Thursday morning was our Badlands day. While driving in on Tuesday we could just see the Badlands in the distance, nothing distinct, but a general idea that something interesting was off in the distance. I imagine this is what the pioneers thought as they were pushing westward. Somebody in a wagon train after many days traveling across similar terrain looked to the right and said, "I think it looks different over there." But with no time to make a 3 day detour, they kept going and completely missed South Dakota's incredible formations. 10 tens later, they came upon some Indians who asked what they thought of the Badlands. The pioneers said it didn't look important and that is what started the Sioux Wars. Okay, maybe it didn't start like that.
We started the day traveling the back way to the Badlands which gives a closer look at the Badlands than the interstate, along with several cattle ranches and a couple of Buffalo. It was here that we first noticed the Prairie Dogs. While we didn't see any prairie dogs while in the car, their burrow hills were unmistakable, blanketing the landscape with small white hills. We hit the gateway town of Interior, SD (population 65) and entered Badlands National Park. We stopped at the Cedar Pass Lodge which we mistakenly thought was the Visitor Center. By time we realized this, we didn't have time to visit it, luckily we had another day planned at the park.
Next we stopped at the most popular destination at the Badlands, and the start of 4 trails: the Window, the Door, the Notch, & the Castle. We would take 3 of these before the week was over. Our original idea was to take the Door trail before lunch, eat, and then take the Notch trail afterwards. Notch was slightly longer, and we had plenty of time until lunch so we switched trails. There was a sign explaining the Notch Trail, letting us know to where closed-toed shoes and carry plenty of water. But also had an ominous warning, "Trail not recommended for those with a fear of heights". Not sure what that meant, we promptly ignored it. So we walked down the gentle trail, wondering what all the fuss was about. Then we rounded a corner and saw a large crowd of people taking a break. We looked up a saw that the trail led to a rope ladder that you needed to climb, if you wanted to continue. Julia was ecstatic and ran for the ladder, while others looked on in fear and trembling. There was a school of children on a field trip trying to get past the ladder, but they were kind enough to let us through first. I helped Joanna up the ladder, who was most against it. However, once she reached the top, she proclaimed what a brave girl she was and was very happy that she made it.
From there we had a skinny trail with a large drop on one side. I held tightly onto Joanna, while Stacy had to comfort Rebekah. Julia on the other hand was having the time of her life and Matthew was simply wondering what all the fuss was about. At one point, we stopped for Matthew and I to climb some rocks, and Julia wanted to join in the fun. She tried to climb the rock that I was on but missed a step and slid down to the bottom very quickly. I was worried that she would be scraped up and crying, but she dusted herself off and declared that rock was too hard for her. We reached the end of the trail to a gorgeous overlook into the valley below. On the way back, I tried to take pictures of the family while walking backwards. I quickly found out that this was a bad idea, as I tripped over a rock, and nearly fell into two people behind (in front?) of me. They looked mildly worried, but I jumped up quickly and they decided I was just a harmless weirdo. The real fun happened when we came back to the rope ladder. Stacy wasn't sure how they could safely climb down the ladder. Another couple in front of us found a side way down, which was lucky since the school group was still patiently descending. I went down with Joanna without too much trouble. It was steep, and the ground was loose rock that liked to slide on you. But if you had a firm handle on the rocks on either side you would be safe. Julia and Elisabeth went next. When Julia got over half-way down, she decided that it would be easier to run down the hill. She did and ran right into the arms of one of the teachers who happened to be standing in the way.
We got back to the car in time for lunch and realized that there were no picnic tables, so we ate in the car. Next was the Door Trail on the other side of the parking lot. It was a shorter trail that started as a boardwalk and then opened into a wide badlands area. The only markers were poles that we stuck into the ground indicating were to go next. We reached the end to see another beautiful overlook, and returned without much incident.
Next on the agenda was the Minute Museum, but on our way there we noticed the Prairie Homestead, and Stacy asked to stop. It was an homestead from the pioneer era. The house was sod and built into the hill to regulate the temperatures during the cold winter months of North Dakota. There was a quote from the time, "The government bet 18 dollars against 160 acres that you would die of starvation within 5 years." Many people would die due to the rough weather, especially in places like South Dakota. Stacy later said that this was her favorite stop during our vacation. The homestead also had some very rare white prairie dogs that barked at us the entire time.
Before we got back on the Freeway, we stopped at the Minuteman Missile Museum. During the Cold War, South Dakota had many launch sites scattered throughout the hills. And one of the command sites was nearby. We got to go through the exhibit, but due to lack of planning we didn't get the guided tour of the launch site and given our time constraints, we were unable to watch the movie. However, it was an interesting view of what happened with our nuclear weapons during our Cold War with the U.S.S.R.
Next stop was Wall Drug. If you are on I-90 in South Dakota, you will be unable to avoid the many many billboards advertising the biggest tourist trap in South Dakota. But we are tourists after all, and what better thing to do that get sucked into the best advertised one of them all. The town of Wall is just around 700 people, but they all have Wall Drug to thank for their town's existence. Founded during the Great Depression, this small pharmacy grew into the famous store that it is today. There were several small shops, a restaurant, a soda shop, an arcade, and a giant dinosaur that tries to eat you every so often. It was fun to stop at and we all got an ice cream soda and donuts, along with some huckleberry candy bars for later.
With that out the way, we made our way back to the house. On Wednesday, we had met the Andrew & Christy Deason who were also on a vacation for the week. Andrew is a Pastor to the Sioux in North Dakota and we invited the two of them out to eat. The Pastor's wife at Emmanuel Baptist recommended that we eat at Millstone Family Restaurant. So we spent the evening with them and learning about their ministry in Selfridge, ND to the Sioux Indians on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Incidentally, we shamefully forgot their names by time we got home, and the only reference I could find was this missions letter from New Hope Baptist Church.
The kids decided to eat at home. I guess going out with a pair of middle age couples wasn't their idea of fun. We returned home and everybody quickly fell exhausted into bed.
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