South Dakota, USA: August, 2017

I live in South Carolina. Or at least I used to. Realistically, I now live in an '04 Nissan Sentra.

I produce racing events: mostly triathlons. Occasionally, this work affords me the opportunity to travel around the USA between events.
Recently, I drove through Kentucky en-rout to Omaha, Nebraska for the USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals: 4000 of some of the best non-pro athletes in the nation and three days of standing in the transition area hurding cats.

When the banners were taken down I headed West to the Sand Hills, Nebraska National Forest, Carhenge, and Fort Robinson. (See a previous post for accompanying photos)

Then, as Bob Seger once said, "I took a bead on the Northern plains and just rolled that power on."

If you ever have the chance to visit South Dakota, do it. Yes, it's a ridiculously long way from anywhere, but trust me, the sights and sounds are unlike anything else.
Mammoth Site in Hot Springs is an on-going archeological dig where more than 60 mammoths have been unearthed!
Custer State Park has 1400 head of buffalo and some crazy rock formations along The Needles Highway. The area is also home to that icon of America, Mt. Rushmore.

Head East and show your metal at Sturgis. Or head North to find the "old west" town of Deadwood.
Deadwood, South Dakota will forever hold a special place in my heart because of Favorite Son, Al Swearingen, whose prose and poetic licencing paved the way for future generations of Swearingens to say whatever the f@#$ they want. And if you don't like it, you can ______ _______ _______ _______ and pray to God that I don't ______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ______ _______ ______.

Moving on...
The Badlands are a small break in the land. The Southern plane is a few hundred feet below its counterpart to the North. But between the two you will find a dizzying aray of colors and shapes along with a maze of rattlesnake strewn trails.

Between there and Canada you will be hard pressed to find a paved road...or even another person for that matter. What I did find were shadows from clouds causing the endless rolling hills to appear to move like waves across a treeless sea of grass; broken only by a singular narrow road; itself undulating off into the distance

But tucked away in the crevasses, there are interesting things to see and do. Endless straight roads with a vast expanse of nothingness to either side inspired one artist to make enormous metal roadside sculptures along the Enchanted Highway. Or you may get lucky to stumble upon one of the strikingly green sunflower farms.
Find your way to Rosevelt National Park in Medora and wonder, as I did...why?

So, if you ever feel that life is moving a bit too fast...that changes are happening without your, or anyone else's, consent...spend time in the Northern Plain States and see the world as it has been for hundreds...thousands of years. Pay witness to the millions of years it took for the rock layers to form. And imagine yourself inside the Total Perspective Vortex.
You just may not want to return home.