Hunted: Hail South Dakota, Land of Infinite Variety

We tearfully parted as friends from Juliana and Frank of the Devil's Tower Lodge and made our way towards Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

While driving on I-90 East we certainly felt like we were experiencing the best that South Dakota has to offer, as the interstate was much more heavily traveled with tourists coming to and going from the famous cliffs carved by Gutzon Borglum (who, incidentally, started the stone carvings of Stone Mountain, outside of Atlanta, Georgia).

Given the heavier traffic, our average velocity had to be lower in this part of this great state. In fact my wife, had commented (having been acclimated to our Wyoming drive) how slow 85-90mph felt.

Greeted by SpunkyRachel for Lunch Break, at Sonic north of Mt. Rushmore

It was just as well, because we did manage to run into a number of traffic patrol who operate instant-on and steady Ka, while cruising on the highway.

This morning we selected as our driving tool, a retail version of the Escort Passport 9500i, blue.
As many of you already know, we reviewed some early pre-production and post-production Passport 9500i's some time ago, and I was interested in seeing how this fascinating GPS-enabled radar detector has evolved over its relatively short life, and we were'nt disappointed.

While we did observe that the 9500i still, in my opinion, needs some work on its audio and visual signal ramp, the Escort Passport 9500i blue, did demonstrate that is a very capable radar detector (particular in response to Ka police radar).

Two times this afternoon while on interstate I-90 our dependable Passport 9500i, did provide more than enough advanced warning to approaching cruisers operating Ka from the opposite side of the highway, looking for speeders cruising in the fast lane (which of course, we oftentimes were).

Although I did not use another radar detector as a direct comparison, I have become intimately familiar with the alerting nature of just about every radar detector that is currently being sold when pitted against all forms of radar (and lidar), in whatever mode: instant-on or steady in a stationary or moving position.

Our first encounter, the Passport 9500i provided us at least 20 seconds (at very 'high' speeds) of advanced warning prior to be able to visually identify an approaching cruising from the East, well out of his capture range, a very impressive showing, indeed.

The second and even more dramatic performance showing happened later in the evening, at about 2040. We had missed our exit to the Triangle Ranch, Bed & Breakfast, and I had to make a u-turn to head back towards the correct exit.

We were traveling about 120-125mph, when the Escort Passport 9500i, alerted with a strong blast of what-appeared to be instant-on Ka. Of course, I had immediately brought things down quickly and my initial belief that we were shot from the rear by a vehicle that we had just passed, given the strength level. Continuing West on the highway, I ultimately noticed a marked white state trooper cruising in the left lane of the opposite side of the road.

He passed behind us, and I decided, to just play it on the safe side and kick things up a notch (or two). We quickly made it back to our intended exit and we got off the interstate and stopped in a fueling station to fill-up with petrol.

Resuming travel toward our evening lodging, we paralleled the interstate, that we had just been on. The Passport 9500i alerted in a full blast of instant-on K-band as we observed yet another trooper vehicle heading up the interest we just got off.

I think we were very fortunate, and I have to only the Escort Passport 9500i to thank, as it most certainly paid for itself a couple of times today. What I believed happened was the officer has been observing our rate of closure relative to the one the vehicle that was on our side of the highway and turned on his radar early (perhaps a little too early) to wait for his radar equipment to ultimately capture our speed when within his range. Had I not had the 9500i operating in my vehicle, I would have most certainly been greeted with a very nice and healthy ticket (to say the least).

Here are some video highlights from the day:

Escort Passport 9500i Alerts in Plenty to an Approaching Steady 35.5ghz Ka Speed Sign

Instead, the Passport 9500i, allowed my continued safe passage without futher incident.

The Triangle Ranch, Bed & Breakfast is located a good number of miles north of the interstate through open-range cattle grazing. In all of my travel this trip, I was the most respectful of the requested approach speed, which was 20-30mph. Reason being, cattle are often found on the road.

Lisa took this picture, as it was one of the only times she has seen the Passport 9500i's
speed display with a reading like this (without another '1' in front of it).

In fact, we came to one spot and had a Crocodile Dundee moment, when a large cow came sashaying out into the middle of the road, intentionally block our passageway and forcing me to get of the vehicle to pay my respects, which I happily did. Having a cowboy hat on really does help in these circumstances, as bulls are accustomed to ranchers wearing cowboy hats and treat those who do with their own sense of respect and acknowledgment of authority.

He's the boss, here.

Having our big-guy mosey his way on to join the rest heard, we continued on our journey to join our lovely host and hostess: Kenny and Lyndy of the Triangle Ranch.

Lisa and I spent the rest of this evening engaged in very meaningful and thoughtful discussions with our new friends. I believe farmers and ranchers are some of the most in-tune, thoughtful, and balanced thinkers (and Kenny and Lyndy are, certainly, no exception) and our evening conversations were enlightening.

Since Lisa and I have been burning the candle on both ends, we decided to bunk-down "early," and turn-in before 0130 and to try to catch-up on some much needed sleep.

We had missed our scheduled horse ride in the Badlands (which as we later found out was scheduled to take place in North Dakota), yesterday, but we are expecting to do so, at least one time, while we are here.

Bob, the Speed Trap Hunter