Wild Women in Wyoming and in The Badlands!

Yesterday, June 10

Soon after getting into Wyoming, I spotted an old farm with an interesting looking barn, so we pulled into the place.  My sister Robyn and I took a few photos.  Then my other sister Rachel spotted a herd of antelope in the distance so I quickly switched to my zoom lens and took some more photos.

If you can zoom on the picture, you can see there are some baby antelope here too.  This was about half the group.  As we were driving out the driveway, saw a car with their signal to turn in and I figured they were using the driveway to turn around so I quickly got out of their way.  
As we continued to Devil's Tower, we made several stops at pull-offs to get photos.  Just before Devil's Tower (about 20 miles beyond the farm), a pick-up pulls along my car and a guy in a uniform comes up to my car as we were getting into it. He questioned me about where we had been.  Told him that we were taking photos and meant no harm.  He said we were trespassing and the owner (apparently person in the car coming into the driveway) reported us.  He said, "You ladies don't look like the type that would steal anything.  But I have to take your driver's license and run it through the records and put it on my report."   Later, he came back and told me where I can park my car and from where I can take photos of old barns .... the fence line.  Wild Women caught!

Only my mother had been to Devil's Tower before, so it was very interesting.  Devil's Tower was the first national monument.  Got some great photos as it was another postcard-perfect weather. But before we got to the parking lot by the tower, we saw a prairie dog town.

Don't tell them, but they look like rodents!

Here's a photo of the "devil" tower and the "wild woman."

Here's some more photos....

The few wispy clouds that came into the area made it appear as if the Tower (part of a volcano) is smoking.

We headed back to Rapid City and to my nephew Tim (sister RoAnn's son) and Tawnie and their three sons, Tyler, Tyson and Trey.  Here the family is pictured with my mother, their grandmother and great-grandmother!  What a perfect end to the day!

Today, June 11

The day broke with clouds and we headed for The Badlands National Park.   We drove 20+ miles and it took us four hours of stop and go.... no, not traffic.  Stop and take few dozen photos and then go another mile (or less) and go.  Repeat!  The first stop, I truly thought the wind was going to blow me off the cliff.  

We were above the canyons and down in the canyons.  

Other times, you would be on a green prairie that would open up to awesome cliffs.

Even though the sky was full of clouds, the sun broke through now and then we captured some interesting shots.

We had the unexpected pleasure of seeing Big Horn sheep... a couple of families!

On to Mitchell and the infamous Corn Palace. 

An an exhibit made of corn products to signify South Dakota and it's heritage.

Tomorrow we complete our trip back to Wisconsin.  It's been another good trip!