Ride the back roads, not the interstates.
Jim's home | Motorcycle home | 10k Home
After leaving the beautiful campsite on the Missouri River I headed west to the Badlands. For some of that ride I was on 2 lane backroads paralleling I90. The road was often only 50 yards from the interstate. But what a difference! All those signs and billboards on the interstate aren't facing you on the side road. Still can go 85, but it's a totally different experience. No dealing with idiots camping in the left lane. Interstates, bleah.
Ride the back roads, not the interstates.
Some stretches of I90 were being repaved, causing all traffic to go from 4 lanes to 2. Then it really made sense to be on the side road. Note piles of material to be used as the foundation for the new pavement.
More compelling agricultural equipment.
Before reaching the Badlands I visited the Minuteman Missile Monument. It's interesting though morbid. Predictable coverage of "Duck and Cover". The jist of the Minuteman missile is that it uses a solid propellant vs. the older Atlas rockets they used liquid propellant. It took an hour or more to prepare Atlas rockets for launch. By then it would be all over. Thus the Minuteman.
The museum.
The Badlands are pretty crazy. There's a "wall" 60 miles long where 2 elevations of prairies meet, separated by weird, eroded soft stone. It reminded me a lot of Goblin Valley Park in Utah. But it's huge. The person who designed the road through the park must have had a good time. The road is very curvy and traverses the 2 elevations of prairies in interesting ways. So many cars though. It's a very popular park and the turn offs, overlooks and trail heads are crowded. I joined the throngs and did a couple mile hike where signs said to wear "sturdy boots" due to the rough rock terrain. Flip flops worked fine for me. I went through a whole liter of water in a hydration bag. It was really hot. No relief for that getting back to my motorcycle. Encountered some Bison on the way out of the park.
Never saw a rattlesnake.
My trailhead's main parking area.
That amazing road that goes through this park.
Nice painted hills.
Bison!