Day Twenty: Running Log

Cincinnati, OH;  Hannibal, MO;  Sterling, CO;  Steamboat Springs, CO;  Salt Lake City, UT;  Pocatello, ID (2x);  Driggs, ID;  Lusk, WY; and Mitchell, SD.

This evening's run was like all the others:  A mere thirty minutes.  However, the task has gotten easier and Jenna is traveling a bit farther on each trek.

While out tonight in Mitchell, Jenna was on a designated bike path for a portion of the loop.  There were hundreds of grasshoppers on the cement pathway jumping all about to avoid getting stomped upon.  Jenna thinks that she managed to miss them all but as she ran the gauntlet, she couldn't help but remember the drive down a country road in Wyoming between Pavillion and Shoshoni.  This road was covered in grasshoppers, the big ones, the ones that make a fairly loud sound as they smack open on the fronts of vehicles.  The ones that roast on the radiator leaving a pungent stench.

For a moment, Jenna wondered whether these bike path grasshoppers were exacting some sort of cosmic grasshopper revenge upon her.  Normal grasshoppers would have jumped back into the grass, right?  These did not do so, well at least not in any direct manner.  The majority of them hit her legs and torso before making their way to safety.  The attack grew more enthusiastic upon the commencement of shrieks of horror coming from the runner's mouth, as if they were saying "Hey, the murderess is getting really upset with all of us popping against her.  Keep it up.  Call in the second line . . ."    

Day Twenty: Badlands Scenery

While the full-sun photos are not as brilliant as the sunset ones, they are included to give a sense for the oddness of this place.

Day Twenty: Bison Bullies

We figured that this herd of several hundred bison was the same one we had seen last night.  They were a half mile away from Prairie Dog Town.

On the way out from this area, we spotted a very large male bison -- all by himself -- walking up to cross the road.  He approached the sign warning of his dangerous tendencies . . .
 

scratched his head on the corner and then made his way across the road.  As we watched him go, we noticed that the tip of his left horn was broken off and he had several fresh, open and bleeding cuts on his side, which may be visible to some in this picture:

We concluded that he and another male fought last night, this one lost, and to add insult to injury, he was driven away from his herd.  The fact that animals can have these "rules" by which they abide illustrates their complex natures despite their rudimentary thought processes.  The fact that humans have complex thought processes and resort to rudimentary behaviors like fighting, bullying, and banishment illustrates something as well. 

Day Twenty: Return to Bison Flat, a.k.a, Roberts Prairie Dog Town

We drove the scenic byway route through Badlands National Park today.  We began where we left off last night -- among the bison.

Here's what we found:

The boys threw rocks into the "soft" chips.

Miss Greta found a "crisp" chip and offered to her parents for a snack.  (Future prom dates will see this photo.)

The small beige puffs of fur in the background are prairie dogs who thumped their feet to indicate we ought to get back in the minivan and be on our way.

Day Twenty: Wall Drug

We began the day at Wall Drug.  For those of you who have been, you know.  For those of you who have not been, it is I-90's answer to I-95's South of the Boarder.

Asher got a pocketknife with "The Boss" on the handle as he couldn't find "Asher."  Greta got a necklace which will likely cut her neck up due to all the sharp edges.  Salem got a carabeener with "Wall Drug" painted -- in lead? -- on it.  And Abram found himself a keychain -- based on the large number of keys which he does not have -- which explains all about those people born on April 24th.  Jenna got sucked in too and got a coffee cup.  Rob got the 5 cent coffees, but because he got them in insulated "to go" cups rather than sitting in the Wall Drug Cafe and drinking the coffee from a ceramic cup, he had to pay 20 cents for each. 

Advice for those who like coffee, South Dakota is not the place to go to get a decent -- or even potable -- cup of java.  The continental breakfast's coffee:  yuck.  Wall Drug:  yuck.  The gas station:  yuck. 

South Dakota has one more chance:  Tomorrow's breakfast at the Kelly Mitchell Inn.  This is tied for first in the "nicest place we have stayed where we had to pay" category.  Maybe the coffee should be avoided to preserve the high marks.

Day Nineteen: Badlands at Sunset

We started our day with one bison and ended with a herd of several hundred.  Perfect.

Day Nineteen: Badlands National Park at Sunset