The Badlands, storm and Larry cancels
August 06, 2008
Another full day of riding through the Badlands. How can I describe this? Think something like the grand canyon, only of a near white dirt. They look like sand, but forget sticking your finger in it. It is rock hard.
We saw a village of prairie dogs. They pop their heads up and raise cain with this little bird-like chirping. Our group discussed why they are called prairie dogs. Prairie squirrels would be more appropriate.
As we made our way through the national park, there are a dozen or more overlooks and pull-offs. You know how this goes, you think you might get “the photo” around the next bend, so when you start off, you stop at this point. You stop at that point. There reaches a point, you just gotta keep driving.
We ended up back at Wall Drug in Wall. This is a block-long drug store with a cafe that seats 530. Everything is organized by shop—western wear, biker stuff, nostalgia trinkets, jewelry, Black Hills stuff, toiletries, cards ... I am sure somewhere in there you could get prescriptions filled too. I never saw it.
When you walk in the door, they hand you a map. Imagine, getting lost in a drug store. I bought a button I saw on the first trip. “50 is the new 30,“ it reads.
Yeah, baby.
We high-tailed it back late yesterday and showered to get ready for Larry the Cable Guy. It was a no go. A big storm moved in from the west and “his promoter wouldn’t let him go on.“ Disappointing.
So we headed back to the campgrounds and had movie night. I popped popcorn and we put in disc 5 of episode two of LOST. Three of us at that paper are watching it. We did this at the same time, without knowing our coworkers were watching it too. Lance, I hope disc one, two and three are holding you. I cheated on him. Not only did I go to Nick the lender and jump the season ahead of Lance, but I left town with the discs. I just couldn’t help it—this is the most addictive show I have seen. Oh, and Lance, just wait until you see what happens to .... !! Sawyer is my new favorite character.
About 8 p.m. the storm moved in. Heavy winds and lots of rain. Wind gusts over 60 miles per hour according to the weather man. We expected to see a tent fly by. West of here there was golf ball size hail, the weather man says. Windows broken out. We are headed that way on our next ride.
