First Jedediah Smith Trail 1822 — 1824

Day 16: August 31st, 2009 Cedar Pass — Custer

Map Cedar Pass to Custer

Again, I wake up at three in the morning and need the restroom. Maybe having a coffee in the evening is not the best idea, though. But I immediately fall asleep again and wake up just past seven. I get myself ready and just past nine I arrive at the breakfast restaurant. Diana immediately says Hi, but she still must take some plates out. In the meantime another server grabs a menu and guides me to a table — this time at least a window table. I order again my Rancher breakfast. Unfortunately, my server is not really good with the coffee and I must wait a couple of times for the refill. Not before I am finished and don’t need more coffee, she apparently wakes up.

I pay and walk back to my cabin. Now I must quickly load my truck before I am ready to leave. But first I need to check out. There they still have issues with my credit card. She types again in my number and now it works. Lo and behold, it seems that the other reception lady was just too confused to type in the numbers correctly.

88 S10 Blazer, Cedar Pass Lodge, Badlands National Park, SD

Highway 377, Badlands National Park, SD

Now I am leaving the park. This is also the last chance to pay. But again, I only see an empty chair at the fee station. Not before I have past the building I see a park ranger sitting way back. Well, then no payment, who cares. At least I stayed there overnight and had dinner. So I generated revenue for them.

Highway 44, SD

Highway 44, SD

I drive again to Interior to my Cowboy Corner to gas up. Like yesterday, I deposit my credit card inside before I gas up. But the employee is really sulky today, whereas I am not sure if it is the same as yesterday. But I assume she is not.

Highway 44, White River, SD

Highway 44, SD

Bison, Highway 44, SD

Highway 44, SD

Highway 44, SD

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

Just past ten I am on the road, first taking Highway 44 South on which I have reached the area two days ago. Then I take BIA2 to the right. First it runs through the “Rolling Prairie”, as it was described by Jedediah.

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

With plenty of sunshine I drive through Kyle in South Dakota.

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/27/Big Foot Trail, SD

BIA2/27/Big Foot Trail, SD

Then I am driving through Sharps Corner. However, it seems that the speed limit here in the Indian Reservation is more a suggestion — cars are permanently passing me, even though I am not driving too slow…

BIA2, SD

BIA2, White River, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

88 S10 Blazer, BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

I continue following BIA2 which is called Cuny Table Road here and turns to gravel. There I pass once again badlands. For a last time I am able to admire this bizarre landscape before I am back in the prairie hills.

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2/Cuny Table Rd, SD

BIA2, SD

BIA2, SD

Suddenly, the road is paved for a short distance. Then I continue again on gravel.

BIA2, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, Cheyenne River, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, Cheyenne River, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, Cheyenne River, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, Cheyenne River, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, SD

Riverside Rd/CR656, SD

Then BIA2 ends and I leave the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

All of a sudden, the first foothills of the Black Hills show up, like it was described in my book. If you look at this landscape, it is very likely that Jedediah and his group reached the Black Hills at Buffalo Gap.

CR101/7-11 Rd, SD

CR101/7-11 Rd, SD

Finally, I reach Highway 385. Today the weather is nice, but again very windy. This was also the same yesterday in the park. Maybe there is a weather change rolling in.

Bison, Highway 385, SD

Bison, Highway 385, SD

On the highway I drive north to Wind Cave, passing some bison.

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

Wind Cave, SD

This is one of the biggest caves with more than 100 miles of tunnels. The single chambers have nice names like Motel 6. Originally I planned to take two tours. But this is timewise too close, because if one tour is delayed, I will not make it to the next one. So I only take the Natural Entrance Tour.

This tour runs first more than 100 stair steps down. Lucky me I have taken a sweater with me because the cave is really chilly! Unfortunately, my tour guide don’t want to be video taped. Therefore I stay a bit back and try to get some nice shots this way. This is not really easy, if you want to do video taping and taking picture all at the same time. One of them will always be neglected. You should be two persons to do this right. But I still hope to have some nice shots from this tour. This I will see tonight.

On the tour I become acquainted with three young Canadians, who make jokes about the Americans. They are a really funny group. One of them absolutely loves my idea of following historic trails. But he would have assumed that more people are doing something like this. But up to now, I have never met someone with the same hobby.

All in all, the tour group is too big and you will just be pushed through. I definitely had much nicer tours in the past. This cave I will probably not visit again if it is along my route.

Wind Cave Rd, SD

Highway 385, SD

After the tour I remount my camera from shoulder pod to regular pod. Then I continue in direction of Custer. Because I am driving on bigger highways, I make really good miles now.

Highway 385/89, SD

Highway 385/89/Centennial Dr, Custer, SD

Highway 385/89/16/Mt Rushmore Rd, Custer, SD

At Pringle the highway unites with Highway 89 which takes me now all the way to Custer. The local Days Inn lays a bit recessed from the main street. Maybe it is also a bit more quiet this way. Somehow it looks pretty unimpressive, not so bombastic like the other ones. Around five in the evening I am checking in and receive an upstairs room. It is at the very end of the aisle and should be really quiet. This is very nice that she gives me such a beautiful room.

I say thank you and get my stuff out of the truck. Unfortunately, I enter the motel through the wrong door. Now I must walk all the way to the reception and one level down. Then again one level up and the whole aisle down to my room. Eventually I arrive there and see a very beautiful and spacious room in front of me. Somewhere the price difference to a Motel 6 must be obvious.

First I get my laptop out and check if I have Internet: Perfect, connection! I immediately check my emails. Then I think about on how I could adjust my route. On the one hand, I cannot drive through Hell Canyon, which already showed my digital map. On the other hand, I must gain the lost day somehow. So, the hiking will be canceled for sure. But I am not sure what to do with my planned drive through Hell Canyon. Maybe I can move the Cave Tour to one of the days around here. Let’s see…

Then I first start writing my diary. Somehow, I am getting headaches now. After checking the GPS, I know why: Now I am up on 5200ft. Today in the morning it was only a bit more than 2500ft. This is my well known headache due to height. Maybe it is now a good time to leave for a dinner. The reception lady recommends the “Dark Horse Food & Bar”, just beside the Cattlemen’s Steakhouse. Let’s see what kind of restaurant this is.

Around a quarter to eight I leave. It is only 0.32 miles. But it looks like rain and I have my road book and my book with me. I almost miss the restaurant because I think it is past the Cattlemen. But you must take the street before and then take the steps up in the rear. It’s an old wooden building which you know from the western movies. However, the inside is a pretty modern mixture of Country and new stuff. And the servers are also all kind of nationalities.

My server Jerry is from Indonesia. He works here every year for 5 months. Then he works for 5 months in Florida and is eventually back home for two months. He cannot believe that I am really traveling alone and especially what kind of trips I am doing here. He sits down at my table a couple of times just to chat. He is really happy to have eventually someone to talk to. But at some point I must get back to my motel to finish my work there.

Therefore I use a time slot when he must leave to serve another guest and slowly collect my stuff together. Then I say good–bye to him. He wishes me all the best for my journeys and I promise, that I will be back in case I should be in the area in two days.

I drive again back to my motel and make a coffee first. My headache is almost gone in the meantime. And slowly I am getting tired. Without coffee I am sure I am not able to finish checking my video taping of today. Time slips already again. Because I have talked too much, it is now already half past nine. After I have finished video and photo, it is half past eleven. Now I quickly do my backup and around midnight I am eventually able to go to bed…

The next day is in preparation…