pic: Al & Dottie Mt. Rushmore

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Eric,
Went to Belle Fourche and saw the representation of the geographic center (including Alaska and Hawaii) downtown. The actual is in a field outside of town behind some barbed wire. We opted for breakfast instead of the travel. The Belle Fourche River winds around Devil's Tower after it passes through town and meanders through the countryside. I have a stunning photo of sunset over Devil's Tower I might upload later.
With a another day, we would have driven all the roads in the Black Hills. I wanted to get over to Hill City but we ran out of time after a missed turn coming out of Deadwood. If you aren't careful in Leeds, a wrong turn will take you all the way around the Homestead Mine and in the back door of Deadwood. I highly recommend a drive up to the top of Mt. Coolidge to the fire tower lookout inside Custer State Park. You can see Mt. Rushmore, Needles, most of the Black Hills, the Air Force base, and the Badlands on a clear day. It gives you a great geologic viewpoint on the area.