Day 7 Like a cool crisp spring morning, relatively speaking

Woke up to a much more pleasant temperature. We even had a bit of an issue in our hotel room, the air conditioner just wasn’t doing the trick, ended up that the unit was working properly and we were moved to a cooler unit, thank goodness, because I don’t know how we would have gotten any sleep in the heat we encountered. How hot? Well, we learned on Thursday that the temperature on Wednesday was 108 degrees IN THE SHADE! Holy moly! We actually walked in that weather, explored the region a little. It was incredible and I believe a first for all of us. This day it was more around the upper 70’s, low 80’s, so in comparison it felt like a cool crisp spring day.

First thing we decided to eat breakfast at the Cedar Lodge, it was easier than finding a grocery store, and to attend a geology walk at 8:30am. We learned quite a bit about the erosion that created the Badlands. So, in a nutshell, this was a prairie that through wind and water eroded into a land of some lower prairies and these ominous pinnacles of sandstone and sediment. It looks a little like Mars, but with grass. After the geology talk we went on the fossil trail, there are many fossils of ancient marine life and prehistoric post-dinosaur era animals. Nina asked a ranger a very good question at the geology walk: may we climb the rocks? And it was a resounding yes, and we were encouraged to explore and not worry about the rattlesnakes on the rocks, they are more in the tall grasses and along the edge of the grasses. So, at the fossil walk we got off the designated boardwalk of fossil exhibits and climbed freely, and enjoyed several great views.

Then the kids attended their first junior ranger activity and became official Junior Rangers of the Badlands, they even got a nice “golden” badge to prove it. We shopped a little, ate another meal of Sioux Indian Tacos (yum yum), and went for another hike. Many complaints were heard that our first hike was too easy, namely from Dmytro and Nina. Okay…so we took them on the one marked “strenuous.” A talent has been discovered: Dmytro is one serious hiker and climber. He did a great job. We figured Solomia would be good and Nina, well, Nina is a mountain goat, although this hike was a little tough for her, but Dmytro surprised us. We witnessed some lack of enthusiasm in the car whenever we would point out some spectacular view. Turns out, he just isn’t a car dude, he likes to see the view on his own two feet, and he delights in it even more if he reaches the view after a solid hike. He beat Danko and me down the steep terrain, with much less sweat or worries, it was truly artistic to see him hike. Go Dmytro!












Things we learned from this hike regarding equipment, some of you may have known this forever but for those that haven’t here’s what we learned. Saint Nicholas gave the children fanny packs with water bottles this last winter, prepping them for this great adventure. He figured the kids should carry their own water as they drank so much from mom and dad last summer when hiking. Alas, these water bottles are not the easiest from which to drink, even mom has a “drinking problem,” as in more water on shirt than mouth (note to father-in-law, it wasn’t JUST mom, dad had problems too!). So, it has been decided that on the way to Yellowstone the kids will each be getting a camelback backpack so that they don’t have to stop to drink and can just pull on the straw in the shoulder strap and have a swig. For those not familiar, camelbacks are basically canteens in a backpack, with straws that go from the water sack to the shoulder strap and one can simply pull on it and suck up some refreshment. For some reason St. Nichols just didn’t realize how much the kids would be stopping to drink and how convenient such an item would be. No biggie, the walking sticks he gave along with the fanny packs…BIG hit.

After our strenuous hike, we got in the car and managed to catch a Bighorn Sheep standing on a one of the pinnacles. It is rare to catch these guys, so we are very lucky. Then, the three Nebesh extreme hikers took a nap in an air-conditioned car as we drove our way further west into the Black Hills to Custer State Park.