T H E   B A D L A N D S   -   D A Y   # 1

Sunday August 22, 2004

On a lighter note, I'm ready for my ride.

Click here for more detail (and pictures) of my bike ride on the Badland's Rim Road.

During the course of my bike ride my camera gives up the ghost. I think it was the severe wash I encountered while blasting downhill on portions of the gravel road. It must have shaken the camera to the point where the shutter jams. So no more pictures, sorry.

After the bike ride I drive to the park's only remote campground, Sage Creek Campground. It's a free campground but has no running water which is fine with me, I carry my own. Upon arrival I notice a few folks are already here, some in RVs but most have erected tents.

As I settle in for the night, the wind really picks up and reeks havoc with all the tent folks. The blowing sand reduces visibility and overall makes things rather miserable. Then the driving rain soon follows, accompanied by a massive thunder and lightening show. Some of the tent folks just pack up and leave. During the storm I drive around the campground, looking for opportunities to shield the remaining, flailing tents from the wind with my van. When the wind finally dies down I return to my campsite, finding it mired in mud. God, I'm so glad I not stuck in a tent.

From the security of the van I eat dinner, do a little travel writing, then hit the hay.

Tomorrow I'll have to return to Wall, SD to buy two 35mm disposable cameras so I can continue my photography. I'll have to wait until I get to Minneapolis, MN to buy a new digital camera. That's just as well, the pictures produced by my old camera were not the greatest. Actually, I have to admit they're pretty crappy.

So the broken camera turns out to be a good thing. A newer camera should produce better photos, but little did I know what the 35mm photos would deliver.