Deadwood, South Dakota - Devil's Tower, Wyoming

We spent some time in Deadwood, South Dakota - Black Hills gold mining boom town in the 19th century, inspiration for the HBO series, and onetime home of several Old West legends such as Will Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane

And Pierre was ready to go ...

Deadwood thrives on tourism and gambling, but I kept Pierre away from the Blackjack tables.  "Just one hand, mon ami!  I have a system!"

Deadwood is surrounded by forested hills on all sides, and is vulnerable to fires because of the steep angle of the hills.  This is related to the origin of the town name, due to all the "deadwood" surrounding the community after fires.  Just a few years ago a fire came very close to destroying the town.

Pierre posing with Seth Bullock ...

... and Wild Bill Hickock

"I have my eyes on you, Wild Bill!"

"What is this!?  It appears I am too late for a showdown"

Back in the day, saloons frequently offered drinks downstairs and other forms of entertainment upstairs ...

I had to stop Pierre from breaking into the site of Wild Bill's tombstone ...

"I am sorry we didn't get to meet ... even though I am afraid of you!"

View from cemetery, which is at the top of a hill overlooking the town

We left South Dakota and moved on to see Devil's Tower, site used as the fictional landing site for aliens in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

I told Pierre that the aliens were due to come back any moment ...

View from the other side of Devil's Mountain as the sun goes down ... or is it an alien visit?

Pierre is all tuckered out as another day of exploring draws to a close ... we drove to Gillette, Wyoming to stay the night ... more posts on what we saw next will be coming soon ...

Hope everyone who is looking at this blog is doing well!  I'm thinking about all my friends and loved ones every step of the way!