Little Bighorn to Deadwood...

In the visitor center at itle Little Bighorn Battlefield, a tribute to
Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat.

Battlefields are sobering places,places of honor that commemorate the courage and sacrifice of those who fell as patriots in the service of their respective ways of life.

Little Bighorn is no exception. The fields are decorated with scattered white markers in the spots where the troopers of the 7th US Cavalry fell.












More recently, red granite markers ahe been placed, marking where the native warriors died in defense of their village.





Of  course the most famous marker is the of the 7th's flamboyant commander, George Armstrong Custer.

On Last Stand Hill, as it is known today, an obelisk bears the names of the US soldiers who fell on that hot June afternoon in 1876...

While across the road, a single stone marks the mass grave of the slain cavalry horses.

"Spirit Warriors," at the Native memorial. which is still a work in progress.

I overstayed my plan by about an hour which meant I had to ride hard, keeping a constant weather eye on three different cells that seemed to be stalking me.




After a few hours I finally reached my second objective, Devils Tower, made famous in the film, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."








I didn't see any aliens, but I did get a look at some playful prairie dogs...

And a couple nice views of the tower...

After the tower, I headed for Deadwood and my stop for the night, but...

Is that trouble ahead!

And sure enough, just outside Deadwood, it began to rain...

 

 

A drippy ending to the day, but if it weren't for rain, how would we have rainbows?

 

 

Tomorrow, it's on to Sturgis and the World Famous Buffalo Chip.

More to follow...