With spring rushing around the corner, it’s just about time to break out those tents and fishing rods. But with all this excitement we tend to get a bit antsy and might forget to properly plan to ensure our safety on local roads and abroad. Below is a very sketchy story. Maybe some of this shared wisdom will make you think twice before venturing out without a plan or the proper gear! Or help you avoid being the main story on a true-crime podcast!
The Lonely Motel
I was driving on a highway through the Black Hills in South Dakota on my way home from Arizona. I was with my girlfriend, and we had been living in Arizona for a while. We were finally making the large TREK home through the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. We had driven north through Arizona and into Utah, then into Colorado, eventually into Wyoming, and finally we were in South Dakota. The Black Hills were emptier than usual as it was the winter months. It felt apocalyptic. Like a good ol’ road trip, horror movie! “Nothing can go wrong!!!!! Am I right?”And then (Queue the scary music) we finally stopped after about 10 hours of driving at a lonely motel about an hour or two east of Rapid city.
The Geezer with the Glass Eye
When I approached the counter I was met with an honest gaze of an old man wearing a glass eye. First, I flipped out my wallet to flash my ID, but he assured me that no ID was needed. Secondly, I noticed there were a lot of particularly dirty individuals stepping out of taxi cabs to claim rooms. It was my understanding there must’ve been a few local bars around the area, and this was a cheap “sleeping” option (*cough* Booger Sugar *cough*). The motel costed $40.00 for a single night, which is absolutely bonkers. With only a couple rooms in the entire motel, I couldn’t wrap my brain around how the owner makes any money. He could make about $250.00 maximum on a good night. All of this added to my uneasiness as thoughts of a mob-type motel was clouding my brain with anxiety. (Queue any crazy Scarface clip!)
The Room at the end of the walk
When I got inside our room, I quickly closed the door behind us to find the bolt lock had been RIPPED OUT of the door, and the only lock left was on a loose door-handle that was on its last leg. At this point I am freaking out and the only option left was to throw a dresser in front of the door and sleep with a knife. So that’s what I fucking did.
The morning after…
I awoke in the morning to find that I had been left in one piece, and we were the only ones at the motel. In fact, we could stand outside for a half an hour and probably not even see the slightest bit of traffic (And not get killed). The Great Plains are beautiful. And that’s an understatement. We got out under the great blue sky and began to make our way home to Minnesota. Surprisingly, it was actually an incredibly safe city, and the guy behind the desk was incredibly nice. He was not tripping on acid, surprisingly. It was nice to spend barely anything on a room, and I’m glad that I have the experience. Maybe not planning for things and just letting things happen is the way to go. Being spontaneous won’t always get you killed! I survived, so can you!!!!