The Badlands

This Big Horn Sheep crossed the road right in front of our car

Adam's experiment - Part I

Adam's Experiment - Part II

Adam's Experiment - Part III "The Clay Ball"

Climbing yet again - they just can't help themselves

No trip to South Dakota would be complete without seeing the Badlands. They were truly bad for me as I got a speeding ticket trying to get Ben to the bathroom! Oh well, for 3000+ miles of driving, I guess that isn’t so bad. The Badlands got their name from early visitors. The Lakota Indians called the area “mako sika” and the Spanish called it malpais both literally meaning bad land. The French trappers also called it "les mauvaises terres à traverser" - "the bad lands to cross". After visiting the area, I can see how it got its name. The ground literally falls away under your feet and is like dry clay. Adam, ever the experimenter, decided to see what would happen if he poured water on the dirt. It did actually turn to a thick clay-like material. Having been to a few National Parks lately, we also noticed that the Badlands looked a little like the Painted Desert because of the different colored layers. It also has a resemblance to Bryce Canyon because of the hoodoos. All in all, it was a very interesting place.