After a day's worth of driving, I elected to stay at a KOA campground because there were no hostels in the area and I certainly wasn't going to pay upwards of sixty dollars for a motel room. When arrived at the campgrounds I was surprised to see many features I don't associate with camping such a pool, volleyball nets, stores etc. It seems that the KOA corporation and I have very different definitions of the word camping. In any case, I set up my tent by headlamp light and promptly let the rolling cartoon Zs escape from my snoring mouth.
Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Lincoln, and yours truly |
A map of the wind cave that shows its incredible complexity |
A good example of the wind cave's boxwork |
Wall Drug... Gross |
A few hours of monotonously flat driving and I arrived at the entrance to Badlands National Park. Just as I pulled off the highway I noticed the beautiful South Dakota sunset and awkwardly parked on the shoulder to capture the moment with my camera. As I sprawled myself across Roy to steady my camera for the pictures, I tuned into the beautiful symphony of wild birds and insects that had emerged at the dusk hour. I took a video so hopefully you can hear them too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/79525116@N03/7405036064/in/set-72157630201399828. With nightfall quickly approaching I drove to the nearest campground and set up my tent for the night. I finished just in time to stroll over to nearby outdoor theater where a native-american park ranger gave an hour long talk on the native Sioux tribes and their relationship to the Badlands (including their oral history and folklore concerning the area).
I was rudely awakened by the intense heat of the 7 AM sun radiating through my tent, turning it into convection oven. Reluctantly, I woke up and prepared a meager breakfast of instant oatmeal. Once I packed up camp, I drove to a ranger guided tour of one of the Badlands trails. The Badlands, originally named so by travelers who found it very difficult to pass through the areas craggy canyon and sandstone peaks. When I walked through the park's eroded rocks, I felt like I was in a land of oversized drip sand castles left by forgotten giants from the past. Unlike Yellowstone, the Badlands were much more interactive because you are allowed to stray off the trails and climb up the rock formations if you so choose. Enough of my ramblings. Enjoy the pictures.
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