Author: Kim Nelson

Honeymoon Roadtrip, Day 3: the Black Hills

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Monday, June 2: Mt. Rushmore, Black Hills National Forest

In the morning, we attempted another hike into Badlands backcountry near Prairie Dog Town, but were quickly defeated by the muddy conditions. Bison were plentiful on the road, crossing from one plain to the next. We watched them cross the street from inside our car; one curious bison walked right up to us and gave the hood of the Subaru a good sniff.

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bison surround our car

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more bison on the road

After saying goodbye to the Badlands, we headed to Mt. Rushmore. As expected, there were plenty of crowds out on the perfect sunny day. Unexpectedly, we learned that you can buy a “Red Rally Racer” at the concession stands, which is a cherry slushie with a shot of vodka or tequila. God bless American, indeed.

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Mt. Rushmore

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diamond doll

After leaving Rushmore, we took a scenic drive through Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. On a wildlife viewing loop in Custer, we saw bison galore, pronghorns, elk, and mule deer.

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pronghorns

We set up camp at the Bismarck Lake campground and kicked back with a bottle of wine while reading our guidebooks. Overnight, some loud thunderstorms rolled through, but our little tent held up like a champ. Next stop: Yellowstone!

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our Black Hills campsite

 

Sites visited: Mt. Rushmore, Custer State Park, Black Hills National Forest
Wildlife sightings: bison and calves, pronghorns, elk, mule deer, wild turkeys

Honeymoon Roadtrip, Day 2: Exploring the Badlands

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Sunday, June 1: Our first full day

We woke up and cooked a breakfast of scrambled eggs with sausage and veggies using a pan and Jetboil on our front porch. In the light of day, we saw that ours was the third Subaru Forester in a row on our block of cabins. After breakfast we checked out of our cabin and began to explore the park. There were several short hikes that we completed, including one known for its spectacular view that came with a warning “not for those afraid of heights.”

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Yikes!

I am pretty acrophobic, but I gave it a shot and climbed the ladder that took us to the next part of the trail. The view was indeed fantastic, which I enjoyed a nice and safe full 5 feet away from the edge.

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Kurt is braver than I am when it comes to heights

After we finished hiking, we left the park to check out Wall Drug (where we purchased the mounted jackalope head I’ve always wanted because I am a weirdo) and tried to see the Minuteman Missile Site, which was sadly and inexplicably closed. On the way back, we drove the Badlands Scenic Loop, keeping an eye out for bison. Sure enough, we spotted their distinctive shapes dotting the green meadows. Once we got to the primitive campground at Sage Creek, we saw a few more hanging out about 200 yards away on a hill, grazing calmly. The forecast called for rain, so we quickly set up our tent and cracked open a few local beers we had picked up at the grocery store in Sioux Falls. After a brief rain passed, Kurt and I got in one more quick hike towards the river, coming across yet another bison on the way. It was our closest view of one yet, and their size was impressive. Though they seem pretty chill, they can be aggressive and do serious damage with their horns, so we kept a respectable distance. The wet ground acted like clay, clumping to our boots with each step. It made it difficult to hike very far, so we headed back to camp to clean ourselves up and relax before night fell.

our first campsite of the trip

our first campsite of the trip

As the sun went down, other hikers staying at the campgrounds slowly returned from their explorations. A neighboring camper remarked that he had heard coyotes yipping at him. Sure enough, as we slept in our tents that night we could hear the howls and yips of the pack.

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diamond doll at the Badlands

Sites visited: Wall Drug, Minuteman Missile Site
Wildlife sightings: bison, bighorn sheep, jackalope (heh), coyotes (heard only)

Honeymoon Roadtrip, Day 1: the Badlands

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Saturday, May 31, 2014: we hit the road 

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packing up the Subaru

Kurt and I set the alarm bright and early for 5 am to get a head start on our longest day of driving (12 hours total). After saying goodbye to our dog River and my parents (who cared for her during our 2-week trip), we left their house in the Chicago suburbs and set out for South Dakota. The drive was mostly uneventful, though we did have to make a few stops to refasten one of the kayaks to the roof of our car. The high winds on the road pushed and pulled on the kayaks enough to crack one of the brackets on our roof rack, which we tightened back in place with heavy duty straps. Finally, we got the kayaks secure and were able to finish the drive.

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we arrive!

We arrived at Badlands National Park a little after 8 pm local time. Almost immediately, we saw several female bighorn sheep cross the road in front of our car and shoot up the side of a craggy ridge. Since we knew we’d be rolling into the park pretty late and didn’t want to deal with setting up a tent after such a long day in the car, we had rented a cabin at Cedar Pass within the park. We grabbed a late dinner of fry bread and bison burgers, checked into our cabin, and relaxed on the adirondack chairs on our porch with cold beers in hand, watching a lightning storm in the distance. It was a near perfect start to our adventure.

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female bighorn sheep

States passed through: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
Wildlife sightings: female bighorn sheep, wild horses

 

Honeymoon Road Trip

/ Kim Nelson / Leave a comment

Kurt and I just returned from our honeymoon roadtrip to South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana. Neither of us had been to the Great Plains states before, and it was also the first time for both of us to visit Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.  Here is a photo of our route. Over the next few weeks, I will  post a day-by-day account along with photos, wildlife sightings, and more.

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2013 Cold Camping Trip

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This year marked our fourth annual Birthgiving cold camping trip at Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin (celebrating Thomas’s birthday as well as Thanksgiving). After a few years of mild weather in the 50’s, our luck finally ran out and we had our coldest trip yet. Daytime highs were in the low 20’s, and overnight on Saturday we reached an all-time camping low of 1 degree. On Sunday morning as we packed up, the car’s thermostat registered at 8 degrees. This year’s group could definitely be considered the Polar Bear Club of camping.

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As you can imagine, less drinking was done this year than on past trips (though the weather was a little less brutal on Friday night, enabling us to put a good dent in the apple cinnamon moonshine). After setting down a beer for just a few minutes, it would be slushy with ice crystals by the time you took your next sip. We were at our usual walk-up site atop a hill overlooking the lake, and by midday on Saturday the frigid wind (averaging 30 mph for most of the day) convinced us to move to a site with more tree coverage. One by one, we carried our tents down the path over to the new site. Kurt even carried the fire for us.

 

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While most people thought we were crazy for going through with the trip (and they were probably right), all 8 of us made it through and still had a pretty good. As long as the fire was roaring, we stayed nice and warm (though coats and pants were melted in the process). The Thanksgiving-themed meal on Saturday night was delicious as always. At night, we piled up our sleeping pads, sleeping bags, extra blankets, and layers, and slept pretty soundly. The trip remains one of my favorites, though I wouldn’t mind slightly warmer weather next year. After those few days, a day in the 30’s feels like a sauna in comparison.

 

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