Deadwood, South Dakota: The City of Deadwood provide a trolly service throughout the area. $2 per person (cash only, exact change only). The cute little cars follow a route that goes to most of the hotel and campground areas. One lady asked to get off at a hair salon (not a usual stop) and our driver let her off and called into headquarters to make sure a driver fetched her on his route in an hour. Of course, this is Bike Week, so usual stops have been altered. The trolly does not drive down the main drag in Deadwood for three weeks as it is lined with hundreds of motorcycles and people darting on/off the road. During the motorcycle rally, one side of the main street is for bikes ONLY.
Dave and I had brunch in our RV, then caught the noon trolly that stops at our KOA. The next stop is right in front of the elementary school at the end of the main drag. We hopped out and began our long stroll down one side of the street and up the other. We were in town for hours. It was hot. It was crowded. We seemed to be the only people not wearing something with the Harley-Davidson logo, and not smoking.
Now a casino is in the once-elegant lobby.
The town has changed so much since our first visit in 2002. Gaming was legalized in South Dakota in 1989 - but the slot machines are only allowed in Deadwood, so it draws visitors year-round. Now it seems there is a slot machine in every restaurant, bar, and hotel. We were only interested in the history of the town - and it so fascinating. Gold was discovered in 1876, and the town exploded. We learned about the Jewish merchants who came to town to equip the miners, and Chinese immigrants who came to mine and equip the miners. The town history is filled with colorful characters.
Calamity Jane was one of the most colorful. She was an outdoorswoman, always dressed in men's clothing and appeared with Bill Cody in his Wild West Show, where she appeared with her old friend Wild Bill Hickok.
There is a "gun fight" show in the middle of the street every day - except not for the next few weeks due to the motorcycle madness. Instead, Wild Bill Hickok is shot in the back of the head while playing poker in one of the bars in town - several times a day. The actor who plays Wild Bill could be his twin. Tall, lanky, moustached, Wild Bill comes alive in Deadwood.
After the poker-shooting show, we continued our walk. Talk about characters. Every once in a while, we would meet a young family and wonder their timing of bringing their kids to Deadwood this week. Even my experienced eyes popped out of my head a few times today.
You can buy chainsaw-carved statues, cowboy hats, Black Hills Gold jewelry, Harley-Davidson anything, and non-family-friendly-sloganed t-shirts. Postcards. Magnets. Keychains. All made in China. And ice cream is available in at least ten shops.
When we finished our walking tour, we caught the trolly again in front of the school, but had to ride the entire route to reach our campsite. This was just a $2 tour of the entire area! Such fun to see the back streets, the fancy hotels outside of the main town and we also were able to check-out two other RV parks.
We arrived back to our RV barely in time for cocktails on our pretty patio. DT grilled chicken thighs I had been marinating all day, and also a few asparagus spears. These items were served with a tomato, onion and kalamata salad. We watched the first episode of Ted Lasso, Season 4, and called it an early night.
Until my next update, I remain, your Deadwood correspondent. (And, as your correspondent, I advise you to not visit Deadwood during Bike Week-Month).
Campground Information: Black Hills Deadwood KOA