Our 2017 Northwest USA Adventure
Last night things did cool down. We decided that we would get up early to tour before things got hot again. Fortunately, the morning was pleasant. We took off and traveled along the Badlands Loop State Scenic Highway, a 39-mile road with many stops for beautiful views. When you look at these rock formations you can see that they were deposited in layers over millions of years. These layers are composed of tiny grains of sediments such as sand, silt, and clay that have been cemented together into sedimentary rocks. The area was covered in water at various times leaving sediment layers that looks like ribbons in the rocks. Water and weather then eroded the rocks creating these beautiful rock formations.
Along with these formations, we also spied a variety of animals including bison, prairie dogs, big horn sheep and antelope. Fortunately we didn’t see any snakes even though there were plenty of signs warning us about them.
We then went to Wall, SD, famous for Wall Drug. Look it up! All we can say is if you travel out this way and see the hundreds of signs for Wall Drug, don’t bother! It’s nothing but a tourist trap. We grabbed a quick lunch in town and headed back towards the park. It was noon at this point. We glanced at the car temperature gage … 102 degrees!
We then stopped at the Minuteman Missile Site Museum. It was all about nuclear proliferation. It brought back memories of air raids, hiding under our schools desks, sitting against the wall in school hall hugging our knees or running home when the siren went off. Another memory was the Bay of Pigs when Kennedy was president. Pat’s brother was serving in a naval submarine when this crisis was occuring. Needless to say, the family was extremely worried for his safety. Really … not good memories!
We headed back to the trailer to put on the air conditioner, then headed to the Visitors Center to watch the park welcome video for the second time in air conditioning while the trailer cooled down!
Despite the heat, Badlands is truly striking with the multi-colored rock formations against the ever-blue sky. It’s much like Arizona in that it takes an adjustment to appreciate the lay of the land. We’re glad that we visited this park. It truly is different but beautiful. But did we tell you it was hot?
Patricia Rowlands
110 chapters
16 Apr 2020
Day 5 - H-O-T!!
July 05, 2017
|
Badlands, South Dakota
Last night things did cool down. We decided that we would get up early to tour before things got hot again. Fortunately, the morning was pleasant. We took off and traveled along the Badlands Loop State Scenic Highway, a 39-mile road with many stops for beautiful views. When you look at these rock formations you can see that they were deposited in layers over millions of years. These layers are composed of tiny grains of sediments such as sand, silt, and clay that have been cemented together into sedimentary rocks. The area was covered in water at various times leaving sediment layers that looks like ribbons in the rocks. Water and weather then eroded the rocks creating these beautiful rock formations.
Along with these formations, we also spied a variety of animals including bison, prairie dogs, big horn sheep and antelope. Fortunately we didn’t see any snakes even though there were plenty of signs warning us about them.
We then went to Wall, SD, famous for Wall Drug. Look it up! All we can say is if you travel out this way and see the hundreds of signs for Wall Drug, don’t bother! It’s nothing but a tourist trap. We grabbed a quick lunch in town and headed back towards the park. It was noon at this point. We glanced at the car temperature gage … 102 degrees!
We then stopped at the Minuteman Missile Site Museum. It was all about nuclear proliferation. It brought back memories of air raids, hiding under our schools desks, sitting against the wall in school hall hugging our knees or running home when the siren went off. Another memory was the Bay of Pigs when Kennedy was president. Pat’s brother was serving in a naval submarine when this crisis was occuring. Needless to say, the family was extremely worried for his safety. Really … not good memories!
We headed back to the trailer to put on the air conditioner, then headed to the Visitors Center to watch the park welcome video for the second time in air conditioning while the trailer cooled down!
Despite the heat, Badlands is truly striking with the multi-colored rock formations against the ever-blue sky. It’s much like Arizona in that it takes an adjustment to appreciate the lay of the land. We’re glad that we visited this park. It truly is different but beautiful. But did we tell you it was hot?
1.
Two More Days
2.
The Travel Plan
3.
Day 1 - We're off!
4.
Day 2: Cheesehead Country
5.
Day 3 Lots of Corn!
6.
Day 4 - Row-lands in the Bad-lands
7.
Day 5 - H-O-T!!
8.
Day 5 - Badlands Pictures
9.
Day 6 - Incredible!
10.
Day 6 - Mt. Rushmore Pictures
11.
Day 7 - Custer's Last Stand
12.
Day 7 - Pictures from Little Bighorn
13.
Day 8 - Dam!
14.
Day 9 - Touring
15.
Day 9 Pictures
16.
Day 10 - Touring
17.
Day 10 - Pictures
18.
Day 11 - Touring
19.
Day 12 - Touring
20.
Day 12 - Pictures
21.
Day 13 - Touring
22.
Day 14 - Touring
23.
Day 15 - Touring
24.
Day 16 - Goodbye Yellowstone - Hello Grand Tetons!
25.
Day 16 - Grand Teton Pictures
26.
Day 17 - Chipmunk in a Canoe only $249
27.
Day 17 - Pictures of Jackson Hole, WY
28.
Day 17 - Pictures of Jackson Hole, WY
29.
Day 18 - Wayne
30.
Day 19 - Our Glacier Park Arrival
31.
Day 20 - Food & Forests!!
32.
Day 21 - Yodelayheehoo!
33.
Day 21 - Logans Pass & Many Glaciers Hotel Pictures
34.
Day 21 - Logans Pass & Many Glaciers Pictures
35.
Day 22 - Oh Canada!
36.
Day 22 - Waterton NP Canada Pictures
37.
Day 23 - All Aboard!
38.
Day 23 - Lake McDonald Boat Ride
39.
Day 24 - Whitefish Revisited
40.
Day 24 - Pictures of Whitefish, Montana
41.
Day 25 - The Gem State
42.
Day 25 - Pictures
43.
Day 26 - Hard-hearted People
44.
Day 26 - Pictures
45.
Day 27 - Change of Plans
46.
Day 28 - Crossing Washington
47.
Day 29 - Our Sixth National Park
48.
Day 29 - Pictures
49.
Day 29 - Pictures
50.
Day 30 - Our Airstream
51.
Day 30 - Sleepless In Seattle
52.
Day 30 -Pictures
53.
Day 31 - Jimi would love it!
54.
Day 31 - Pictures
55.
Day 31 - Pictures
56.
Day 32 - Park #7
57.
Day 33 - Hoh my, this is different!
58.
Day 33 - Pictures
59.
Day 33 - Pictures
60.
Day 33 - Pictures
61.
Day 33 - Pictures
62.
Day 34 - Stinky Sol Duc
63.
Day 35 - We finally see Mt. Olympus
64.
Day 35 - Pictures
65.
Day 36 - Checking Out the Falls
66.
Day 36 - Pictures
67.
Day 36 - Pictures
68.
Day 37 - 9 Hours Later
69.
Day 37 - Pictures
70.
Day 38 - We gotta get outta this place……
71.
Day 38 Pictures
72.
Day 39 - R & R
73.
Day 40 - Anything is a Blessing
74.
Day 40 - Pictures
75.
Day 41 - Beauty Spot
76.
Day 41 - Pictures
77.
Day 41 - Pictures
78.
Day 41 - Pictures
79.
Day 42 - A Three-Hour Tour
80.
Day 42 - Pictures
81.
Day 42 - Pictures
82.
Day 43 - Beer Here!!
83.
Day 43 - Pictures
84.
Day 44 - Lazy Sunday
85.
Day 45 - High Desert
86.
Day 46 - Central Oregon
87.
Day 47 - Just Around the Bend
88.
Day 48 - Back Into Idaho
89.
Day 48 - Pictures
90.
Day 49 & 50 - Heading East
91.
Day 49 & 50 - Pictures
92.
Day 51 - A Real Surprise!
93.
Day 51 - Pictures
94.
Day 51 - Pictures
95.
Day 51 - Pictures
96.
Day 52 - Rocky Mountain Fever
97.
Day 53 - Changes in Altitude
98.
Day 53 - Pictures
99.
Day 54 - Hittin' the Trail
100.
Day 54 - Pictures
101.
Day 55 - Smokin' Dave
102.
Day 55 - Pictures
103.
Day 56 - Travel, Traffic & Costco
104.
Day 57 - Highest yet!
105.
Day 57 - Pictures
106.
Day 58 - Bad Karma
107.
Day 58 - Pictures
108.
Day 59 - In Heaven
109.
Day 59 - Pictures
110.
Day 60-66 -The Journey is its Own Reward - Homer
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