America the Beautiful

We arrived in the Badlands mid-afternoon with a nice window of time to arrange our campsite, explore the visitors’ center, and cook a decent dinner.  Getting our America the Beautiful pass was really exciting.  This was for real!

The visitors’ center had some of the awesome water fountains with filtered, cold water spouts for water bottles.  It may not seem like much but after way too many hours in the hot car drinking hot water, we were psyched.  We took some time to relax and get settled and set some rice noodles to soak for pad thai later that evening.  However, we soon noticed some storm clouds rolling in and just as we were rigging up the tarp, the wind became ferocious.  That may seem hyperbolic, but it was some crazy wind, blowing people’s tents across the fields, threatening to tear our tarp, and just generally causing chaos.  We quickly threw everything into the car and huddled inside as huge raindrops began to pelt the ground.  Our dinner plans were quickly changed to leftovers and we ate while being amused by a group of Boy Scouts screaming like little girls and trying hopelessly to raise their tents.  No sooner than one tent was erected, another was reduced to a pile of nylon and a few broken poles.  It was actually quite hilarious.  Sometime later that evening, they surrendered and slept in the vans.  I am so glad not to have been chaperoning that trip.  It kept Michael and I entertained, though, and eventually the storm quieted enough so we could crawl into our tent and not risk being blown to Kansas.

We woke early the next morning as it was hot and we wanted to beat the crowds (plus the Boy Scouts weren’t exactly quiet…).  Much of the day was spent doing short hikes through the formations in the park.  It was quite surreal.  The massive forms are not so much stone as they are piles of clay that simply are eroding with time.  They say that if you return to the Badlands within just a few years, everything will be different.  It seemed to me as if we were on a foreign planet.  The landscape was monochromatic and eerily stark, but after a turn in the road, sunflowers dotted the fields.  I don’t think there is anything else like it but sadly, it is more or less melting with every passing year due to its nature.

I really wanted to find a fossil as it is quite common, but I wasn’t so lucky.  Oddly, they encourage people to traverse the park at will, not following marked trails and I imagine it is those people who find fossils.  We weren’t so brave as there are prairie rattlesnakes in the area and the tall grasses weren’t exactly inviting.  

 After exploring the Rim Road through the park, we drove Sage Creek Road which is a dirt road that passes through the preserved prairie.   It was cool to see the endless fields with prairie dogs, bison, and pronghorn deer.  I even drove for awhile and we just enjoyed the views.  The highlight of our day was seeing a golden eagle fly ever so close over us as we drove.  I didn’t get a great picture since we were traveling about 40 mph and the bird was flying, but it was definitely something we won’t forget.

We finally had a calm night although this time we were prepared for a storm.  The next morning, we left the park for the long drive to the Tetons, stopping in Buffalo, WY for a night.  It was nice to get a simple dinner from a family food truck and walk around the little town, ending the night with some ice cream.  Next stop: Grand Tetons National Park.

South Dakota Welcomes You

In fact, it likes you so much, it will hold an amazing five hour long aerial electric show just for you. That’s how we spent last night, our first night in the tent. But let’s back up.

Wednesday evening we went to visit my sister’s family. We spent time playing with my niece, enjoying a tour to a local playground, and, finally, preparing and eating a delicious meal: chicken with mango, avocado, and lime dressing. So. Good. (Rachel and I added it to our list of delicious easy meals we could make.) Oh, and we might have eaten strawberry shortcake with Kevin’s ice cream, too. Also good.

Rachel learning how to drive stick in NY.  E-brake makes it difficult.

Thursday morning’s 4:30 came early. It was then that I realized we were actually doing this trip; it was happening. We quietly got dressed (ate another strawberry shortcake – sans ice cream, since this was breakfast, after all) and backed out the driveway, Stella’s delicate diesel-ly rumbles breaking the peaceful dawn. Time for a road trip. Destination: Wisconsin. Via: Rt 90. Duration: Fourteen hours.

Chicago at 4:30 p.m. is not really all that fun. It’s hot, and congested, and smoggy. And the traffic moves really slowly, unless it’s someone who’s cutting into your lane. Rachel did a great job keeping the music varied (yes, she did allow some Dave Matthews. And we listened to a book) throughout the day. And she fed me, too. Lori, your granola bars were fantastic. Our bodies thank you. Thankfully, Chicago ended (and so did a very long train) and after a long day of driving the Clarkes welcomed us into their home.

I’m not sure I can effectively convey how nice it was to spend the night with these generous people. I’ll try. We were first offered ice water, then a leg stretching tour of their beautiful home (don’t get me started on their kitchen), then a visit with their gardens, sheep, and llama, followed by a look at their post and beam barn (which they raised and put a foundation under), a darkroom (with chemicals and all!) and then, only then, did we sit down to an oh-so-satisfying dinner of pasta salad, multiple bean salad (five?), bratwursts, and brownies. Then I acquired a food coma. It was great. After dinner we sat down on their dock and watched muskrats and carp. Did I mention their property (and kitchen sink) looked out over a marshy river valley?

Friday morning greeted us with delicious food. I could get used to this. Then we were greeted with heavy winds and rain. Thank you, Madison. Thank you, new tires. Minnesota followed, but with clear skies and long, straight roads. I think we’ll both agree that Minnesota is a big state to drive across. The night before we looked at driving all the way to the Badlands, and discovered it was another twelve hour day (driving time). This wasn’t high on our to-do list, so we split the drive and stayed at Lake Vermillion, SD, cutting one huge day into two smaller, more manageable days. Our plan was to write a blog, plan our next few nights, make a grocery list, and get to bed early. We did one and a half of those.

Part of the excitement of traveling is seeing new places. Part of it is meeting new people. Last night we met some very nice folks who welcomed us to their campsite and we spent the night with them, telling stories, laughing at jokes, oh yeah, and dodging rain drops.

Today was short: 240 miles. We purchased a park pass (!), groceries, ice, postcards (sadly, not deliverable via owl post) and diesel (fourth time since Maine – and some were just top-offs). But here’s the best part of today: we arrived at Badlands National Park. Arrived. We’re here, doing the American thing touring parks. If anything happens and we have to turn around now, we can say we visited a National Park. It’s Rachel’s first, and my third (behind Acadia and Great Sand Dune). After months of planning, purchasing, fixing, sewing, and dreaming (and a few weeks of worrying, too) we’re actually doing it.

One of our first views of the Badlands

I could write pages, but I’ll end here. We’d like to thank those who have already helped us on our journey whether it’s a slideshow of a childhood trip (at a very appropriate time), a garage to do last minute car tasks, a bed to sleep in, or food to eat. Without your support we might not be here. Thank you.