Into the Badlands

Eastern Wyoming flatlands at dawn. Note the distinct dearth of mountains.

Today, Ten and I will pass the halfway point in our coast to coast adventure. It's been fascinating as all bloody hell. There's been astounding beauty as well as stone snoozerifc landscape. Yesterday we drove through flatlands (zzzzzzzzzz) and into the strange and wild Badlands.

We got into Wall, South Dakota too late to hit the Wounded Knee Museum or motor down to the village of Wounded Knee. Instead, we had dinner, came back to the hotel room and read – chilled or, at any rate, attempted chillage.

my Homesickness socks

This morning is ultra fog bound. When and IF it clears off we’ll drive down to Wounded Knee to see the monument and, ya know, pay our respects. The weather – the first rain we’ve had on this journey, the very first day of NOT bright blue blinding sunshine – is being tremendously, creepily appropriate.

No matter what, we'll visit the museum.

I know myself well enough to recognize episodes of homesickness when they thunder down, permeating my being. I'm feeling it this morning. I want my sweet kitten, my Jen, my Oni and my damn ocean. Ya know, there ain't no big bodies of water in South Dakota. Didn't see none in Wyoming neither. I haz a wicked sad.

Having kvetched all that, I'm keen on seeing (and photographing!) more of the Badlands (IN heavy mist!!!, visiting my friend Susan in Minneapolis and then Michal AND Daddy in Western Pennsylvania.

Where possible, we've been booking into hotels that have pools. Water – swimming – it's all natural, liquid Valium fer yurs truly. Helps to hold the crankitude down to bearable levels and, just generally, keeps me balanced.

Our original goal for today was Sioux Falls BUT I just noticed a town named Blue Earth. If we've the energy, I really wanna push on and stay the night there. Sounds so hippy, dippy AWESOME.