Road trip part 2, Sept 2017

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Instead of making the usual quick dash back to NM I am making a circle route by way of MN, SD, WY, and CO.  This is a reconnaissance trip.  I don’t have as much time as I would like to spend at each of my destinations.  Instead I am beginning my list of places to visit when I am out of a job - by choice.

Again I start with a long day on the road.  My goal is somewhere in central SD along the Missouri River.  The SD visitor center volunteer really talked up many places.  I sort of remember, from my last trip, when I was in grade school, that SD was a boring, flat, hot place one has to go through to get where we really wanted to go.  It still isn’t really exciting, although no state is particularly exciting when seen from the interstate.  Fields varied from corn, wheat, soy beans, sunflowers, range land and back again.

I made it to Chamberlin, SD on the Missouri River late afternoon.  My park of choice turns out to be almost 20 miles from the interstate.  It’s one of those where you drive, then when not seeing your destination the thought comes to mind ‘should I turn around?’  ‘No I’ll just go a little further’, ‘over that hill’, ‘over that hill…’ A road construction flag person directed me, 5 more miles to go.  I already had 15 in so I did 5 more.

Being a Monday, the campground was empty.  Above the dam, the river is a lake over a mile wide.  Below the dam it also looked almost as wide.  I relaxed watching the sun set over the river.

The next morning I’m on the road early to hit the Badlands, the Black Hills and possibly Mount Rushmore.  After an hour I cross back into the Mountain Time Zone getting back an hour, consequently I arrive at the Badlands by 7AM.

I was one of four people at the first overlook.  I talked with the other visitors; one couple had camped locally the previous night saying how the skies were so dark the Milky Way jumped out at them.  They also said how nice it was to come back this morning so they could enjoy the view.  The previous day they stopped late afternoon, the overlook was packed with people to the point no one else could get on to the walkway.  And I thought travelling after the kids are back in school would eliminate that issue.  Continuing on I came across another 40 – 50 vehicles the entire 30 mile trip through the park.  At one of the overlooks I spotted mountain goats lounging; slamming on the brakes I dove into the parking lot getting a few photos before several more visitors stopped making the sheep decide to move on.

Continuing on to the Black Hills and Custer State Park I notice thin gray/brown wispy clouds forming – smoke from the wildfires in Montana.  I have been monitoring the air conditions of greater SD online, with air going from good, to advisories for people with respiratory problems to stay indoors.  I also notice the skies are not the typical blue that I am used to at higher elevations.

I keep climbing entering Custer State Park.  There are multiple ‘road trips’ one can take seeing different parts of the park.  I hit three of them through the day, Wildlife loop, Iron Mountain Road and Needles Hwy.  Each one is unique and all should be taken.  After taking the Wildlife loop, spotting burros and a meadow full of buffalo I search for a quiet campground finding Bismark Lake a National Forest campground.  As I sign in and stop for a bite to eat heavy rain moves in.  Undaunted I jump back in the truck heading off to the Iron Mountain Road.  Both this road and the Needles Hwy have a number of tunnels along the route.  I carefully measured the truck/camper before I left home to be certain I could make it through all the tunnels, I don’t want to get part way through to find my camper is just a bit too big.  I’m not worried about the height, only the width with the smallest tunnel 8’4” wide.  Just in case I fold in the passenger mirror before I start on the road.

Each of the roads is an engineering feat.  The Iron Mountain road has three tunnels, each of which faces Mount Rushmore as one drives through.  There are also ‘pig tail’ bridges with the lower level passing directly under the upper level, like a pig’s tail.  I skip Mount Rushmore since it is pouring rain as I pass, continuing on to the Needles Hwy.   This is the road with the narrow tunnel.  

Approaching the tunnel I see many people parked watching vehicles pass through.  I am not certain if they are watching to make sure they can make it through, or they are watching for the vehicle that is slightly too big try to go through, rounding the corners of their vehicle in the attempt.  I jump right in going for it pulling in the driver’s mirror for good measure.  Piece of cake.  Emerging on the other side I see a slightly narrower version of a Greyhound bus lining up to make the trip through the opposite way.  Suddenly I feel a bit foolish worrying about making it through with my camper.  The Gilman tunnels along the Rio Guadalupe are a multi-lane road in comparison.

The rock formations are amazing.  The road winds over, around and through the ‘needles’.  I stop at all the viewing spots - awestruck.

Bismark Lake is a scenic little lake with benches scattered around for viewing.   I hike around part of the lake looking for fall color, starting to appear.

The next morning I am off the CO, by way of WY.  Before leaving I spot a doe wandering through the campground.  Leaving SD the air clears of the smoke from wildfires.  WY – wide open spaces.  Looking on the map I see a few towns, empty in between; on the road this part of Wyoming is as empty as the map.  Houses exist in the towns, nowhere else.

Continuing south into CO fall color reappears, above 9,000’ the trees burst with color.  I picked a route through the center of CO because I had four – sit in traffic – episodes going through Denver.  I don’t want to end my vacation sitting in Denver traffic!   Following valleys I see color far up the mountains, below the treeline.  No snow, yet.  Coming to I-70 I have to jog west about 10 miles before continuing south through Leadville, CO.  Mountains are everywhere, giant raw rock mountains.  My truck works hard climbing from 9,000’ through passes over 11,000’.  My GPS can’t keep up with the elevation change, the readout changing 5’ every time it updated.

Traffic crawls through Leadville.  Shops, restaurants, motels, bars and more shops line the streets.  Parking places are at a premium, tourists wander up and down the sidewalks.

Twin Lakes Reservoir is my destination for the night.  Staying up for the dark skies my reward is a great view of the Milky Way.  By far these are the darkest skies I have seen. The mountains surrounding the reservoir are showing fall color.  The next morning colorful mountains are the back drop of my outdoor kitchen.

Making my way to NM means another long day of driving.  I have several places in mind but a combination of heavy rain and a long dirt road to one of my choices make the decision to continue on to the Santa Barbara campground in northern Pecos Wilderness.  On the way I got to see one of the many recreations marijuana places in CO.  The one closest to the NM border had a full parking lot.  I didn’t notice where the vehicles were from.

Taos has grown since my last trip; I was able to study many of the shops as I crawled through town.  I remember it being crowded around 20 years ago but this is extreme.  Exiting Taos the road clears climbing back into the mountains.

The Santa Barbara campground has around 20 sites.  Only a handful are occupied arriving on Thursday afternoon.  The entrance sign announces that the campground is closing the following Monday; good timing on my part.  No fall color here.  I hike up the Santa Barbara trail a mile just to stretch my legs.  I encounter cattle several times while on the trail.  I’m never certain what to do when encountering a cow that outweighs me by a factor of 4.  Giving them the right of way seems to be the safest way to go; one kick could ruin my day.  Returning to my campsite I discover a small herd of cattle feeding in the campground, making their way to my site.  Chewing on leftover charred wood in the fire pit seems to be a delicacy.  After emptying the fire pit they move on, fortunately they did not leave any presents.

Another sign mentions a volunteer group of hotshots are rebuilding a bridge over the east fork of the Rio Santa Barbara.  The next morning, that site is my goal.  Last year I was here to photograph the valley but the bridge was out, I want to see how construction is going.

Arriving at the site after a 2.5 mile hike the crew of a dozen is already working.  Everything is done with hand tools; drill brace, two-man saws, and chains for lifting the heavy logs are evident.  Thanking them for their work I return to the truck; a five mile hike completed by 10 in the morning.  

Now back home.

This was my first extended trip using my camper.  I enjoyed my time staying in it for 13 nights.  A few improvements need to be made but I am ready to head out again.

Thank you for stopping by

Mark