Encounter with a Buffalo Herd and maniacal touristsCuster State Park is a great riding area with hairpin turns everywhere and just outside the park there is plenty of off road trails. Just make sure you keep your eye on the road and not get distracted by Mt. Rushmore. One adventure I didn't expect was being chased by a Buffalo heard. My last morning in the park I took off early for the wildness road where there is great animal viewing including several Buffalo herds. Well, at first I was completely disappointed and when I stopped at a ranger station to ask where all the Buffalo were he suggest I take some of the gravel roads deeper into the park. Still nothing at first, but then around a bend I spotted a herd of close to 50 Buffalo. Actually, I rolled down a hill with my engine off and found myself at an intersection with Buffalo on the grassy slopes all around me and in the road. Oh, did I mention that my horn was not working at this time. I finally decided to start my engine and move slowly, figuring they would move away as I approached (note calves in picture).

I slowly approached and was duly ignored. I tried revving the engine and this started some movement and I slowly moved forward, but at some point I triggered a flight response and the whole herd was on the move! I was overjoyed at this experience until I caught a large Buffalo closing in on my rear tire at which point I hit the gas and sped through the herd. I went back to the ranger and recounted my ordeal to which he said that Buffalo don't like the sound of motorcycles and a guy one a Goldwing was dumped into a ditch by on earlier in the season. Thanks, I could've used that information earlier.

Riding around Custer State Park, I began to understand why Americans have such a bad reputation as tourists. Mt. Rushmore is in the park and on certain roads you can see the monument. However, the roads are very narrow and hairpin turns are everywhere. This didn't stop all kinds of vehicles from stopping in the middle of the road or backing up around turns. I thought I saw everything until I noticed one person actually come around a turn suddenly stop in the middle of the road- right beside a pullout- and get out and start taking pictures in the middle of the road.