| Then we come to the good stuff, the amazing Badlands of South Dakota. In this strange countryside we found prairie dogs, buffalo, antelope, deer, turkeys, rabbits, and tourists, all living in relative harmony (at least if we except the idiot tourist who had to pick up and pet a young cottontail). We saw signs warning of rattlesnakes, but happily failed to encounter any. Now to the scenery: soft, chalky land, deeply eroded, giving way in some areas to the "Mardi Gras-striped," similarly eroded grounds. Driving through the Badlands goes from awe-inspiring to exhausting, as the rough ground becomes imposing, then overwhelming. On foot or on horseback, I suspect the land could well become terrifying. We visited these lands as they were green with spring. I am pleased not to be a nineteenth century invader confronting the Badlands in August or January. |
