badlands

Flat prairie about 30 miles from the start of the badlands

 After this curve you drop down into the badlands and the Little Missouri River bottom

 

 

Whereas Beach is not in the Badlands, it is only twenty miles from them.  I spent a lot time driving the badlands on my motorcycle.  This trip brought back all those memories.  Infact, I was on a motorcycle trip with the Buzz Olson's family when I had a life changing experience. I was saved only by God and a quick reaction on my part.  That was one of the last trips on my 1600 yamaha cruiser. Big bike.
The story goes like this.  We had been biking all day in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora.  I remember that we had not seen any cars in the park.  As I entered the first ascent into the badlands I saw a semi barreling down the the highway that I was going up.  I moved over as far as I could because I realized that as fast as he was going he would have to move into my lane in order to make the curve at the bottom of the hill.  My two wheels were on the very edge of the pavement.  As I continued to go up I know his mirror was going to clip me.  So I ditched.  I laid it down and straddled the bike while I ducked and it missed me.  But I was on such an incline I had to stand there holding the bike brakes on so it would not slide down the hill.  Well as I said there was no one in the park until I ditched.  Then a convoy of cars came by slowing and looking.  Then  12 or so horse riders came by.  This all happened in about two minutes. time.  Then my group came back to help me.   My bike weighed over 700 pounds so it took several of us to lift it and for me to get back on.  I told them to go a head and finish the ride and I would just go back to where we were picnicking.  That was the year I sold my bike and got a trike.  Much safer.