Needles Highway and on to Badlands National Park

We finished up our trip to Custer State Park with an early morning visit to some really cool rock formations.

There is a tunnel through the rocks.

The leaves are changing.

Saw these on the road.

Amazing to watch how humans interact with animals.

After we toured around, we went to Sylvan lake.  I put the kayak in and fished a bit but could not figure out how to catch anything.  When I got back, I threw my fly rod with a really small fly and caught enough trout for dinner!

The next morning, I figure I would outsmart the fish and be there really early..... Not one bite but some good pictures.

I heard a noise and there were deer feeding right at my back.

We left the next morning and drove to Badlands National Park, about two hours away.  Weird campground, right at the foot of the mountains.  I was finally able to get the TV to work. No obstructions for a hundred miles.

So far, we have hiked, driven around the Wildlife Loop - no wildlife.  Here are a few images.

Just about took Susan out on this hike, it was hot.

Went to a famous tourist trap, Wall Drug, and also to a missile silo site that is now part of the Park Service.  After the START treaty, both sides destroyed many sites but were allowed to keep one to display.

This was relatively early Sunday morning and it was packed.

Fake missile, obviously, but still pretty alarming.

We have one more day here and are going to drive to an Indian Reservation and see some more scenery.  Then two days to get to St. Louis to see my mother and brother/sister-in-law.

Looks like the hurricane will go north.  Susan and I really appreciate all the offers for help.

More later.