I used a map to plan my trip through the Dakotas. A real, paper map. One of the things that scares me the most about the digital revolution is that there will soon be entire generations that don't know how to read a map. So I embraced the chance to brush up on my own map reading skills and plotted the whole journey on a AAA map. I used Google Maps to confirm I wasn't making any huge mistakes, but I ended up using the paper map during most of my trip when reception dropped out.
As I was planning my drive from Theodore Roosevelt National Park to Custer State Park, I saw a peculiar note: "Geographical Center of the US"
Really? South Dakota seems too far north to be the center; at least in my mind. But this is probably a big deal. There's only one center of the country. Better do it up right.
The drive from TRNP to Interstate 90 is all on Highway 85. I didn't need a GPS. It was a straight shot. I planned on driving until I ran into the center of the nation. The only problem: I missed it. This is the only sign to point you to the geographical wonder:
Speed limits in South Dakota are usually between 65 and 80 MPH. It's hard to see a sign like that at those speeds. I caught a glimpse of it, but thought "That can't be it. It'd be a much bigger attraction." So I drove for a few more minutes before FOMO got the best of me. I flipped around on the near deserted highway and headed north.
8 miles on a dirt road takes a long time. Did I miss another turn? Was this a trap? Then, I saw it. In all her glory, the Center of the Nation.
I was confused and disappointed. And could not stop laughing.
Check out this video. Sorry about the wind, but notice the smirk on my face.
It may seem like more of an adventure to not use a map. But this time, using the map spawned the adventure.
I'm one of only a handful of people I know that have visited the Geographical Center of the United States. Have you visited it? What was your reaction?
