I was wondering if i would be as astonished by the geological formations going into the South Unit or if after a while it begins to all blend together in a sameness. And though there are similarities in all of the Badlands there are enough differences to continue to make my heart sing with awe and my eyes pop at every turn. Cannonballs, spires, buttes, painted canyons, prairie dog towns are all eye candy but the most fun of all was encounters with the bison. On both occasion I had my car between me and those mammoth creatures. I turned into the road leading to Cottonwood camp and barreling on down the road directly at me was a mammoth bison. Decided to just stop dead and thank goodness he veered around me but it sure got the adrenaline pumping and Kill in a barking uproar. Couldn’t even think to get the camera. But even more exciting was finding myself with a few other cars surrounded by a bison herd on the move right down the middle of the road. Given the multitude of signs all over the park warning about the dangers of the bison, even I opted to take the safe approach and stayed in my car! Though it was a tad tempting to get up close and personal!

I opted for the loop drive and even though I still longed to be pounding the sandstone with my boots, I still thoroughly appreciated the many jaw-dropping vistas of eroded sandstone. There is so much incredible natural beauty in this world that it would be tragic not to make every effort to keep these magnificent parkland as pristine as possible. As I gaze at the many bumps, piles, buttes, bluffs, canyons, spires, jagged outcroppings, table tops, plateaus, castles and much more, I feel so much more peace within myself, my soul soars, and I feel more harmonious with the world. Back in Medora, the gateway town, it was time to face the real world again. A warning light kept flickering on but it definitely did not announce what was wrong. But my hunch was it might be low on oil as I had a similar occurrence on last years ventures while crossing the planes and climbing the mountains. I checked the oil stick and couldn’t read any oil on it so I found the closest auto parts store, as the local gas and convenient store in Medora did not carry the weight of oil I needed. So three quarts of oil later, with my destination about 200 miles down the rode, I pushed on and I decided I would be getting to know the folks at the Toyota Dealer in Rapid City. The drive was pleasant as there was not a lot of traffic or trucks on the highway.

I experience another one of those moment when rounding a corner, I found myself dropped into an entirely different world of mountains and forest, towering pines and steep grades after the low rolling flat of the grasslands and desert scales. The scenic route (remember those dots in the map) was the opted for route and it wound me through forest and cute little western motif tourist trap town with the t-shirt store, western bars, fudge shops, thrill rides, and of course motel after motel. Even the store fronts were gaudy. I sometimes ponder why when we have a unique area such as Mt. Rushmore, New Orleans Bourbon Street, Gatlingburg, Tennessee that it can’t be left in its own unique state but has to be junked up with so many other attractions that have nothing to do with the original draw of the unique he destination. So finally two hundred miles down the road was Hot Springs, South Dakota and a motel for the night. I had asked for a room with one Queen bed and ground floor because I had pets. The room I requested said the motel operator was n the third floor. Of course I was at the far end of the hall from the elevators. But to wanting to waste energy on grousing about it, I maneuvered all out stuff on a cart and crowded in the elevator and up we went. The dogs were quite perplexed and what a pain in the butt it is to have to do the elevator routine to take them out to pee.

The only drawback I can find with camping in National Parks and National Forests is the lack or interconnectivity via cell or wi-fi. On one hand it is great to get away from it all but on the other hand I love sharing my adventures with family and friends. So I have been in the Dakota’s for 4 days and will start to share my journey into this previously unknown territory to me. I broke camp and “barreled” out of the Chippewa National Forest in “record breaking time.” It only took me an hour and fifteen minutes to break camp, that is after I was dressed, had breakfast and the dogs were already fed. It take’s me a lot of time to moving things from place to place as my mind wanders all over  but mostly about what the adventure of the day would be. The challenge I am about ready to embrace is practicing MINDFULNESS: the buzz word in mental health counseling and New Age circles. Yes, I have talked to my clients about it but certainly did not recognize a great need to engage in the thoughtful practice of it. After all, it is much more challenge to be constantly searching for everything I put wherever it is not supposed to be and definitely not in its designated spot. But after constantly searching for items and loosing items ($$$$) it definitely is something I need to focus on. Perhaps tomorrow.

Soon the forest and lakes gave way to mildly rolling farmland and the miles clicked by steadily. I had planned a 350 mile day to make this day’s trip akin to the last weeks of training before an Ironman race. i.e. just putting in the miles. It would be around 470 miles to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) and I did not want to yet again be in a race with the setting sun to get settled for the night so I opted to plan to stay in Minot, North Dakota. With traffic light and the weather turning nicer as I headed west, I anticipated an easy drive on cruise control and made a very strong effort at behaving myself and not going much over the speed limit (say 3-4 miles). I sure felt like I was an old geezer crawling along at 65. But I can honestly say it is more relaxing not trying to guess if there would be a cop or a speed trap up ahead. Though the basic landscapes did not change significantly from farmland, I was entering into an area of ranches and grassslands. Soon though, I began to notice, once into North Dakota, an occasional oil pump churning away and some oil storage tanks and the further into the state the density increased. This I guessed was the fracking operations that I have read a lot about. The fact that they are drilling there I figured didn’t affect me until I also began to notice a significant increase in the number of oil tanker truck tearing down the highway. The drive soon became very unpleasant. I had made a reservation at the La Quinta in Minot and the whole surrounding area I was in was all new construction, I am sure fueled by the fracking operations. I took this opportunity when in town to get a moderately priced point-and-shoot camera to replace my beloved Olympus and then on to the motel. Kili and Simba were ecstatic to see the beds as I have definitely noticed that they do not have the same passion for camping that I do. They looked so handsome on the lovely white sheets that they were overjoyed to be rolling on! I must say I really didn’t mind a nice room, bed and shower. I am fortunate that they don’t complain about the lack of showering (due to lack of campground showers) over the last few days. But then I don’t complain about their wet dog smell either. We nestled in for the night and were soon found asleep.

Checking out of a hotel motel is sure a lot easier that breaking camp. I guess when I compare the two for most people it would be a no brainer. Hotel or motor home. But I shall keep that Girl Scout inside me happy and toil away at the set up and take down. Most individuals would probably not understand the sense of personal accomplishment I get from it. So after a 10 minute get the luggage down and into the car event, the dogs hooked up and bill paid I was off to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, sandwiched in between the oil tankers , observing the drilling, pumping and hauling of oil. When getting close to the park there was a sign for scenic look-out. Upon rounding a curve , spreading out for miles below was the rugged beauty of the badlands! It was like dropping into a different world in just a few seconds. With all that extra time I had not breaking camp I found myself at the Park Entrance by 11:00 am. I decided to camp there at Juniper Campground (I am sure you can guess what trees proliferate in the area) rather than take a quick drive through and then off to the South Unit which I anticipated would be much more crowded, as it is directly accessed by an interstate! I took a shaded site just above the Little Missouri. I now have a much better understanding now of why if one backcountry hikes or backpacks , one must bring their own water! I think the Little Missouri River is aptly named, though I am sure this is not the reason — it carries very little water. I observed mostly sandbars with rivulets of water interspersed amongst them. Clearly not a reliable water source as it is still June and the heat of summer is yet to come.

I have always been awestruck by the beauty of the west with all of its red rock, buttes, cones, spires, etc. but what seemed to stand out here was the definite strands of blue-gray which I learned is Bentonite Clay and a hallmark defining the badlands. Many areas appeared to be desert but there are also many areas that seemed lush.

I think the most disappointing thing for me is not being able to hike any of the trails that thread through all of the wonder formations. Traveling with dogs has definitely changed the way I get to experience the National Parks. Dogs are not allowed on any trails in the National Parks. Though my first choice would be to backpack into the backcountry, I have come to accept that at least for now that I will be experiencing the splendor of the parks from the numerous vista points. So I did the 14 mile drive out stopping at most of the overlooks and this too can be awe inspiring. I am sure my two fur buddies don’t quite get why I keep hopping in and out of the car ever few minutes and then we are off until the next go round. Viewing this broken topography of eroded sandstone, grassy planes, cottonwood oases on the Little Missouri and all of the many hues of the landscape is deeply satisfying and quite spiritual. It really brings home the feeling of being a minute grain of sand at a very brief nanosecond in time, in a landscape whose geological formation has evolved over millions of years. Returning to the campground, we had a peaceful late afternoon and evening under the juniper and cottonwood trees overlooking the Little Missouri.

Having moteled it for an unscheduled night we broke camp after only one night and headed down to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt NP and the gateway town of Medora. As I was low on gas I inquired of the closet gas station. So 15 miles down the road I found a quaint old dilapidated store/gas pump with I think the original pump and Old Standards Oil sign. Of course the price was high so I pumped $7.00 worth and went into pay. To my surprise the old relic of a gent tending his store fumbled with it and he moved as slow as molasses and was of few word and a tad unpleasant in manner. I was quite eager to move on though it could have been the perfect setting to strike up a conversation with a local. So onward south and, much to my relief, there were almost no more oil pumps, storage tanks or rigs but a very pleasant drive through grasslands and ranches with various pastures of varying shades of green and bales and bales of hay through out.

It was a driving day and I again stuck to my boycott of inter-states. I planned on taking old Highway 2 across Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota and when possible veer off on those little dotted lines on the map indicating a scenic route. It was a somewhat dreary cloudy day but did not get much in the line of rain. My first goal was to drive the Apostle Island National Lakeshore Road, route 13, which appeared to be rimming Lake Superior in Northern Wisconsin. It was dull gray and windy and though the route was nice, I personally did not find it worthy of those dotted lines on the map. I had anticipated many grand vistas of Lake Superior. For the majority of the route there was a thick stand of trees between the road and lake so there were very few dull gray vistas of the lake. I opted for a picnic lunch at the one rest area on the lake shore drive which turned out to be an expensive mistake to say the least. First a chilly and somewhat windy dog walk and a photo opportunity from the bluff. Significant erosion had cut into the bank and the reddish earth in the area had tinged the Lake Superior water a muddied reddish brown instead of the deep blue crystal clear water I imagined. It append erie. With the fussing around of taking food to the picnic table, corralling dogs, putting leashes on and off, checking phones, taking pics with cameras, putting thing in and taking things out of the car, I couldn’t seem to find where I put my camera after our lunch of cheese, crackers, salami and carrots. Yes I did share with the dogs as the looked so imploringly pathetic. I looked around a bit for it in both the area and the car but as i couldn’t see it I figured it had fallen down into or under one of the ten thousand items I have stuffed in every spare inch of the interior of the car. I figured it would show up when I set up camp and I was eager to get back on the road.

My next goal was to head into Duluth MN. When crossing St. Louis Bay I entered Minnesota, for the first time in my life, and the view of the city was quite stunning. I wanted to see the home where my Grandfather and grandmother Carroll live for many years. Siri lead me there with no hitches and though in an older section of town with homes at various stages of upkeep it was well maintained and definitely refurbished. Though my father wasn’t born there, several of his 11 siblings were. Right around the corner was St. James Catholic Church, which I imagine was the parish of this large Catholic family. The building appeared to have been built many many years ago and they lived there in the late 1800’s. No one was home but it would have been nice to meet the current residents. Siri found me a Petsmart so I could replace Simba’s car harness. Loosing it was a careless $29.00 mistake. Now I could get on the road to the Chippewa National Forest and my camping destination for the night.

As the miles ticked off, my driving foot kept getting heavier and heavier. I couldn’t seem to find all that patience I had talked myself into a couple of days previous. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the land. Very mildly rolling farmland and small towns, straight road and low traffic made it ever so much easier to inch up up up over the speed limit of sixty. I for years was meticulous about not speeding but somehow on my journey west last summer i found that inner speed demon and she has yet to go back to rest. As journey’s end neared the countryside turned to forest and lakes and many national forest campground and other resorts. Norway Beach Recreation Area and Campground is a lovely pine forested area and well maintained campground. There was even electricity for no extra charge!!! SO I felt no need for my coffee pot and could sip my Starbuck’s via with pleasure in the morning. Arrival was ay 4:30 and setting up camp was so much more efficient. BUT there was NO $300.00 + camera to be found in the car! I was pretty bummed but thankfully had downloaded my picture from the card the day before. Cass Lake was quite angry the whole time I were there. The wind had wiped up the waves and with the heavy gray clouds it appeared quite menacing. But a bracing walk in the wind through the area was welcomed after so much riding.

I awoke the next morning to another menacing sky. I pleaded for the rain to hold off until I at least had my coffee. I love my tent home, though it is a bit large to be using in cold weather because believe it or not neither the dog or I are full enough of hot air to keep it warm inside. But I can put my chair inside and sit in there and read etc. if the bugs get too annoying.

With the drizzle beginning, I all of a sudden had a not very brilliant idea inspired by my little internal and at times very alive and running the show Prissy (childhood nickname). This childhood part of me definitely does not think things through. Prissy always believed in St. Anthony’s intercession in helping one find lost items and she thought St. Anthony gave her the brilliant idea of going back to the rest area to search for the camera. As it was raining, my adult self agreed as I figured it was about 40 miles back!!! So off we went retracing our journey. When I arrived at the rest area I realized that this was NOT the one I had lunch at. So I looked at the map and figured it must have been the one before this one. As it was still pouring, back down the road I went to continue on my mission to find that camera. Well you might guess that this next one also was NOT it either. At this point Bernadette called and, in relating my tale to her, it was revealed that I had been taking pictures of Lake Superior on the Apostle Island Drive when I told her I was going to have lunch… yet another hundred miles back!!!! At least my adult rational self took over and I headed back to camp wanting to disparage myself for such a bonehead boondoggle. But I just had to chalk it up to my life-long habit of just jumping in the deep end at times and about 95% of the time things work out just fine. This was part of the other 5%. Back at camp the drizzle had stopped. I went into the tent to retrieve something and noticed a three inch round hole in the side of the tent. I know all about not leaving any food items in campground and tent so I thought I had stored it all in the car. But much to my chagrin, I found a bag of dog treats left in that corner. I saw a squirrel hanging out near the campsite, whom I am sure was the culprit! So we are now on day three of yet another blunder! BUT silver tape to the rescue!!! I had thought to bring a roll and it did a nice repair job. At the rate I am going perhaps the whole tent will end up being silver taped together!! That fixed and making sure there was NO food in tent, Kil, Simba and I took a chilly 5 mile walk through the woods on a well maintained bicycle trail. It was bracingly windy with an occasional spattering of rain but overall a superb walk in the woods. The rest of the day and night were uneventful and I thoroughly enjoyed a campfire. We will be off to the Dakotas in the morning.