On the road again and stopped at the Rustic Campground. After braving a brutal thunder and lightning storm, the clouds cleared and left me with a beautiful sunsetI met Ann in Spring Green, Wisconsin and we went for a 19 mile bike ride. I was very happy to have my Ebike on the challenging hills. The roads were perfect. At some point we passed some woods full of noisy cicadas.After a delicious lunch at “The General Store” in town, we took a short hike through the Spring Green Preserve. We enjoyed lots of wildflowers, especially this “Penstemon grandiflorus” who was besieged by this very large black bumble bee.I meandered west to the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers and camped at the Wyalusing State Park.The next morning I took a short hike along the Bluff trail and then hopped on my bike for another hilly ride through the town of Wyalusing and Bagley. I crossed the Mississippi at Prairie de Chien and drove north to Effigy Mounds National Monument. This 2500 acre park has extensive hiking trails and lots of information about the burial mounds of the indigenous people of this region. Some of these date back to Roman times. After two nights in small Minnesota state parks, I visited Pipestone National Monument. There is a wonderful path through the park with many wildflowers and this waterfall. There are educational materials posted all along the way. In the Visitor Center you can watch the pipes being carved. The rights to quarry the pipestone are owned by the indigenous tribes. The stone lays beneath the quartzite and it is a tedious and backbreaking process to retrieve it. The pipes they create are used for celebrations and for peace offerings. As seen in this photo, they can be decorated with animals. On entering and leaving the park, the ” Three Maidens” are the guardians of this sacred place. You can see offerings to them on the tree in between the rocks. Mitchell, South Dakota is known for its “Corn Palace.” Each year a theme is chosen and murals designed. The corn is placed on the walls of the building by local college students. This year the theme focused on people who lived in South Dakota. Billy Mills, from the Oglala Lakota tribe, won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics.Laura Ingalls Wilder is depicted here. She lived in South Dakota for a time and her house is a tourist attraction. She was actually born in Wisconsin.“Badlands” can be found on every continent and require a dry climate, sedimentary rock, canyons and pinnacles to be called a “badland”. Several of the walks near the Visitor Center are easy to access and provide stunning viewsThis one mile trail on bedrock was a little more challenging but the views at the end of the trail were well worth it.The “Castle Trail” hike winds through the prairie with stunning views of the landscape and lots of wildflowers.The White River runs through this valley. The array of colors are amazing.The bonus of the drive was the “Yellow Mounds.” My photo cannot capture the vivid yellow, orange and maroon color of the soil. The contrast with the different green colors was extraordinary.The challenge of the week and maybe the entire journey was the hike up Black Elk Peak. My friend’s cousin, Cris, guided and assisted me up to the peak. I insisted we stop along the way for a photo.The “Cathedral” spires can be seen in the distance and on the way down we could see rock climbers scaling these formations.The Black Hills are sacred to the Lakota and other Native American tribes and bands of cloth can be seen tied to trees as spiritual offerings or remembrances.Custer State Park is expansive and I stayed by this tranquil lake. Next time I will plan better and take my kayak out.I visited Jewel Cave National Monument briefly and then drove south to Wind Cave National Park. I hiked along this trail and enjoyed the peace and quiet and “red rock” The Black Hills are granite and here is sandstone. On the drive to Wind Cave I passed an enormous bison feeding near the road.I drove back via the “Wildlife Loop Road” and was lucky to see the bison herd running across the plain. I was able to catch the moms and youngsters as they reached the top of the hill.On the same road, I encountered a pronghorn antelope. Prairie dogs are everywhere as are rabbits.Next stop, ” Bear Lodge” or Mato Tipila named by others as ” Devil’s Tower.” I hiked around the base and then a ranger advised me to hike a less crowded ridge trail which provided very different views of the formation. This photo was taken from my campsite at dawn.Leaving Wyoming for Montana, I stopped by Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Across the road is the Custer National Cemetery. I was pleased to see that the Visitor Center was well stocked with books about the Native American tribes of the region and the injustices they suffered. The next day I met Chris and Natalie in Bozeman for breakfast. They had just picked up their new puppy, Juniper. Dry Falls, Washington is the remnant of a giant waterfall that occurred after a flood at the end of the last ice age. The landscape nearby was shaped by this event.My campsite was on Park Lake and I rode my bike to each end of the valleyI rode out to the trailhead for Umatilla Rock Trail that encircles this rock formationthe next day I walked out along Deep Lake to see this Western Tiger Swallowtail. I just missed walking over a very large gopher snake.The butterflies were everywhere on these Showy Milkweed. The land is covered with Sagebrush and Rubber Rabbitbrush.The next day I got out my kayak and made my way around the little island in the middle of the lake. The Dry Falls State Park had lots of options for outdoor activities and the weather was perfect. Pearrygin Lake State Park is just on the outskirts of Winthrop, Washington. This park had trails for hiking, a sandy beach for swimming and a place to get my kayak back in the water. After a two day stay, I entered Northern Cascades National Park. The Cascade Loop reveals astounding views of blue green lakes, glaciers and sharp mountain peaks.I stopped at one of the many trail heads to walk to Rainey Lake. The trail winds through a forest of Douglas Fir, Mountain Hemlock, Spruce and Pine trees.On the way to the lake, I a passed this and other waterfalls “cascading” down the mountain.Further down the road you reach Ross and Diablo Lakes and the endless forest. Colonial Peak and Pyramid Peak can be seen in the distance and a glacier. My last stop was Rasar State Park. A short morning hike led me to this glorious meadow of wildflowers. Himalayan Blackberry, Crownvetch, Bladder Campion and Creeping Thistle are a few of many new plants I encountered. A little further on the trail you meet the Skagit River. Campers select this campground for access to fishing on this river,Imagine in your dream world ( or ” Tel’aran’rhoid” if you are a fan of Wheel of Time ) this vision reaching out to hug you. The rainforest is a secret, seductive, mysterious and magical place.After a brief stop in Bow, Washington to see family, I met Ann and Jim in Seattle to fly to Bliss Landing in British Columbia.Palmer and Steve met us at the dock and we made our way to their idyllic home overlooking the water.Every day we walked all over the area, sometimes in the forest and other times along the backroads.Our very important task was going out on their boat to check and empty the prawn pots. Every time we went out, the number of prawns kept getting larger. Unbelievable meals provided by these little darlings.We were able to take Palmer and Steve out to dinner in Lund at the Boardwalk We also took the boat up to Desolation Sound to Refuge Cove for lunch. The weather was perfect and the meal excellent.Desolation Sound is a boaters paradise and we enjoyed its unspoiled beautyLast night in this paradise! We could not believe it had been 7 years since our last visit. If we are lucky we will be back again, soon.
