Badlands

Started this morning meeting up for coffee with our friend Michael, who had moved to Rapid City last year.  I had a "Cardigan," thank you, Taylor Swift!)

Hit Wall Drug:

Then drove on to the Badlands. I was super-excited to share them with Patrick in particular, because I knew he would love them, and he did.

Started with a herd of bison and some "rock sheep" and some great views.

We drove the loop and did 3 shorter hikes. But it was hot (99 degrees!) and Beatrix was not feeling well, so after the "Window Trail" we headed to DQ and then the hotel (a surprisingly nice Super 8), with the hope of going out later.

It was stormy in the afternoon, and then we headed to the "Badlands Saloon and Grille" (not a ton of choices here.) While we were there the storm amped up; the sign we read on one trail today said that the Badlands got 16" a year of rain, and it was clearly all tonight. There goes my bucket list item of a Night Sky event in a national park.

Luckily there was good beer and an awesome waiter that we could discuss the evolution of African cultural spirituality with. So we waited out the storm.

But we just came back to the hotel to have Beatrix test positive for covid, so...

(what a shit-tastic end to the trip)