Badlands

When we made our first family drive to Glacier National Park, we took a slower route and stopped at famous landmarks along the way. We spent an afternoon, for example, touring the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. We ate lunch ate Wall Drug, where my Dad barred the staff from afixing a "Wall Drug" bumper sticker on the car. We also made it to the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, and Yellowstone National Park.

We spent one afternoon and early evening Badlands National Park. The stop was memorable because it was very hot, and I was parched. We did not have a cooler in the gold, Buick LeSabre. Instead, we had a pitcher with warm lemonade. My Mom had made the lemonade from a frozen concentrate in the morning, thinking it would stay cool throughout the day in the air-conditioned car. By the time we got to the Badlands, the mixture had turned into a swill of sour, pulpy, hot juice. It did nothing to quench my thirst.

What I remember most about the Badlands is feeling quite "green" in the afternoon sun.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota, July 1966. I don't seem very enthusiastic about exploring the park.

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Badlands National Park, South Dakota, July 1966. Mom checks out the view while I stay close to the car.
 

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Badlands National Park, South Dakota, July 1966. The view is spectacular.