Badlands, Good Book

Our family vacation was so much fun.  I know you are all waiting with baited breath to hear about it. Who doesn't like looking at other people's vacation photos? *snort*

We stayed for two night in Breckenridge, Colorado.  I'd never even heard of Breckenridge (not being a skier) but it was the cutest town I've ever seen.  One morning I jogged along a river path that I truly wish I could fold up like a board game and carry with me where ever I go.  This was a small area I got to pass as the sun was cresting the Rockies.  The surroundings deserve a much better camera and photographer than this picture got, but it was all I had to work with at the time.

We then moved on to Devil's Tower in Wyoming.  I must lead a very uneducated life because I had no idea this place existed.  It was super, super cool.

Eastern Wyoming turned out to be a place I wouldn't mind living.  So beautiful.  At least during the summer months.  I hear the winters are way harsh (I couldn't resist throwing in some valley girl.) so that would probably be why no one lives there currently. But isn't it lovely?

And this old coal mine was sitting on the side of the road. (Apparently, I got into sun flares.)

We rode passed Sturgis after dark, but weren't attacked by any biker gangs.  It was a little disappointing.  The following day we knocked out several places from our list.  Strangely, the only picture I got from all of that was this terrible one from Mt. Rushmore.

It rained and rained and rained while we were there.  We saw the faces for about three minutes when we first got there, then, embarrassed by all the Disneyland-like hype surrounding them, they hid in the clouds.  We also saw Crazy Horse and that first picture up there: the Badlands.  (The Badlands aren't bad, they're misunderstood.)

I didn't get any pictures of Ellsworth Air Force Base, but it was lots of fun to have our name on jets.  My brother and father-in-law went on a guided bus tour of the base and the tour guide said they needed everyone's ID so they could be sure none of them shouldn't enter.  He jokingly said they'd all probably be fine, since they only pulled terrorists off the bus.  Just then, two guards came and called out the names of my father and brother-in-law and escorted them off the bus.  I imagine everyone left on the bus had their noses pressed against the glass, trying to see and hear what these two gentle men were accused of.  Turned out, the guards just saw the name Ellsworth and wanted to know if they were related to the man the base was named after.  But the guards also knew how it looked and got a kick out of it.

We made it back home eventually.  In case you wondered.

Also, in case you wondered, I have two books to give out.  Thanks to Katy and Janet for your comments.  If you will email me, or contact me on Facebook, I'll make sure you get your books.

Happy reading!