Derek and I woke up early this morning and had a quick bite to eat then hit the road around 7:00 AM to the Badlands of South Dakota.  As we drove, the scenery became flatter and more desolate. We knew we were heading in the right direction.  I have to say here that Derek is an excellent traveler.  With the speed limit at 75mph, it didn’t take us too long to reach the Badlands.  We were amazed at its sheer beauty.  We took the scenic loop and our first stop led us to an overlook of the “Wall” which extends along the Badlands separating it from the plains.  As we walked along, Derek demonstrated that he had no fear of heights and kept asking to walk along narrow paths with steep drop-offs on either side.  I, on the other hand, was petrified and wouldn’t go too close to the edge.

    At our next stop on the scenic drive, we were able to hike and climb around one of the plateaus.  Derek explained that he liked to take the hard way and would scramble up and down little cliffs, while Mom preferred the easy way and stuck to the paths.

    Our third stop was of a breathtaking view of the Badlands with the plains in the background.  Here Derek learned how dangerous the hiking can be as we saw a little boy, only five or six years of age, off in the distance slip and almost fall off a cliff.  We were standing next to his mother who promptly began screaming for her husband to bring the kids back in to safety.  We also met up with Pat Thompson and her husband at this stop.  So far to travel to meet someone you work with.

    After about an hour and a half in the Badlands, we headed off for the Black Hills and our hotel: the Best Western Golden Spike Inn.  As we approached the Black Hills our excitement rose.  We were almost there!  Derek and I could see why they called these the Black Hills, as they were large black mammoths rising from the plains.  We made our way through Rapid City and headed on Hwy 16 to Hill City, “The Heart of the Hills”.  Hill City is nestled among the Black Hills and is minutes away from “Rount Mushroar” as Derek calls it.  After pushing the Escape up numerous hills, “mountains” I would call them, we made it to our hotel.

    We had a unique room with a King size bed and a recliner, which worked perfectly for our needs.  After unpacking, Derek and I went to investigate the pool area.  Derek preferred the outdoor pool, whereas I preferred the indoor.  After a few hours of swimming, we headed back to the room to watch Cartoon Network, one of Derek’s highlights of hotel staying.