The Long and Winding (Oops, Straight) Road

It's been a very long but very exciting day.  I've covered lots of miles and have stopped for the evening in Mitchell, South Dakota.  As with the past few days, I won't be writing much, just offering some of the views I've enjoyed this day with a bit of commentary.  Another big day lies ahead of me.

I mentioned in an earlier entry that I would be driving the Spearfish Canyon drive one last time as I headed east.  The next few pictures will be an effort to let you see what I saw.

None of these pictues does justice to the beauty of this place.  I could have taken hundreds of pictures and still not have captured it.

There were cabins for rent off in the woods now and then.  I'd love to rent one for a week.  To see the sunrises and sunsets and the night stars would be awesome.

This is actually a waterfall.  I passed at least three on this canyon road.  The problem is that unless they provide a turn off, there is no shoulder to park on.  And even if there were, the ground is very soggy with spring melt.  Just know this is Bridal Veil Falls and it makes a marvelous sound as it crashes into the river.

It was early Monday morning when I made this last trip in the canyon.  I was alone except for one fisherman, one marathon runner (must have been as the road is almost 30 miles long), and two bikers.  They knew how to enjoy this territory better than I.  You have to get much closer to it and in it to get a true perspective.

This is what I drove into after leaving the canyon.  Miles and miles of grassland.

The road was so straight and the land so empty that you could see the road as far as the horizon.

That is until I came upon the Badlands.  Here the terrain became other worldly.  The next few pictures are an effort to help you see what I saw.

In spite of the ruggedness of this terrian, there were animals to be seen.  And birds.  Wonderful warbling meadowlarks.  And bugs.  Lots of bugs.

Clearly this land is not for the faint of heart.  Those who live here and make a living off the land are made of stern stuff.  No wonder most of the people I see are either mountain men with scruffy beards and long hair or cowboys with big boots, big belts, and big hats, or bad boy bikers.  The women are few and out of sight except for those who are holding the Stop or Slow signs at the various road construction sights or those who are park rangers.