The Loop

8/3/09

Today we are going to drive the Badlands loop. We need to reach the highest point, to make phone calls. We drove this loop earlier this week, but it started to rain and it was very windy, so we did not get out of the car at all the viewing spots. At every look out station, these signs are posted. Joe made fun of me for taking a picture of it. But then when we reached the highest point, when we were using our phones, I pointed out to him, that everyone who went out to the look out point, stopped and took the same picture of the snake sign. And over half of those were bikers! I guess I think like most people.

We brought Mallery with us today for our drive. She has been left home so much, because dogs can not be on the trails. It was a very dry hot day. Mallery was having a lot of trouble with her trachea. She has a condition that is predisposed to Yorkies, collapsing trachea. When she gets in extreme conditions or is exercised to much it gets worse. When we got out of the car to walk to the look out spots, she would make this terrible croaking noise. Everyone would look at her, and then at us, like, can't you see this dog is on her last leg. A few asked if they could give her some water. (As if we were ignorant of the fact and hadn't given her any water). We had been giving her water all day, but it doesn't help. It sounds worse than it is, but I guess I should have left her home in the air as Joe said. I just felt bad leaving her one more day, as she give me those sad eyes when we leave. I am also still having pain getting in and out of the car. No more steep ladders.

Notice how it goes from prairies to cliffs.

There are a lot of nuts out there who walk out or climb on edges of drop offs. Not Joe or I. See the two paths that walk out to the edge in this next picture.

I know I blogged pictures like this before, but this day was much clearer and it shows the color better.

I loved this area of the loop the most. It is at the lowest point in the center of the loop or wall.

Here you see the rounded lower colored hills with the jagged stripped mountains.

I had just said to Joe, we hadn't seen any mountain goats yet. Seconds later we saw these mountain goats. Ask and you will receive. This one has been collared by the park rangers.