Road Trip
My roommate Danya and I came to the conclusion that we needed a change of scenery from Chicago city life. Together, we decided to take a two-month sabbatical out west. Last fall, we spent a long weekend visiting Oregon, and we loved it so much that we thought, “Why not come back, but for longer?” So, if you’re even remotely interested in our route to get there, read along.
Friday, April 17th, 2026
We left Illinois at 5 a.m., aiming to drive about 11–12 hours a day. This first leg of the journey was pretty straightforward, we didn’t make any major stops since there wasn’t a whole lot to see along the way.
We pulled into Sage Creek Campground in South Dakota just before dark, with just enough time to set up our tent and catch a glimpse of some bison roaming nearby.
Sage Creek is a primitive, first-come, first-served campground. There’s no cell service, and getting there requires a long stretch of gravel road. The views were incredible, but we definitely underestimated how cold it would get overnight. I forgot my blanket at home, and Danya only had a summer sleeping bag. Temperatures dropped to around 20 degrees, and by 4 a.m., we woke up to our tent completely coated in icy frost.
Saturday, April 18th, 2026
We packed up the tent early and decided to get a head start since we weren’t getting much rest anyway. We made our way to the Big Badlands Overlook for sunrise, and it did not disappoint. But then disaster struck: I dropped our car keys into a hole right at the edge of the cliff. And when I say at the edge, I mean straight off the overlook into a hundred-foot drop into a canyon. Truly can’t tell you how this happened.
But, there is a God because there was only one other person at the overlook, and he just happened to have a rope with a giant magnet attached to the end. Within minutes, our keys were back in hand.
After this adrenaline rush, we hit the road toward Grand Teton National Park, hoping to make it by dinnertime. For a while, things felt back on track… until they weren’t. Tragedy struck again—this time in the form of flashing lights. We got pulled over for speeding in a small town in Wyoming. A $250 ticket later, It’s safe to say the rest of the drive to the Tetons was a quiet one.
Attempting to retrieve keys
Big Badlands Overlook at Sunrise
Grand Teton National Park is a beauty. We arrived right at golden hour, drove to Jackson Lake Overlook, and ended up having a picnic at Glacier View Turnout. Luckily, Danya has a friend in Jackson, Wyoming. We rolled out our camping mats and sleeping bags and crashed on his floor. Easily ten times warmer than the night before.
Sunday, April 19th, 2026
The last ten hours of the drive went by with zero catastrophes, thankfully. We made it to Bend before dark and found the cutest place on Furnished Finders. It sits on three acres, has beautiful mountain views, and even an outdoor tub.
We have several weekend camping trips planned to sightsee, so stay tuned if you wish—or don’t. Either way, I’ll be here.
