Phase XXI : South Dakota

When I was in high school, I met this guy named Steve who was convinced South Dakota was a conspiracy theory.  I don't remember the details, but basically, since the US Government didn't own the land, it was just not there.

I can now vouch that there is something there.  It's a very beautiful and powerful area, rich in diverse landscape and wildlife.  At the same time, I'm also very aware of the controversy surrounding the Black Hills area, so I felt very inappropriate being there.  I'm trying very hard to keep this blog free from political wanderings and just posting what we did and what we saw, but also, as a person, I am very respectful of other cultures and adamant about the rights of fellow human beings.  South Dakota was very challenging for me because of this belief, because of the ongoing turmoil for the American indigenous people.  If you'd like to get more into that, here's a basic summary of the situation, and I encourage you to read further and learn more.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hills_Land_Claim

After Devils Tower, we headed to Wall Drug.  Somehow, Ryan had never heard of Wall Drug.  I made him do a little research while I drove, and after a long haul across more grasslands, we were there.

Wall Drug is, in theory, the opposite of things I like.  Super touristy, quirky, etc.  That being said, it was super hot, and we desperately needed an oasis.

It is obviously a hot day on Earth when I suffer a crowd of tourists hopped up on fudge and discount t-shirts in order to bask in air conditioning.  That being said, I couldn't help but admire Wall Drug's commitment to the ridiculous, twinged with bits of history and education.  It didn't take too long to find a quiet hallway lined with historic South Dakota pictures, and we absorbed some local history while folks loaded up on souvenirs.  And yes, we eventually got a little dorky, too.

After a quick pit stop for gas, ice, and more cold beverages, we headed into the Badlands, which is honestly just outside Wall, South Dakota.  Though it was still hot, I immediately felt more comfortable surrounded by nature.

We managed to score one of the rare in-park camping spots.  Due to the heat and the rampant bug situation, Ryan decided to set up the tent that night, rather than trying to sleep in the van.  The tent does a much better job of keeping the moquitoes out, and keeping the cover off allows for a full breeze to enter.

A park Ranger came by and gave all of us a lesson on how to use an atlatl, which amused us while the sun set.

Eventually, the entire campground as a unit decide to turn in for the night, and after we settled in, we realized the tent theory might not have been the best bet.  The coyotes were active all night, chasing the prairie dogs and ferrets.  The mosquitoes buzzed impatiently on the other side of the tent fabric, right by my head.  My back rejected the hard ground.  It was a very long, sleepless night.

On the flip side, that meant we were able to get up very early to head for the hike site.  The weather prediction was for a sultry 96 degrees, so we put our chances on an early hike having the best weather.

Unfortunately, it was a long drive to the other side of the park, and we got a little turned around trying to find the trailhead.  Ultimately, we decided to take the Saddle Pass Trail to the Medicine Loop trail for 4.5 miles of fun.

The Saddle Pass Trail is rated Strenuous, but it's only a quarter mile long.  In my exhausted, achy state, I figured I could give it a whirl.  It was truly difficult- the footing is loose gravel and sand, and the vertical incline is very sharp, meaning it helps to grab the rocks around you, rather than slide down the path on your face.  Unfortunately, the rocks are crumbly and break under your hands.  It was slow going, but I kinda felt proud of myself for making it to the top.

The trail loop on top was very, very easy, and lovely.  The sun was out, and the breeze was heavy, and the views were incomparable.

The only downside to this trail was that we were completely exposed, so as the sun rose and baked the Earth, so it did to our poor bodies.  We kept up a good pace and drank plenty of water and Gatorade, but the sun was relentless, and we were pretty excited to be back at Saddle Pass for the complicated descent.

Going down was even harder.  There were several times we almost wiped out, and a few of the more vertical sections I attacked by just sliding on my butt.  My hands took the brunt of the duty, while the sun absolutely beat down, causing an endless stream of sweat to pour into my eyes.

Ryan and I wound around folks who were changing their mind about the trail, hit the bottom, high-fived, and immediately marched to where Vincent waited.  I physically concentrated on not passing out on the way to the van, and when Ryan popped the back, we immediately scavenged the cooler for all the non-alcoholic beverages we could find.  Unfortunately, that wasn't a lot, and we made plans to obtain more fluids, stat.

But first, a close encounter with a bighorn sheep!

We left the park and headed straight for a grocery, where we bought $40 of liquids and ice for the cooler.  We then grabbed a quick dinner at Taco John's (which does not exist in Ohio), and thus fortified, hit a few breweries.

The first brewery was Lost Cabin, where we met a lovely woman and her mother, who gave us tips on hiking and camping in the area.  She was a kayak enthusiast, but she had visited all the major parks in the area, so she had some great tips.  Also, the barrel-aged black IPA was pretty darn tasty.

The next stop was Hay Camp Brewing.  Our bartender was a Vanagon enthusiast, so we talked about our vans for a bit, and then he gave us a map and directions to some camping he recommended for the night.  Again, meeting people at breweries is pretty fantastic, and again, the beer was very crisp and delicious.

Ryan wanted to hit Mount Rushmore, and again, I had trepidation about the situation.

Thankfully, it was over quickly, and Ryan and I hit the road to find a camping spot.

This proved to be the longest night of our trip.  We couldn't find camping anywhere in the National Forest.  We drove around in circles until about 1am, chasing false leads on Google.  Eventually, we gave up and found a campsite by a lake while lightning from an incoming storm flashed around us.

I spent the night keyed up and having a series of panic attacks, which meant another sleepless night.  Ryan awoke around 7, and we soon got on the road for our next stop- Wind Caves National Park.

Here is where I felt the most guilt.  Wind Caves is the site of the Lakota Origination story, meaning they believe all life began at that site.  And here I was, in my hiking boots, traipsing through their most sacred location.  I proceeded again with respect, and took a few pictures of geologically fascinating features.

Of all the caves we have visited, I would say Wind Cave was the most unique.  While Carlsbad and Mammoth are both very large, cavernous spaces, Wind Cave is very tight and shallow.  From a scientific perspective, it was really very fascinating to me.

With that, our time in South Dakota was done.  We drove through the plains a bit more, grabbed some lunch, and headed on to Nebraska.