SmartAlec GPS Adventure Guide

As you might have notice, South Dakota was just nailed with a blistering blizzard that left 100’s of cars sitting idle as decorations on the landscape we usually know as roads.  I admit that I was one of the destined many that found my way into the night to test the ’stay off the roads’ warnings.  I make a little side money delivering bundles of newspapers to carriers in the middle of the night, so being a man of commitment, I was going to give it my best.  I learned many lessons along the way. Read More…

Posted under Videos, Whacky Stories & Thoughts

I couldn’t stand to stay inside today so I set out to discover something, anything, new on highway 44. Charles led the way and off to Rimrock Hwy we went. It’s called Rimrock highway for a reason you know. Both to the south and norther, flashing through the trees are towering limestone ridges and cliffs carved by Rapid Creek over the years. I haven’t spent much time on Rimrock Hwy (44) except for visiting Black Hills Caverns and Crystal Cave while on my way to Rochford, SD. I thought I would have to dig a little in order to find anything worthwhile but underneath it all I knew there was something magical about these giant cliffs. Read More…

Posted under Off the Beaten Path, Outdoors, Videos

I love a little mystery, especially if it has anything to do with history.  The historical marker near the parking lot of Halley Park is titled “Rapid City Founder Camp Site”.  I stumbled upon the marker a couple of years ago, it says

“Near a perpendicular sandstone cliff a short distance North of here and across Rapid Creek was the first camp of those hardy pioneers who founded Rapid City.  Here John R. Brennan….(listing 10 others) made their camp on Feb. 24, 1876, and the name of Brennan, where he carved it in the sandstone cliff, is still to be seen….”

Now if that isn’t an invitation for the adventurous type to stomp right on over the creek in search of the inscription, I don’t know what is!  Of course, I didn’t do it right away because I thought…’pffft, if that is true I certainly would’ve heard about it before now.  After all I grew up in Rapid City!’

Well today was a new day and I decided to throw a beautiful Friday evening to the adventurous winds and take Charles to find the camp site.  We drove over Rapid Creek on the small bridge near the back 9 of the executive golf course to avoid a long trek around the creek on foot and found a parking space.  We started down the well worn 4 wheel drive trail to “M Hill” or Cowboy Hill, and kept an eye out for a ‘perpendicular cliff.  Read More…

Posted under Off the Beaten Path, Outdoors