{"id":13372,"date":"2022-12-04T18:51:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-04T18:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=13372"},"modified":"2022-12-05T16:21:25","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T16:21:25","slug":"notes-from-the-road-16-21-september-2022","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=13372","title":{"rendered":"Notes From the Road — 16 – 21 September 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NOTES FROM THE ROAD<\/h2>\n
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< more recent<\/a> | 16-21 September 2022 | older ><\/a><\/p>\n

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Day 6: MN to SD – Pipestone National Monument\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Ancient Quarries Still in Use\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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21 September 2022:<\/strong> This morning I took some time out to visit the Pipestone National Monument where indigenous peoples have quarried a special type of stone used for pipe-making since ancient times. Today some tribal members still work family quarries to extract the stone and carry on the tradition. After a short hike though a beautiful section of the monument, I got back on the road crossing another time zone and making my way to Sage Creek Campground in the Badlands National Park to set up base camp for the next few nights. As I arrived at the turnoff onto dirt at Sage Creek Rim Road I saw a coyote just standing on the edge of the Badlands — a very good sign\u2026<\/p>\n

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Day 5: WI to MN – Witches Gulch\u2026<\/h5>\n


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The Dells of the Wisconsin River\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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20 September 2022:<\/strong> In the morning I headed into town to get a “tour boat” for a sail along the Wisconsin River to see the “Dells” — unique rock formations and cliffs that surround this one part of the river. The tour boat is the only way to access Witches Gulch, an unusual slot canyon that is surrounded by protected wilderness. What intrigued me most about Witches Gulch was seeing the kind of slot canyon I am familiar with from the desert but here it is in the middle of a forest and transformed by green moss into something totally different. After leaving the Dells I continued the road trip driving on into Minnesota\u2026<\/p>\n

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Day 4: MI to WI – The S.S. Badger\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Crossing Lake Michigan\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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19 September 2022:<\/strong> An interesting experience crossing Lake Michigan in a classic old steamship (The S.S. Badger is actually a National Historic Landmark) — taking the “slow boat” in this case. Crossed from Michigan to Wisconsin, and from Eastern Time to Central Time while on a very smooth sail across calm waters, then drove on to Mirror Lake State Park where I set up camp for the night\u2026<\/p>\n

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Day 3: MI – Silver Lake Sand Dunes\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Checking out the dunes in Michigan\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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18 September 2022:<\/strong> Spent the day at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, an open OHV area in Michigan and the only place out east where we are allowed to drive on dunes. It was quite crowded even though it was not “peak” season, and I could only imagine what it must be like at the height of summer. Still, it was a great location and I especially liked that you could go from driving the dunes to the edge of the lake where there was a kind of “wild” beach. I even put my feet in the water\u2026<\/p>\n

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Day 2: PA to MI – In Search of Elk\u2026<\/h5>\n


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On the Lookout for Elk around Benezette\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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17 September 2022:<\/strong> There was a heavy layer of fog covering the forest this morning, which made looking for elk a bit harder than it should have been. The first ones I sighted were actually on someone’s lawn as I drove to Benezette. I spotted one grazing and snapped off a couple of photos before he headed off into the woods. At the “official” elk watching spots there were crowds but impossible to see anything because of the fog. Still I was happy that I got to at least see a few of them (though I didn’t hear any bugling). Finished up before lunchtime, and got back on the road to make a bunch of miles and get into Michigan before stopping for the night\u2026<\/p>\n

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Day 1: NY to PA – Moshannon State Forest\u2026<\/h5>\n


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Camping at Shaggers Inn\u2026<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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16 September 2022:<\/strong> Hit the road for the start of another epic journey westbound. The first leg was a long drive from Long Island to Western Pennsylvania and the region known as #PAwilds where I hope to see some elk as we are in the middle of the rut right now. I set up camp at a designated dispersed site at Shaggers Inn in the Moshannon State Forest and it was a mellow night, not too cold but nice and clear and dry\u2026<\/p>\n

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PREVIOUS NOTES FROM THE ROAD<\/a> ><\/a><\/h6>\n<\/div>\n
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THIS MONTH:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nFall Roadtrip West, heading from NY to Moab, on the slow road. Taking a different route westbound, with lots of interesting stops along the way. The plan is to go via NY, NJ, PA, OH, MI, WI, MN, SD, WY and UT, camping as much as possible and hitting some key destination locations …

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COMING UP SOON:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nAttending the Ladies Offroad Network Convention<\/a> in Moab, UT. The 6th annual convention will be held October 12-15, 2022, with lots of hands-on opportunities to gain all types of offroading skills, learn and engage with other offroad ladies as they share their stories, and laugh the whole way. The convention is an action-packed, interactive 4-day weekend educating, motivating, and guiding offroad ladies…

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\nUSnomads.org is very proud to be presenting the second edition of the Nomad Overland Virtual Adventure Rally<\/a> in 2023. This is a new kind of rally experience — a ten week event that participants can do from anywhere within the continental U.S.A. Competitors design their own routes as part of the rally, then drive it in a points-based online competition that includes optional activity tasks, quests and weekly challenges. The 2023 rally will run from 5 June – 13 August and is open to any driver within the United States who has an off-road capable vehicle — stock or modified. Registration for 2023 is open now. For more information see the Rally website<\/a> \u2026

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ABOUT PIPESTONE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nPipestone National Monument<\/a> was established by an act of Congress on August 25, 1937, which reaffirmed the quarrying rights of the Native Americans and protected the land which is considered sacred. For countless generations, Native Americans have quarried the red pipestone found at this site. The stone is carved into pipes used for prayer and it is believed that the pipe’s smoke carries one’s prayer to the Great Spirit. The quarries were considered neutral territory in the historic past where all Nations could source stone. Geologically, pipestone or “catlinite” is a claystone (argillite). It’s red color results from oxidation of trace amounts of iron (hematite). The formation pipestone began over 1.5 billion years ago when a braided river covered what is now southwest Minnesota. Clay was deposited on top of sand, either through a flood or settling, and then quickly buried under more quartz sand. Heat and pressure changed the sand into quartzite and the clay into pipestone, which is why the softer pipestone is sandwiched between the harder rock layers of the Sioux Quartzite formation. Archeologists believe the site has been in use for over 3,000 years with Minnesota pipestone having been found inside North American burial mounds dated much earlier. The site is still actively quarried today by American Indians enrolled in federally recognized tribes. Any enrolled member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe may apply for a free quarry permit to dig for the pipestone. The 301-acre Monument consists of the quarry pits, of which 56 are active pipestone extraction sources, and the tall grass prairie landscape surrounding them. The National Park Service regularly consults with representatives from 23 affiliated tribal nations to discuss land management practices, historic preservation, exhibit design, and other facets of the park’s management…

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ABOUT SILVER LAKE DUNES<\/strong><\/p>\n


\nThe Silver Lake Sand Dunes<\/a> are spectacular. Decades of prevailing westerly Lake Michigan winds created this giant, 2,000 acre sandbox along four miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. These shifting dunes promise a different terrain every time you visit them. Silver Lake State Park, and the 450-acre ORV scramble area, is open April 1 to October 31. The Dunes are divided into 5 areas, the ORV Area (no pedestrians permitted) at the northern most section, the Pedestrian Area (no vehicles permitted) in the central section of the Dunes, the area leased by Mac Woods Dune Rides for tours to the south, and the Little Sable Point Lighthouse at the southern most point along the dunes. The ORV scramble area is open to 4-wheel drive vehicles, motorcycles, ATVs and dirt bikes. Before zipping across the sand, stand back and get the lay of the land and be aware of the\u00a0directional traffic zones designated in the ORV area. Note there are two “directional sections” \u2013 when you are on the dunes, you will also see large sign postings as well. Be mindful of these signs and obey them at ALL times, they are there for your safety and the safety of others. As you make your way out from the access road, you can check out the drag racing, or make your way up \u201cTest Hill\u201d the largest of the dunes and the first right out of the opening gate. If you want to get your bearings, make your way up and over \u201cSunset Hill\u201d for a spectacular view of Lake Michigan before heading over to the \u201cSouth Flats\u201d where you can get used to your vehicle on the sand if this is your first time. All visitors must pay a Silver Lake State Park entrance fee to access the dunes and have a Recreation Passport, ORV permit and ORV trail permit — all of which are available for purchase at the park entrance. Vehicles are also required to have a ten foot whip flag mounted to the front bumper (these can be purchased in the stores near the park entrance)…

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