Recent Trip to South Dakota

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TerryMiller

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We waited until Wednesday to go to the Badlands National Park because there was another attraction out by there that wouldn't open until Wednesday morning. The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Part of it is located just North of I-90 at the same intersection that one can take to the East side of the Badlands on what they call the Highway 240 loop. The missile images will come last in this series.

The Badlands takes in something like 244,000 acres, part of which is viewed a lot along that Highway 240 loop. However, one can also take what they call the Rim Road and Sage Creek Road from Highway 240 and go on down to Highway 44 and then on across and back to Rapid City, all of that along the Badlands for the most part. However, Rim Road and Sage Creek Road are not paved and we had a rain squall line moving in, so I elected not to cover those roads. Since we still plan on going back up there on a vacation with our youngest son, with any luck, we can do those extra roads and get photos of those areas.

We were once again blessed with the appearance of wildlife. At one point, we came upon a couple of vehicles stopped at the edge of the road, and I saw a guy pointing off to the North. As we drove by, I looked off that direction and saw some Rocky Mountain Bighorns climbing one of the slopes. So, I went down and turned around and went back. This time, I got out the Nikon D810 with the 200-500mm lens to get the shots. Before getting to the scenery of the Badlands, here is one picture of the Bighorns.



Later on, as we were nearing the end of the Highway 240 loop, we saw two ewes grazing along the road, completely unconcerned with us and some Bison as we were leaving the park. But, now for some scenery photos.







Here is one with a couple of people in it to give something of a perspective of the size of some of the "dunes." I should mention that at this eastern side of the park, the road and viewing area was above the bottom of the "canyons" of the "dunes," so one doesn't really get a full perspective of the size of the canyons.

 

TerryMiller

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Beautiful photos of beautiful areas. I'm jealous, so I'm throwing my Nikon away....

Before you do something drastic, let me know and I'll retrieve your Nikon.

Seriously, David, I don't give myself so much credit for the photographs. If anything, I give my wife credit for allowing (actually say she is ordering or buying) me to get the photography equipment that I want. Good cameras (and Nikon is one) and good lenses do more for the photography than I do. About all that I do is compose the picture and take it.

I adhere to two different quotes from Ansel Adams.

1. There are no rules for good photographs...there are just good photographs.

2. I just happen to be somewhere when God wants someone to snap the shutter.

(Those quotes are paraphrased, by the way.)
 
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