Badlands National Park

By the time we checked out of the hotel, it was 10:30. The night before, the lot was loaded with motorcycles and trailers pulling motorcycles. People were being turned away because they were booked solid. By the time we left in the morning, the lot was deserted. We were the only ones not in a hurry, I think.

We crossed the Missouri River as we headed west.
When we got to Cactus Flats, we turned into Badlands National Park. It was quite a sight and understandable why it was called the Badlands. The rough terrain was filled with gullies, canyons, and ravines. I can't imagine anyone crossing this land. The landscape looked harsh but beautiful. The clay in the rock formations were so colorful, but at the same time it looked a little like it could be something from another planet. We hiked up a few rock formations for the best views.

While we were climbing, we met a group of 6 men who spoke in broken English. They came up for Sturgis from Brazil. We meet the most interesting people on our motorcycle adventures.

We stopped to take a few photos but they don't do justice to the scenery. It's about as spectacular as the Grand Canyon. There were a few scary moments, like coming across a Beware of Rattlesnakes sign and I climbed out onto a ledge where I was surrounded by a few hundred feet drop below me. I don't know what I was thinking when I walked the narrow path to the end of nowhere. I think I got a little caught up in the moment.