Nemo Road Trip

Saturday morning hubby and I drove to Sturgis for a breakfast Meet & Greet with the Black Hills Area Geocachers. We were just two of around 30 people in attendance. Pat and Frank (AZ/CV neighbors and friends) joined us for another afternoon adventure - geocaching along Nemo Road. Hubby had researched 3 interesting stops for the afternoon.


The first stop was the campsite of General George Custer.

This is the site of the August 13 Camp of the Custer Expedition of 1874 

which was sent to explore The Black Hills. 

The photo was taken on the morning of August 13.

This site is the second to the last camp in the Black Hills of the Custer Expedition of 1874. The group left Ft Lincoln, near present day Bismark, ND on July 2,1874 and headed south with over 100 wagons, more than a thousand men, and hundreds of mules and horses to explore the uncharted territory of the Black Hills. This camp is, it is said, where the second game of baseball was played in the Black Hills and where the only large group photograph of the officers was taken. The Expedition had been looking for a way out of this valley with it's towering limestone walls, and had discovered what is today known as Custer's Gap, just northwest of the August 12 camp, along Nemo Rd. As you view 'the Gap' one can just imagine the chaos that ensued while trying to move 100 wagons through that rough and rocky passage. The Gap area of Boxelder Creek is still enjoyed today by fisherman and locals alike, who come to enjoy the cool waters of the creek.

The second stop was the Nemo Cemetery.

This cache was my 100th cemetery find in one year.

There are over 160 grave sites here, the oldest of record dates back to August 6, 1901. Several military veterans are buried here as well. On October 22, 1989, the citizens of Nemo planted a "Centennial Time Capsule" in this cemetery, and is scheduled to be opened back up in the year 2039.

We enjoyed exploring the cemeteries the last two days.

I would certainly change my name if this was mine.

This was one of the most ornate tombstones I have ever seen.

Someone's pet?

We all were surprised to find that most of the headstones

indicated those interred are recent deaths. I expected this to be another 

'old' cemetery with folks from the late 1800s. Not so.

The third stop of historical significance: The National Christmas Tree.

But this is the rest of the story...

From South Dakota the cut spruce underwent many difficulties on its trip from the Black Hills of South Dakota. On the way to Washington the train carrying the tree derailed twice in Nebraska. On the weekend before the event, the tree toppled in the gusting winds and required new branches to fill it out. A few days after the opening ceremony, the electrical sockets that had been coated with fireproofing liquid spray caused the bulbs on the lower half of the tree to explode. The tree was decorated with 5,000 blue and green bulbs, and 750-900 yellow bulbs. The tree topper was a tear-dropped-shaped wire sculpture with a bulb encased within it.

A new tree was planted in its place as a symbol of renewed hope for peace world wide.

Hubby made the cache find on this one.

Boxelder Creek running through the canyon

Canyon walls along the creek

A cave 

Then it was off to the community of Nemo. We had not been on the road or to Nemo before so the trip was an adventure for all of us. Nemo is a major stop during the Sturgis Bike Rally. On Saturday there were many, MANY ATVers enjoying a refreshing drink and the trails in and around the area. The four of us decided to go out on a limb and have dinner at one of the several bars and eateries.

Thus ending another great day in the Black Hills

and geocaching adventure.

Thanks for being good sports Frank & Pat!

We enjoyed our time with you.