Ryan Schaible

The alarm rang and I was up at 6 a.m. As the tent zipper opened, a soft gentle breeze echoed throughout my self and sleeping corridors. A short walk to the restroom amidst a silence of the open country soon followed. As others awakened the day’s tasks and chore responsibilities also awoke. A very delicious breakfast, a brief camp takedown, a quick pack of equipment and soon all of us found ourselves on the road bright and early embarking on yet another memory filled day! As we bid the Badlands farewell, we also were quietly thanking everyone that made this possible for us to see and be a part of. It was an absolute chance of a lifetime to be a part of such a historic divine place. Thank you Badlands and to those who nurtured all of us in developing a love for this great heavenly wonder. Through the curvy hilltops  and awesome drop off cliffs, we soon found our self on yet another great journey to see and visit Mount Rushmore. A stop for a brief lunch after a visit to Walmart and the day was off towards our soon to be reached goals and objectives of the day. Mount Rushmore was awesome, yet at the same time the place of historic faces on rock soon were filled with questions and doubts of these great past presidents up on the rock. The originating Indian tribe of the area should be the ones most notably on the rock face as we soon found out. In many ways it is a real shame. Anyways, after taking in South Dakota’s main tourist attraction we headed off towards   Wyoming. There are absolute breathtaking glimpses in terms of the states undeniable surrounding features; here, there, and everywhere in between. I realized that not sleeping in the van has some true benefits even when you are tired. You will be missing out on so many of nature’s most beautiful scenery and landscapes in the world. The Black Hills National Forest along with it’s numerous fire destroyed trees and plant life spoke the reality’s of life, but more the harsh acts of mother nature. With a stop of leaving South Dakota and entering Wyoming, the landscapes suddenly changed. A new protruding feature arose from our eyes!! This feature was known as Devil’s Tower. A very reconciling first glimpse and this tough solid giant can take your breath away. As the night began to dwindle down I began to realize how lucky we are to be here on this trip and so many others are stuck in a classroom in Macomb. There is nothing more blissful or beautiful than waking up to sweet soft breezes amidst a landscape dominated by it’s millions of years of original authenticity. Today is a new day, a time to reflect, a  time to learn, and a time to appreciate but most importantly a time to take in the new sights of Devil’s tower. Only our hearts truly determine what we see!