By Denise DePaolo
Photos by Liz Long
It’s amazing what happens when one lifts their foot off the gas, slowing down from 80 to 55 miles per hour. Edges of the scenery become crisp, the lines on the road sharpen, and windows can be rolled down, allowing the smells of air and earth in. This is the pace of those who wish to make the journey part of the adventure. This is the speed limit of Highway 1806, part of both the Native American Scenic Byway and the Lewis and Clark Trail. Simply put, the “scenic route” between Chamberlain and Pierre.
In early June, three members of the 605 team decided to see it for ourselves. Sales and marketing director John Snyder’s Jeep Wrangler served as our base of operations, graphic designer and photographer Liz Long captured the experience visually, and I was in charge of planning and penning. It was the first time any of us had taken 1806, and although the route could be driven in a couple hours, we took 48 and soaked it all in. Here’s a bit of our experience.
Sunday Afternoon
We left Sioux Falls, bound for Pierre. Our Jeep, loaded with camping equipment and innumerable sunflower seeds. This first night would be spent on the Fort Pierre National Grassland, so we took the “fast way” to Pierre, west on I-90 then north on Highway 83. After a hearty meal and a leisurely stroll around the grounds of the South Dakota State Capitol, our party ventured back south on Highway 83 to find a campsite.
To read the full article, pick up July’s 605 Magazine or click here. For more photos, continue to scroll.
To read the full article, pick up July’s 605 Magazine or click here.