Badlands Residency Day 54

A chilly, blustery day today: much rain, high winds, occasional sleet.  This morning I attended the funeral for a girl whom I had the privilege of teaching during my first residency here.  I remember her well, and am heartbroken for her family and friends.  I spent the afternoon on a melancholy, though enjoyable, solo drive through the park, stopping frequently, and facing the high winds and driving rain to get photographs of the magnificent colors.  Moisture brings out, and sometimes alters, the coloring of the buttes, rewarding the visitors who brave the park in unpleasant weather.  Between episodes of photographing, I had to sit in my car to defrost my fingers.  As entertainment, I played with Instagram and loaded a bunch of photos there.  I'll include them below as well.  For a late dinner I went to the Wagon Wheel with some friends, and more people showed up.  There was a card game going at one table, and a handful of the rest of us played a game of darts.  After trailing for the first few turns, I threw three consecutive bullseyes, eliciting groans and disparaging comments from  my buddies.  It was close, but I managed to win in the end, throwing a single dart for the one number I needed.  Aside from the darts game, we were all a bit mopey, and decided to do a Wii fitness challenge to end the night with a little energy.  I am most certainly not a video game person: I stink at everything, probably largely because I didn't play as a kid.  New to Wii, I didn't know what I was doing.  After your challenge it tells you your fitness age.  Apparently my Wii skills place me at 52 years old.  There's nothing wrong with being 52, unless it's a couple decades too early.  Sheesh.


Big Foot Pass

Near Panorama Point

Along the Loop Road

Near Burns Basin

Yellow Mounds area

Yellow Mounds

Bighorn across from Ancient Hunters

Ancient Hunters  Overlook

Looking toward Sage Creek along the Rim Road

Looking into Sage Creek Wilderness

Pinnacles area

Yellow Mounds again

Mule deer in Yellow Mounds

Approaching Big Foot Pass area

Norbeck  Pass

Vampire Peak, and I'm not sure the name of the other.

And here are the Instagram shots from the day:



Big Foot Pass

Panorama Point

Homestead Overlook

Conata Basin Overlook

Yellow Mounds Area

Looking towards Sage Creek

Another view into Sage Creek Wilderness

Ancient Hunters Overlook

Bighorn Sheep, munching near Pinnacles.

Yellow Mounds again

Saddle Pass area