The Badlands: A Stunning Moonscape on Earth
© 2008
A road trip through the Badlands of South Dakota is like no other. Constantly breathtaking, always stunning, there are amazing geological formations to be seen throughout the 380 sq. mile park. Its unique geology and history, its spacious vistas and unparallel adventures combine to truly create a spellbinding moonscape on Earth.
This area continues to evolve with ongoing erosion of the rock formations, leading to frequent discoveries of 2 million year old fossils from the Eocene/Oligocene age. The importance of this geologic history was not lost on the people of South Dakota, who petitioned Congress as early as 1909 to set aside and preserve a portion of the Badlands. The area was then designated Badlands National Monument in 1939 and finally received its national park status in 1978.
Roaming the Badlands can be accomplished either passively or actively. Passively, visitors can stay within the air-conditioned comfort of their own car while sightseeing the jagged cliffs, pinnacles and deep canyons. Scenic overlooks offer multiple opportunities to photograph the grandeur of the vistas while park guests hope for a glimpse of the bison, coyotes, prairie dogs and deer that inhabit the park. The Ben Reifel Visitor Center offers exhibits, models and murals for the educational-minded as well as a bookstore and gift shop for even the most casual shopper.
Actively, the park is open in its entirety to camping and hiking. Backpackers are strongly encouraged to bring potable water, as the chalky park water itself is undrinkable. Self-guided trails range from quarter mile loops to over five miles across the prairie. The wildlife is best seen in the early morning and early evening when the softness of the light shimmers, and mere sightings metamorphose into delightful gifts from nature.
After the trip to the Badlands, upon exiting on Interstate 90, visitors encounter Wall Drugstore, in existence since 1931 and the first drugstore to offer free ice water to thirsty travelers along the highway. The cafe now seats 530 people and serves delicious assortments of soft and hard ice creams. This place is so huge; it boasts an 80 ft dinosaur, over 300 original oil paintings, life-sized carvings of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid made from a 187-year-old cedar tree and a full mining experience complete with sluicing, digging and panning.
The buildings of Wall Drug Store, of which there are actually several, are constructed of native timber and old brick. The street is made of Cheyenne River rock. Make sure you get a map as you'll easily get lost or miss unique shopping opportunities without one. Some wonderful finds of original Indian artwork and pottery can be found here, along with shops for every kind of Western wear, jewelry, souvenirs and gifts. Truly, a trip to the western edge of South Dakota is not complete without the experience of this unique Drug Store following the panorama and majesty of the Badlands National Park.
Canvassing the neighborhood (c) 2008
Husbands don’t usually take a bold stance on their wife’s issues but this has been an exception to that rule. My husband Kevin knows how much I’ve resented using plastic bags for groceries. I’ve been trying to instill a deep passion in my 18-year-old and 11-year-old sons for renewable resources (and I’m actually succeeding) but the plastic bag issue has definitely been a thorn in my side. This, despite the fact that I know they’re recyclable.
When local grocery stores began selling reusable grocery bags, I proudly displayed them. “Look, honey, now I can cut down on my plastic use!” I just didn’t want to keep purchasing them. And besides, it became quickly apparent how flimsy they were, with bottom seams breaking as soon as a decent load of groceries was packed into them.
So, Kevin, god bless him, took matters into his own hands. One day, as I was ready to grocery shop, he proudly presented me with three shopping bags of my very own. And striped, too! These bags had been sewn of canvas remnants from previous jobs (Kevin does custom canvas work). They have no bottom seams and I have loaded forty pounds of groceries into them without a problem and no breakage. Plus, they’re trendy with those multi-colored stripes. I get comments on them from women in every store I take them.
The important part of all this, however, is the ability to reuse a natural fabric. The remnants were just gathering dust, anyway, and the canvas fabric is far sturdier than the plastic-coated paper used for the cheaper bags sold at grocery stores. The one unknown is the “carbon footprint” produced by the electric sewing machine used to sew these bags. I would imagine it is not so large, though, as the one produced during fabrication of the plastic bags.
I’m a happy shopper now. I have seven to ten canvas bags, of varying hues, that will hold as many groceries as can be packed into them without breaking. I reuse them every week and have reached a point where I no longer need to use any plastic at all. At this writing, the cashiers at most of the major grocery stores in my area are getting used to my bags and me; some of them have even commented that they prefer them! This has been a pleasant surprise as I expected resistance to the change. After all, the plastic bags are already there, swinging from their metal racks. Mine need to be physically set up and are more challenging to pack. Fortunately, this has been a needless worry and my neighborhood is getting used to being “canvassed” on a regular basis!
