Badlands Residency Day 34


April 24, 2012

Another day in the South Unit. Started on Cuny Table, and met a tribal park employee who brought along a Rhino (think ATV but bigger with a small bed in back). He and Steven sat in front, and I rode in the back. We started at the top of the slide, a “road” I wrote about in an earlier blog. Crazy insane, but fun! We then drove all around, mostly on roads I had been on with Ryan the last time, only the weather was much nicer. After our first stop, our guide told me that a lot of people will stand in the back, and lean on the roll bars to take photos. He said I should do that, and that he'd drive slow so I don't fall. Well, I took him up on that, and spent the entire day standing on the back of this rhino, holding onto the bar with one hand, taking copious amounts of photographs with the other hand. It was just like being on safari. Surfing safari, since I had to balance my weight like on a surfboard to avoid falling off as we drove on all the bumpy roads and down through the creeks. There were a few times that I just about fell off, losing one leg to the air and hanging on for dear life. It was a great day. While out driving, I twice saw the foal that Ryan and I rescued from the hole. He was running with his herd, leading the way. Awesome. The rhino kept overheating, so we took several breaks in the shade of trees near Battle Creek. Our guide would fill a water bottle with the silty water and spray it over the radiator to cool it down. The temperature was in the 90s, and we were out for many hours, so it was definitely a tough day for that machine. Through the day, I saw: a lush area created by a natural spring at the base of Cuny Table, more old cars, the bulldozer, two herds of horses, lots of cattle, and so much more. Probably the most adventurous moment of the day was on our way back. The slope up out of one of the creek beds was a bit too angled, and I could feel the rhino hit the point where it was tipping over into the creek. Since I was standing, I quickly flung myself to the other side and pulled it back from tipping, but it was still at a very precarious balance with one wheel in the air. I slowly climbed over the side while hanging on, and was able to pull the rhino down while our guide backed it up and got that other wheel back on the ground. He then backed up and took a different approach up the creek while I waited. After, he said, “that was scary.” We got back to the quad about dinner time, and I made chili and fries for everyone. A few of us then hiked out behind the quad as the sun set, and Amanda and I took of for a run through the buttes, circling back to meet the rest. We made a trip over to the Wagon Wheel where I got a phone call to say Kieran broke his arm while outside playing, racing around the house with the neighbor. Poor guy. Amanda, Ed, and I then went to Ryan's to have snacks and play a little ping pong.

View from Cuny table.

Entrance to the slide.  Insane road down the slope of Cuny.

Going down.  Photo doesn't do it justice.


Found one of the natural springs that come out of Cuny.
Lush, swampy area, eagle nest in tree to the right.

A good stretch of road in the south unit.

Along Battle Creek Road.



One of the many creek crossings.



Old car.

Inside.

More road.

Creek crossing.

Top of the Chadron formation.

Approaching the bulldozer.




Vertibrae from a Brontothere.  Formerly knows as Titanothere.
Historically known by natives as the Thunderbeast,
responsible for rumbles of thunder.

Looking down on the others.

My foal from the hole!  He's in the center of the photo.

Along Battle Creek Road.






These calves decided to race along side of us.


Manmade reservoir.








Old car used for target practice when this area was a
bombing range in WWII.

More "road."

Heading back to the slide.

Starting up the slide.


Further up.

Still further.

Almost there.

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