Week 6.5 ~ Badlands National Park

The Badlands are simply insane.  Miles and miles of rock structures and formations eroded during the world-wide flood stretch across South Dakota.  It is blisteringly hot during the summer days, and the intense dryness of the area around us added to the bizarre atmosphere the Badlands present.  The types of rock structures vary wildly throughout the park, one type here and a very different style a hundred feet in the other direction.  To battle the heat, we went out in the morning and evening as much as possible, though the sun rose quite early and set fairly quickly once it got started.  The hours we were able to spend exploring were amazing as we  marveled at what we were seeing.  To answer the obvious name question, the Badlands gets its title from travelers/explorers who stumbled across it.  They called it "bad land" because of its difficulty to travel through, 

constant wind, high heat, and lack of water. Apparently the name stuck, though I think a more accurate name might be "Bizarre-Lands" 

One of our first glimpses of the Badlands. 

Despite the lack of water and intense heat, some amazing little plants are able to grow!

 Early during our stay in the Badlands, we found a little bird who had begun learning to fly, but must have fallen out of his nest before he had completely mastered it.  Hating to leave him helpless, we fed him some grapes and, at Bethany's insistence, named him "Horsie" :)  He was a sweet little bird who eventually was able to get up the tree again towards his nest. 

Bethany and David even made Horsie a clever little nest!

Saturday we said our goodbyes the the Badlands and headed out. 

 Saturday was Mom's birthday and we made a pit stop at a little town called Wall Drug to have breakfast and celebrate. It was a very interesting little town with a neat story behind it.  Afterwards we drove a little ways to Rapid City, SD where Mom and I spent the afternoon thrift store shopping.  In the evening we headed downtown to the Hills Alive Christian Music Concert.  Week 6 has been an amazing and wild week with all the crazy things we saw and were able to experience.  It has felt like a "settling in" week for me as I begin to embrace and enjoy our adventure more and more. Sometimes perspective changes everything, and this week I have been able to get a larger glimpse of how sacred this time is.  Week 7, we are ready for you!