With that can often come the crowds and noise of so many visitors. The beauty of national parks is that they are preserved for the world to see. This was truly an unrivaled experience during our tour of National Parks so far. The earthy scent of sage carried on the warm, summer winds. The sun was warm on our faces, the wind gently blowing the soft grasses at our feet, not another soul around, not another vehicle to be seen for miles. It was so quiet that we could hear the buffalo splashing into the cool stream of the Little Missouri, snorting as they warily swam across. Off in the distance, we watched as a herd of buffalo swam across the river to cool off, and reach the other side to graze on the soft, sweet grass. We sat atop Wind Canyon, overlooking the Little Missouri River. What was most outstanding about TRNP was it's quiet, unspoiled wilderness. But today was a vibrant addition of green, lush rolling hills, mixed in with the desert features, hallmark of the Badlands. The terrain was the same grey, red and brown. Today was a remarkably different side of the Badlands. We visited the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We will submit a final post I suppose after we have had time to reflect and collect our thoughts.Īnd as My Love says - A post without a picture - isn't a post! With all this time on the road, you can bet that the thoughts are like the streams flowing from the glaciers on that warm summer day. A well deserved rest from being behind the wheel for two days (AK I don't know how you do it!) After a day of going to Conner Prairie with family we will push on to the house on Friday. Only a day away from pulling into our driveway in Union Grove, NC, we are planning to see some family here in Noblesville, IN. I felt that same feeling today as we cross into Illinois and started to mix it up with the populace again. I felt so protected being in the woods and knowing that I could melt away into the surrounding trees added to my security. We climb our way up and out of the saddle and stop briefly at an overlook back down to the picnic area. There were a few cars in the area and after having been in the woods for I think 3 to 4 days I was anxious to get going. On one of our hikes we descended from a ridge where the trail crossed a road complete with a Trail information sign and picnic area.
![goatlick overloop gnp goatlick overloop gnp](https://www.eago-deutschland.de/pix/bg14035-2.jpg)
In my early backpacking days with my friend Donnie Shirley from Seneca, SC, we hiked the Appalachian Trail together whenever we could. Add in the smell of the ponderosa pine, western larch and the warmth of the early summer sun on my back and I guess you can figure where my mind could be if I should have that "glazed-over" look when you talk to me the next time we meet. I have found myself already yearning for the view of all the lakes with that special ingredient known as glacial flour, that is grounded rock into a fine talc-like powder making the water a beautiful opaque turquoise. Today as we got back into "civilization", a term I'll use for the crowed traffic, rude drivers and pornographic signs along the highway at a minimum, I felt the pull of the mountains with the clean crisp air that just a few days ago filled my lungs with each breath I took. Many of you know how much of a outdoors kinda person I am.