Alaskan Adventure: Day 6. Got up early this morning to avoid the crowds that arrived yesterday afternoon and to avoid the forecasted 95 degree heat. We took a different route into the park. A dirt road called Bigfoot where we came across this graceful Antelope out on the range.

Reminiscing: This has been a nice visit to the Badlands. The last time we were here in 1993 was filled with anxiety. We were driving an old brown custom dodge van I had gotten from my parents. Liz was two and Becky was pregnant with David. The first Badlands Overlook we pulled into I went to turn the van off and the key would not turn. So one of us stayed in the van with it running while the other took the kids for a quick look. We didn’t stop at many overlooks, just drove through and then stopped on the interstate at a rest area where we got directions to a Dodge dealer in Rapid City. They got the ignition switch changed out and we were on our way to Custer State Park when the differential went bad. Back to the Dodge dealer the next day to get that fixed. Grateful to God this trip has been less stressful.

In an average year rain reduces the Badlands by a little over an inch. That means that since 1776 the Badland formations are shorter by over 25 feet.

Couldn’t figure out why the deer wouldn’t look around then realized it was keeping track of two coyotes. We pulled off on a side road and enjoyed watching them keep track of each other. Last pic is a blurry, greatly enlarged crop of a coyote that was really far away.

An Upland Sandpiper.

This deer crossed the road in front of us. iPhone pic taken out the window.

We did a short hike on Door Trail. It was short because even at 8:30 in the morning it was getting really hot.

Cactus on Door Trail.

There were Tons of Swallows in the area of Door Trail. They make quite a racket and there were no bugs around.

Saw more Bison as we were leaving the park. Becky laughs because every time I get out to take a picture they turn around and start walking away…

Big Fluffy Cows can go wherever they want.

Favorite Bible Reading today: Psalm 145: A Psalm of Praise, of David.

1 I will exalt You, my God, the King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation will praise Your works to another,
And will declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶ People will speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷ They will burst forth in speaking of Your abundant goodness,
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

⁸ The Lord is gracious and compassionate;
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
⁹ The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
¹⁰ All Your works will give thanks to You, Lord,
And Your godly ones will bless You.
¹¹ They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your might,
¹² To make known to the sons of mankind Your mighty acts,
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
^[g]The Lord is faithful in His words,
And holy in all His works.

¹⁴ The Lord supports all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all ^[h]look to You,
And You give them their food in due time.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
And kind in all His works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on Him,
To all who call on Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry for help and save them.
²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love Him,
But He will destroy all the wicked.
²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

Tomorrow we will head a little further Northwest to the Black Hills area.