Oahe Trip Day 1, Sunday, May 15

0650-Departed White Bear Lake, MN for Forest Lake, the staging site.

0720-Arrived Forest Lake, loaded clothes, removed power cord, washed solar panels to ensure a good charging enroute. I hope to maintain 100% on the solar battery.

0820-Kate read a prayer of blessing for the trip and I was off!

0845-Google maps soon started sending me along a route I did not expect and I ignored it at first.  Nevertheless, it still snookered me!  I was supposed to turn right at Hwy 100 & Hwy 7 but instead it sent me along surface streets on a circuitous route that even ended up on a short segment of gravel.  I eventually got back to Hwy 7 but was upset with the unnecessary diversion!  I've never had Google do such a poor job.  I should have ignored instructions that just seemed odd.

Map Route - 430 Miles, 7.5 hours
(Click to Enlarge)

1230-Arrived in Watertown, SD and immediately gassed up the truck. Wind is picking up! Had lunch and was back on the road by 1330. 

Wind was very strong not allowing me to hold 60 mph in 5th gear (total of six).  Most of the time it held me to 55 mph and 4th gear. But even with the slower speed I was holding close to my scheduled arrival of 1715 to 1730.

But, Google Maps started up with it's strange routing again! It tried to send me down several gravel roads what were obviously wrong.  I ended up driving down a gravel road for almost 10 miles and now the boat was filthy with dust.  

The first highway I came to I turned right since it was the direction I was supposed to go, but it was the wrong decision! I drove 3 to 4 miles and it dead ended into another gravel road! Then I had difficulty finding a place to turn around!  I used a farmers two field access roads diagonally across from each other and managed a turn around. Now I'm really upset!

I reversed course and checked the map by enlarging it and headed south determined to turn only when I saw major pavement.  I finally got the right road and headed north again, this time on a decent highway. The moral of the story is always question Google, or any map program, and always have a large scale map available to check against where Google is sending you.  I did not have that map!

1815-Finally arrived an hour late to Spring Creek Recreation Area! At least the solar kept the fridge cold and generator at 100%.

1830-I checked out the ramp (huge!) and went over to the restaurant to eat.  It was now after hours so there were no rangers around to check in.  I also had no cell service.  They had WiFi in the restaurant but no one knew the password!  I sent a satellite message to the family so they would know I arrived safely. Dinner was so, so. I wished I had just made my own dinner.

Spring Creek Marina
(Click to Enlarge)

1930-There was some light fishing boat activity at the ramp. After dinner I checked the ramp close up to see if depth was adequate for the morning launch then went back to the boat to prepare.  I got a lot done before making up my bed and pouring a glass of Baileys for a post dinner treat.  Cooling off fast and I will likely need heat in the morning.

2100-Hit the sack exhausted by the early 0330 wake up, long drive, taxing map routing, late arrival, and prep for launch.