My first Walmart camp went as well as could be expected. I strategically went to the bathroom around 9pm to ensure I’d get through the night (don’t I sound like an old lady?) and in doing so, I encountered a drunk/high/stupid man in the female bathroom, taking a shit, stall door wide open. Eyes forward!! When I came out of my stall, he was on for a conversation. Eyes down!! I alerted a staff member and she responded as if to say, “Not again!” Yay for Walmart. I had a restless sleep which involved many dreams of being discovered and kicked out.
When I woke, I was relieved it was morning and I’d made it through the night. I wasn’t the only one. There was a more obvious camper parked a few spots away from me, what was I worrying about? I used their facilities again then drove off, happy that experience is now over with.
The South Dakota Air and Space Museum was only a few minutes away in Box Elder. The entrance to the museum is a collection of air force planes from days gone by. I was lucky enough to see two B-1Bs take off from the neighbouring airstrip. They are a loud plane. I had a quick wander around outside, but there were no signs explaining the different planes so I figured I’d learn more inside. The place was open, but deserted. No one in the gift shop so I started with the cold war gallery. I was accosted as I walked in by a museum attendant. When I asked he gave me a guide to the planes outside then off I went to meander.
The exhibits in the first gallery explained the wars that came after the WWII ended, the cold war and the Korean war and the technology used in both. I was enthralled in the equipment that managed to fly, hit targets and deter enemies. I was particularly interested to find a Norden Bombsight, which was used by the bomber Louis Zamperini in the book I’d just read. Funny to see something that I’d had my own imaginings of.
I loved some of the paintings they had. Amongst all of the technology, the paintings gave the place an even more heroic feel to add to the fierce patriotism that lurked throughout the hangar-style museum.
The second gallery was more about space activities and the local South Dakota pioneers of aviation. It was cool to see the second stage engine of a rocket. Considering the incredible power of it, it looked surprisingly simple. A mess of components connected by metal pipes and electronics yes, but very basic in its design, and small, especially when you think that it consumes over 120kg of fuel per second. In comparison, an F1 car is limited to 100kg of fuel for each race!
Ok, no more data-ogling. With the space exploration, they’d presented a collection of photographs taken by the Landsat satellites orbiting the earth. Not meant to have any specific scientific meaning, the photos were on display purely because they looked pretty. I was impressed. Australia even got a photo with Lake Eyre!
Back outside, I wandered past each of the different planes. None of the names really meant much to me, except for the B-29 bomber. This was the saving grace of America towards the end of WWII (which I learnt from “Ubroken”). It was cool to see it in the flesh having had no idea of its build. I only wish I’d been able to see a B-24 as well. These were the more common “flying coffins” used by airmen before the B-29 was commissioned.
Even as an engineer, it astounds me that many of these aircraft could be airborne. I also loved the names that give the planes such character. Names like Delta Dagger, Thunderstreak and Superfortress obviously idealised to instil fear in the hearts of enemies. Another thing that occurred to me was that having worked in automotive, I understand the importance of building a good-looking car. This is obviously not a priority with planes, but they still manage to have their own beauty. This applies to the B-1B in particular. Front and centre of the display, it was the largest plane there and easily the sexiest, especially dressed in black. Aerodynamics are just naturally sexy (in most cases).
I left the museum thoroughly happy that I’d chanced upon it and couldn’t understand why it was free, I would have happily paid for the experience. Grateful! I went back west along the highway so I could turn south towards Badlands. At my exit, there was a visitor’s center nearby so I stopped in, since there wasn’t a visitor’s center at the west side of Badlands, where I planned to enter. The lady there told me I shouldn’t go the way I was planning if I didn’t have a 4×4 because the west roads of the park are all dirt and “You know, with the weather we’ve had…” She proceeded to highlight the major paved roads that lead into the park. Hmmm. I thanked her for her counsel, took a few maps and decided to take the dirt road anyway. There was a different road I could take without much backtracking if it was terrible. I was sick of being cautious, this is an adventure after all!
After driving along a small highway with farms dotted all over, I hit the gravel. It was fine, just a little rutted. 4×4 my arse. I’m glad I drove this way, it was pretty. When I turned off at the Sage Creek Campground to have a look I pissed off a huge herd of Bison grazing but they eventually got out of my way. I still can’t get over how huge these creatures are.
At the campground, there was a person! He was setting up an obnoxiously orange tent so I parked and got out to chat. This was a great decision, Paul is from Colorado and was treating himself to a few days in the isolated wilderness. A keen photographer, he was planning to spend his afternoon (it was only 1pm) taking photos and walking up a few of the nearby ridges for views of the valley. By the time we’d finished talking, we’d had a Badlands map and an atlas on the bonnet of his car and discussed things I should see and do as I head south. We also sussed out some camp possibilities for me. I will definitely be looking Paul up when I get to Colorado to do some hiking!
Onwards, I drove on to a lookout where I had lunch and enjoyed the sun-blasted views into the Badlands canyon. Between lookouts, there was a “Prairie Dog Town”, so called because there are hundreds of mounds that extend for miles with little dogs popping their heads out. I love these things! They are so cute they should be domesticated. They’re not stupid though. As soon as I was out of the car to wander through their camp, the warning bells sounded in the form of high pitch squeals. They can’t decide whether they are dogs or rats. Still, cute!
At the last lookout there were four HUGE bison on the road. I felt lucky to be so close to them while inside my car. When I got out to take photos of the view, I didn’t turn my back on them too much. They have such angry faces that they’d be intimidating even without their size.
When I hit tarmac again, I turned north out of the park towards the town of Wall. On the way I sussed out camp for the night by some radio towers. Oh yes, it would be perfect! Wall was only a few miles out and notable because of the “Wall Drug Store” as mentioned by the servo attendant of yesterday. The town seemed to have been hit by more snow that everywhere else with ploughed mounds lying everywhere. I parked and went into the huge store.
Long story short, it is a store full of shit you don’t need. So many souvenirs and gifts it was disgusting. It was also deserted which resulted in that relationship between single customer and multiple staff which calls for awkward “thank-yous” as you walk out of a deserted shop. I did like it for its other quirks, the traveller’s chapel, photo hall and the endless artwork. I’ve never been a huge art fan, but when it’s paintings or photos of country scenes I become very engaged. Your imagination can run wild, telling the story behind the painting. I sipped a cup of free iced water (one of the biggest selling points of the store) as I walked slowly throughout the many different rooms and corridors admiring the artwork.
Having not spent a penny, I head off to make camp. Back at the radio towers, there was a single car parked on the service road and I could see a man walking across the field with something across his shoulders. Not wanting to draw attention to myself at what may not be a legal camp, I pulled off onto the opposite side of the road to wait and to watch the sunset. Just as the sky turned pink, I walked up the small mound in the field infront of me to get a better view. A section of horizon was aflame with a brilliant orange. As I walked, the man returned to his car and disappeared off on the highway so I took off towards camp. I am parked at the top of a canyon that overlooks more Badlands features, snow-covered and beautiful. I was joined by a lone big-horn sheep in the field nearby but was otherwise isolated.
It was below freezing, but I managed to cook spaghetti-bog for dinner without feeling cold, I’m learning to be appropriately dressed! I set an alarm for sunrise tomorrow because my bedroom window is facing east and I don’t wanna miss something I don’t even have to get out of bed for!
Fun fact: today I learnt that bison and buffalo are the same thing! Technically the beasts that reside in North America are classified as bison and those in Europe and elsewhere are buffalo.