Oyate trail suggestions South Dakota

[gordonhks]

Hello, we will be leaving from KC in the next couple of days. We are planning on heading to the Black Hills of SD, via Lincoln Nebraska. We have an event called Formula SAE to attend in Lincoln. Our intent is to make this trip using mainly back roads, and avoiding interstates as much as possible. In researching this, I happened upon a section of US 18 that runs along the southern portion of South Dakota, called the Oyate trail. Anyone traveled that route? If so, suggestions on places to go, things to see, camping areas to stay at? Thanks!

[RonBoyd]

http://blog.travelsd.com/index.php/2012 ... e-trail-2/

[Davydd]

Niobrara State Park in Nebraska at the Missouri And Niobrara Rivers is where we've had two BEE Socials. It's a worthwhile stop and has Lewis and Clark history and scenic views. Other than that it is the Black Hills as a destination and a more interesting drive than the Interstate unless you like to see billboards to stop at Wall Drug.

[gordonhks]

Ron, thanks for the link. Davydd, thanks for the suggestion, we will shoot for Niobrara state park after Lincoln. Wall Drug. Everyone should see it once. I have already met that obligation. Off the thread, but in my new GWV, I noticed that the black water comes out very fast. Almost instantly. Grey takes some time, almost 3-5 minutes or so. Is that normal?

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by gordonhks

Off the thread, but in my new GWV, I noticed that the black water comes out very fast. Almost instantly. Grey takes some time, almost 3-5 minutes or so. Is that normal?

That's normal. Look at your connections. The black tank is a large diameter discharge from a smaller tank and your gray is a small diameter discharge from a larger tank.

[Rok]

Gordon,

I noticed that in our GW as well. I hadn't noticed that the larger and smaller diameter stuff that Davydd mentioned, but I did figure out that the black tank sits almost directly above the discharge oriface (gad that sounds dirty, sorry) so there is probably a real clean shot at dumping it (a good thing in my opinion, since you don't want too many obstructions for TT, and such). NO macerators needed here--just whoosh, and it is all out. We bought a 5" clear extender to make things easier and so we coud see what was going on, er...out. It was a little disgusting initially, but the black does dump faster than the grey.

........Rocky

[gordonhks]

Davydd and Rocky, thanks for the quick heads up (or down, no nautical pun intended

Man, I am getting stoked about this little trip. We have not been out in Scout for over a month and on half.

Our daughter is an engineering student with the University of Kansas team at formula SAE. This will be our first stop on Friday. KU won it last year and is entered this year as entry#1

Here is a link... http://students.sae.org/competitions/fo ... ries/west/

[gordonhks]

We are back. We did in fact travel the Oyate trail. Our observations: This is desolate country. Very few vehicles. Laid back driving. When we are "out" as I call it, we are rarely in a hurry and thus, tend to avoid the battle grounds that have become our Interstate Highway system. There is not much to "see" as far as sites, but this is a very pleasurable way to cross the east to west vastness that is South Dakota.

We did stay at Niobrara State Park. It was OK, but IMHO a bit expensive for what we got. We have become low cost camping snobs. With Passport America, Walmart, and boondocking, we have gotten used to spending $15 or less for camping. It was a hot night when we were near Niobrara, and we had to pay $5 to access the park, and $18 for the campsite, for a total of $23. On top of that the showers were coin operated. The odd thing about this is our change in perspectives. Before the B, I would not blink at spending $250 plus per night for a great hotel. Now I quibble over the $8 extra that this site cost us.