Also, did a killer hike in the Badlands. It was brutally hot - at least 100 - out there. I was the only one on the trail.
On the way out of the Badlands I stopped at Wall Drug. I started walking around and was so beaten down that I had to cave in and get a hotel room for the night - I got this sweet room in the basement that's nice and cold. Hopefully the room won't break the bank (I got all used to those $20/night campgrounds!)
Over and out...
Pics:
This was a painted mural on the basement wall outside of the vault
Apparently the people working at a nuclear missile control site had a LOT of time to kill...besides the 2 people that would actually work in the vault, there were at least 8 on the surface. They played basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, etc.
Badlands hike...don't slip, or you won't be home for dinner!
This was right before I crashed...must have been that nice A/C in there or something...
9 comments:
Andrew,
I love the pictures of the badlands! All that time growing up in MN and I never went there. Feels like I missed out. Great mural at the Minuteman site, you can understand why I joined the Coast Guard now can't you...
Regards
Scott G
Is the bomb still there?
Here's what I couldn't depict by pics (the picture of the missile didn't come out well b/c it was beneath a glass covering in an open field and there was massive reflection) - each control center like the one in the pics (Delta 01) had jurisdiction over 8-10 missiles. The missiles weren't actually on site - e.g. the missile silo on display (Missile Silo Delta-09) was about 15 miles down the road in an innocuous looking field. The navy officer at Delta-09 was saying that this made security officers' jobs quite hellish - they were constantly getting alarms for silo intrusion back at the control station. They would have to inspect each alarm at each silo site, which would always turn out to be cows, deer, etc. Here's one other tidbit for you - the missile that's on display is pristine white color, which is an indication that it was a test missile. A true live missile is that dark olive green color (special paints and epoxies that prevent corrosion, enable most efficient flight, etc.)
Hopefully there is not too much radiation left over from those missles.
How did you take those photos on your hike?
Hey Lemon,
I totally forgot about you and Andre and the prairie dog. That's good times right there. Get yourself some Kiwi MadDog, it'll make the ground softer than those Coors Lites in your pics.
Don't miss the Tetons in Wyoming and make sure to hit the town of Cody.
Phillip
Hey Dean,
Long time no chat (like 30 years!)
I have a little tripod for the pics (whenever you see me in one and I can't befriend someone on the spot).
P.S. tell Pete and Dave I said hey.
Hey Phil,
My preference for Coors Lights is always in a can, which is so comfy in comparison to glass (especially glass that's been tainted with that colored junk!!!!)
I'll try for out west in WY, but my initial plan was to start heading south into CO for some killer mountain bike rides.
I'll keep you posted if you keep checking in!
Later
Andrew
Yeah, I wondered how you got those far away pictures too - amazing the tripod didn't fall over by wind or anything!!
What do you think of Devil's Tower? Were there any people repelling? When I went there with Amy and Lara on my cross country trip after college graduation, there was a man and woman climbing it. It was cool because basically the structure looks like a a bunch of rock columns stuck together so the climbers were straddling two columns and climbing up. Supposedly it's a popular climb for the serious ones and then at the top they camp out and either get airlifted off or repell I believe.
Habs!
H,
I never actually got up there last night...definitely today though! That's a good idea though about the rock climbing - I'm sure my "intro to rock climbing" class at Allamuchy will enable me to scale Devils no probs - in fact, why bother with the ropes ;)
A
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