Today is Monday, August 11 and we made it to the Badlands of South Dakota. We visited Wall SD to see the infamous Wall Drug Store, another tourist trap, with shops, restaurants and lots of bikers.

Yup That's Judi walking across the street

Just call me gramps

The last 2 days we traversed the scenery of the National Park with panoramas, views, colors and shapes that are most difficult to explain. Pictures don't do justice to the area.  You need to put this as a stop on your bucket list.

 

Visitors center at the Badlands

These geological monoliths were created approximately 60 million years ago when an inland seaway that covered this part of the country withdrew leaving this area as we see it today.  These hills are eroding at the rate of an inch a year. One formation known as the wall extends approximately 70 miles.
 
This area is fossil rich showing some extinct as well as the predecessor of today's mans best friend.

 

 

Wildlife exists throughout the Badlands like these long horn sheep on the prairie,

and in their natural habitat.

 Wild morning glory.

Sunflowers found all along the roadside.








We did get to see many villages of prairie dogs.  Unfortunately, they were all not photogenic and scattered when attempting to get close enough.  We also got to see Bison from a distance roaming the plans as well as antelope.  We will see if Sherry had captured and add.

Today, Monday the 11th we are going to see more sets of formations called the "windows and doors".

 

This is the entrance doorway.

and this is the view when entering the door.

Here are the windows.









Weather has so far been very cooperative will highs in the low 80s and overnights in the 50s and 60s.