SD Badlands, Minnesota, Wisconsin

Woke for a good breakfast and I climbed a small Badlands hill that a bunch of people had climbed and slid down to watch the sunset the night before.  In the bright sunlight it was empty now. With flipflops it was a bit of a challenge.  Drew packed up the car by the cabin.

 View from the top of the hill. 

How do these sandhills withstand the rain since it's so crumbly.  I could scramble up to the top but then slid down little slides to the bottom.  Look at this soil.

There were many colors from the minerals in some of the areas.

We saw some Prairie Dogs along the way.  I don't think you can see these little guys, but you can hear them.

Then we saw the big horn sheep at the side of the road.  The curly horns are the males and girls have little straight horns.

Continued Badlands.  No one for as far as you can see.  The drive through the area is about 1 and a half hours long.

Now to Minnesota where those accents really do exist, a-huh.  Ooh yah, kinda
The impressive rest stop with the recycle.  These should be everywhere.  so easy to do.

Minnesota was another one of those states doing a lot of wind farming.  You have to look closely but there were about 150 propeller blades going in wind towers.  And I can't help but think this is our view of the future.  Certainly there are some states far ahead of others in encouraging this technology away from fossil fuels.  We'd see a lot covering acres and then cross a state line with none.

It was hard to find a place to stay 6.5 hours from SD.  I researched a state park in Albert Lea, MN at Myre-Big Island State Park off route 90 with a cabin on Albert Lea Lake.  Well, we didn't even take a picture.  It was the setting for a scary movie, dark, foggy even in the heat, dripping trees, no view of the lake whatsoever.  We arrived at night.  I got out of the car to get the key from the park ranger and she said, "Stay inside! The mosquitoes are terrible.  I wouldn't even let you tent here, but you have the one cabin.  You'll be alright.  The bathroom is 75 ' away from you."  These were the first mosquitoes we encountered since we'd left New England.  The cabin was nice enough, and we had an amazing view of lightening bugs from the window that just filled the woods with dots of slow blinking lights.  Slept then up early for a long drive to Michigan through Wisconsin. 

We like to eat local so in Wisconsin we saw Heath Farm Market in Wautoma, a lunch spot with whimsical Mexican sculptures, a small nursery, clothes, delicious food, cards, and gifts with amazing taste.  I bought a ton. Holly and Janice, owners for 25 years  winter in Florida.  They piled us up with good food.  One of the sandwiches was named "I survived a weekend in Wautoma, WI."

We continued up toward Saute St. Marie at the Canadian border with an overnight first in Escanaba, Michigan, on the edge of Hiawatha National Forest and on the shore of Lake Michigan.  It is an 8 hour trip with stops for gas and lunch.    See pix in next blog.