Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I want to drive it all night long
(Song by Tom Cochrane)
Road trip season is nearly here. I have some ideas. They involve all of these highways -
But first, some facts. Highway 34 is the shortest of these three, but also the longest state highway in South Dakota at 419 miles. Beginning at the western border where Wyoming Highway 24 ends, it continues all the way across the state to the eastern border where it becomes Minnesota Highway 30. It is also the most boring of the three shown above. The state capitol of Pierre is along the route, but as far state capitols go, Pierre has to be ranked near the bottom on a scale of most interesting. There are some towns with cool names...White Owl, Woonsocket, and Fedora to name a few...although Fedora isn't actually a town, and I don't believe the few residents remaining are prone to wearing the classic style hat on a regular basis. (Be a lot cooler if they did, though). Otherwise, not much going on with Highway 34.
U.S. Highway 85, on the other hand, is pretty awesome. Technically, it stretches 1,479 miles from Canada to our southern border with Mexico. Once you're headed south out of Denver, however, it becomes 285 for the rest of the way. Or, 385 if you join up to it a little further to the east. So for the purpose of this story I'll concentrate on the North and South Dakota section of the highway. I've driven most of it, but have missed a few points of interest along the way. That is something I intend to correct this year. I'll probably start with a day trip to the Cave Hills. I've been up in that country before but I'd like to find Ludlow Cave and the Cave Hills Church, two places I haven't been. Maybe I'll make it as far north as Fortuna. That would be an overnighter. Even though I've never been there I'm extremely curious about that place and its history. Depending on what I find, and how I'm accepted by the locals, it might turn into two overnights.
Then there is good old 212. It starts near the east entrance to Yellowstone Park and continues east through Montana, cuts a corner in Wyoming, then across South Dakota, ending just outside of Minneapolis. I have personal experience concerning strange things that have been known to occur along that road. I won't take the time to recount them here, but ask me sometime about the legend of the owl on the mailbox or driving through the same town twice...without turning around.
This summer my Highway 212 focus will be on where it enters Custer National Forest between Broadus and Ashland Montana. I've driven that section many times but have never turned off the highway and gone in deeper to see what that part of the forest may have to offer. This will be the year to do it.
So, those are the plans for my summer road trips. So far. There are many other possibilities and many more miles to consider. Who knows...I might even end up out on Highway 61.
Georgia Sam asked Poor Howard where can I go
Howard said there's only one place I know
Sam said tell me quick man I got to run
Ol' Howard just pointed with his gun
And said that way down on Highway 61
(Song by Bob Dylan)
Roger O'Dea 4/9/2024
