First Jedediah Smith Trail 1822 — 1824

Day 13: August 28th, 2009 Chamberlain — Cedar Pass

Map Chamberlain to Cedar Pass

Today I have slept really bad. Permanently, someone is running somewhere through the motel. And the motel is built extremely bad. Even my steps can be heard, whereas I am really walking carefully, but I must use extreme caution to be quiet. And then someone arrived around midnight, who opened and closed the car doors for more than half an hour. There you really get crazy. But I didn’t wanted to sleep again with these bloody ear plugs.

Around four in the morning, the first one gets up and I am awake again. Lucky me, I was able to fall asleep again. But around seven, the night is definitely over. Around half past seven I also get up and jump under the shower. Then I made myself ready and check out. When checking out, the same reception lady is there like when I was checking in. I ask for a breakfast place and she recommends again the Casey’s Cafe. This one is just simply down the hill, passing the gas station and going up the hill on the other side. This is almost in walking distance. But I have already everything packed together. So I can also drive over there.

The restaurant is pretty well hidden in the rear of the shop. So you must pass a lot of buying options before you can exit to the restaurant. At the entrance is a sign “Please Be Seated”, which really puzzles me. Usually it says “Seat Yourself” or “Wait To Be Seated”. But this wording is absolutely unclear for me. A little bit helpless, I am waiting at the entrance. But none of both servers are willing to pick me up. So I assume that you should just seat yourself.

It seems that this was correct. When I have taken my seat one of the server shows up. The special is also shown at the wall just above me — and it is exactly what I want. That already fits. The food size is plenty and also not too expensive. I hand out a very good tip because she was always running with the coffee. There you have a real great service. Beside that, the restaurant is a typical American Family Restaurant. Somehow, it is really comfy with a lot of locals. It seems that good food gets its reputation on its own.

Around ten I leave for the gas station down the hill. This one is exceptionally one where you are not able to pay at the pump, even when everything looks very modern. But well, then I must walk inside to pay.

I–90, Missouri River/Lake Francis Case, SD

Then I am eventually back on the road and my trail can start. Now I am really following the footsteps of Jedediah Smith when he left Ft. Kiowa in 1822. But first I must drive to this location. So I take the Interstate over the lake where I do a bit of video taping. Then I leave the Interstate at Oacoama and follow the backroads.

Vulture, 339th Ave, SD

340th Ave, SD

340th Ave, Missouri River, SD

340th Ave, SD

Historical Marker, 340th Ave, SD

On these roads I drive to the spot where roughly Ft. Kiowa and Ft Lookout once have been. There are no special historical markers. So I take the backroad, which I assume is the correct one. And indeed, I arrive at a small historical marker which you can easily miss. There are written down many trails. The start is Lewis and Clark. Then already Jedediah Smith is following. And it continues up to 1871. But I am not reading this far. All in all, we are now way past the time I am currently traveling in. After this successful moment I continue on backroads, now really following the trail of Jedediah Smith.

238th St, SD

Prairie Dog, 238th St, SD

238th St, Missouri River, SD

238th St, SD

239th St, SD

Eventually I am back on gravel roads. The tires feel softer than before. Maybe I have lost some air on the Interstate. I haven’t checked them since then.

239th St, SD

329th Ave, SD

324th Ave, SD

The road is taking me through the endless plains of South Dakota.

244th St, SD

245th St, SD

319th Ave, SD

246th St, SD

247th St, SD

Hawk, 247th St, SD

247th St, SD

Buzzard, 247th St, SD

Highway 183, SD

248th St, SD

CR S9, SD

In between I am back on the highway once — but not for long. Then I am back on gravel roads.

CR S9, SD

I make good progress, even on smaller gravel roads which are just one lane roads around here.

CR S6, White River, SD

88 S10 Blazer, CR S6, SD

CR S6, SD

One stretch along the White River is especially beautiful and I stop for a thousand times because there are so many wonderful views. This costs some time, but I am still good in time.

Highway 183, SD

260 St/Gusty Ridge Rd, SD

Then I continue for a short distance on Highway 183 before I am back on my gravel roads.

Backroad, SD

262nd Ave, SD

256th St, SD

Somewhere I take the time for a snugly lunch break. The carpet beneath the water can is still wet and I am not sure if the water is maybe coming from the water can. But I am not able to locate anything…

255th Ave, SD

Highway 44, SD

88 S10 Blazer 145145 Miles, Highway 44, SD

Highway 44, SD

Then I continue on backroads to Highway 44. Then I have no opportunity to be back on gravel roads anymore.

Highway 44, SD

But the highway is almost empty and so I am able to enjoy the ride.

Highway 44, SD

Highway 377, SD

I make good miles and reach Interior, which is just before the Badlands.

Highway 377, Badlands National Park, SD

Around 5pm I pass the entrance to the Badlands. I immediately drive to the registration and receive a log cabin. There are still some of them available. That is fine for me. Only with my credit card the reception lady has some difficulties. Finally, I also pass this obstacle and I receive my cabin.

Cedar Pass Lodge, Badlands National Park, SD

These are single small lodges, where you can park directly in front. Inside, they are simple but nice furnished. Also the bathroom is nice and you can absolutely feel comfy here for the next couple of days. I put my stuff into the cabin before I leave for dinner. When checking in I have seen, that the last seat will be given at 6:30pm! There I really don’t know how to get this arranged the next days. But for today I am good. Around a quarter to six I am there for dinner.

I immediately receive a table and order a sirloin. Also around here the prices are pretty high for such a simple furnished restaurant. But this is the tribute for being in a tourist place. Around six the crowds are starting to roll in. It seems that I have arrived here just in time. The steak I ordered as medium is more a well done. But it is still fine for me. Considering, it is not a steakhouse, it tastes pretty good.

Around half past six I pay and walk through the gift shop. There I encounter some postcards of the Badlands and the Black Hills. Of course, I take some of them with me — so I have at least something. And while I am already shopping I also take a license plate for my Dad’s bar and a shirt for me beside the postcards. Stuffed with all this I walk over to the cashier — and I have lost $50.

And this almost knocks me out. But okay, then I walk through the other gift shop and decide to take something else with me tomorrow. Then I am going back to my cabin. First I make some coffee. Then I think about getting outside with my laptop. It is still nicely warm. So I take my sweater out of the car, put my coffee on the bench and get my laptop.

Outside, typing is much more comfortable. While I am writing now pretty comfy my diary, a couple, or let’s better say he, starts talking to me because of my lift kit. He also has a 2002 S10 and received 2 inches by trimming the torsion bars and using an Add–A–Leaf. His wife is not really amused by this lift kit idea. She says, he should better save the money. There I totally agree with her. This only makes sense if everything is already worn out at the truck. Then the lift kit is only half the price. There she agrees to my thinking. He says thank you and they walk on.

I finish writing my diary. Around half past seven, it is getting more and more darker. This I will remember for tomorrow when I try to get some sunset shots. Around a quarter past eight I am not able to see anything and I wish to have an illuminated keyboard. Then I would be able to sit further outside. But instead, I must go inside now…

Because I have no television, I turn on some music on my laptop. There was also no good country radio station on the radio. Otherwise I would have used my mini radio receiver for my MP3 player.

Around half past eight I continue with checking video taping and photo. This still takes some time and I also do eventually a backup of my data. Just to be sure in case my hard drive gets damaged and I would loose everything! When I am eventually able to go to bed, it is already half past eleven! But at least it is quiet around here!

Sights
Badlands National Park (Fee)

General
Breakfast: Casey’s Cafe, Chamberlain
Dinner: Cedar Pass Restaurant, Cedar Pass
Motel: Cedar Pass Lodge, Cedar Pass
Distance: 162 miles

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