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My brother follows the other hikers, into the heart of the Badlands. |
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A look into an area that no car can ever go. These places are not
all that easy on foot either. |
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The area is quite hot, but there is little humidity. The hiker,
and explorer who bring enough water, and are willing to spend some time
walking, can see parts of the park unknown to the casual tourist. |
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A layer of harder rock, has protected this wall, somewhat, from
the forces of nature, allowing it to outlive the other formations in the
area. It can be seen that gravity has done it's work, here, where water
could not. A view of the lower areas show the tumbled rocks, that had protected
much of the formation. A small, broken, protective mantle remains, but the
soft, mudstone can be seen to be eroding, and the few capstones left will
ultimately join the other rocks below. |
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A chaotic, but telling view of the relentless work of water on soft
stone. Water laid these beds down, eons ago, and the eye completes their
bedding lines, even where they are broken, off in the distance. It is the
water, that brought them here, so long ago, that now takes them away. |
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Low rounded hills. These are old structures, and their days are
numbered. The grass waits patiently for their demise. |
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Another structure which had received a random cover of protective
rock. A few harder rocks remain atop the formation, giving rise to strange
looking turrets, at the peak of the structure. Erosion will undermine and
tumble these rocks, as it already has done to their companions littering
the ground below. |
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The newer structures towards the edge of the park. |
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Another view of the low rounded hills, with a closer view of grass,
and even flowers, growing in the flattened areas. |
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The rather artificial environment of our campground. Outside of
the watered area, regular grass does not grow. A nice watered lawn, in
the middle of the semi desert. The camp grounds were kept up very nicely. |
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The two mighty adventurers, and seekers of truth (also known as
tourists) roughing it in their campground at the Badlands. These intrepid
adventurers, are seen here, taking a break (and filling their faces). |
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The mighty campmobile, at a well deserved rest. The shadows are
growing long, and evening approaches. We anticipate the evening, with a
sigh of relief. The temperatures in the Badlands can easily top one hundred
degrees during the day. The nights, however, are always cool. This is said
to be due to the elevation, and to the dry clear air, which does not hold
the heat of the day very well. |
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A rabbit, which wandered into our campground. This is only one of
the many rare and exotic creatures found in this striking place. |
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A look at the small formations surrounding our campgrounds. |
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Sunset from the lower prairie, in the Badlands. The end of a very
satisfying, and happy day. Don't go to sleep just yet, though. There are
night prowls in the Badlands, where rangers will escort groups out onto
the lower prairie after dark. These are preceded by the evening talks. |