 1922, the Needles Highway has 14 miles of sharp turns that wind around and literally through huge granite spires. The history is fascinating, the SD Governor Peter Norbeck mapped the route on foot and horseback and pushed to have it built even though many road builders thought it was impossible. It took 150,000 pounds of dynamite!  It’s one of those drives best done at about 20 mph (or less!) – partly for safety and partly because every turn presents a different mind melting vista. 

There are miles of hairpin turns and several low, narrow, one-way tunnels carved through the granite that are just too cool. Definitely not a road for the RV! I know Rog was wishing he had a motorcycle to really enjoy all the twisty bits. 

Needles Eye Tunnel (8'4" wide, 12'0" high)

Clouds and granite.

Hood Tunnel (10'6" wide, 10'7" high)

Spires to the left of me, spires to the right of me.... 

Craggy awesomeness.

Clouds will bring rain tomorrow.

Looks a bit like a Stegosaurus.

OK, just one more tunnel!  Iron Creek Tunnel (9'0" wide, 12'3" high)