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Broke Girl Does America: Badlands

Made a pit stop on Mars today

By: Kenzie Farrell + Save to a List

While turning my 28 hour drive into a 40 hours I drive through a lot of South Dakota, a place I've never been and I guess I made the mistake of NOT going to Worlds Only Corn Palace ("it's the only good thing about South Dakota!" I was texted about 20 miles past the exit) though I was told the Badlands were on route as well. 

And they are awesome. And for that reason I am truely sad I took a 2 hour nap a few hours into my drive for no reason whatsoever causing me to get there right at sunset.
You make a turn of 90 West and go down some bland road and then they pop out of nowhere in the distance and it's a bunch of Mars like craters.  I got to take a few pictures and get he loop in before darkness took over. To which I was like: "well now I have to camp here it's amazing I'll hike at sunup and just be late getting to Montana!" Well turns out sunup was 7:31am and it was only 6pm. This cool girl didn't have firewood or a pot (why did no one remind me I would need a pot to cook??) and while I love my car.. 13 hours seems a little long to sit in it and do nothing. 

Soooo I drove for 4 more hours, stopped at a rest stop where I took over a Pokémon gym and proceeded to sleep for NINE HOURS because I am bad at this whole driving thing. 

But I am going to have to live with the regret of not going to the Corn palace for the rest of my life. It keeps me up at night now.

Sorry you chose to read all that. 

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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