Spent the first week of August in beautiful Western South Dakota on a photographic excursion to Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, and the Black Hills. Both grandsons accompanied and we all piled in the Scamp camper together. It had been over 50 years since I had been in South Dakota, when I traveled with a college friend between semesters.

The drive out took 14 hours, as with the boys, there can be just a matter of hours before someone has to use the bathroom or get a bite to eat. On my own, I would say 12 hours would be more likely. Traffic through the Twin Cities was horrid, as we hit the morning rush. We arrived at the White River/Badlands KOA, just in time to set up, make dinner, and tuck into bed.

Convincing grandchildren of the merits of getting up before sunrise so that Papa could make some images before the sun got too high, as well as the temperature, was a daunting task. We drove the Badlands Loop, which contained breath taking landscapes for all of the 39 miles. The boys marveled at their first Big Horned Sheep, as well as hundreds of Prairie Dogs, who would bop in and out of their holes like some characters in a video game.

On both days, by early afternoon we were 105F and 112F Respectively. While it sounds less than habitable, high temps minus the humidity of home I find quite comfortable. If you are photographing or hiking here, carrying enough water to stay fully hydrated is a must. A recent college graduate in his early 20’s died the week before we arrived while hiking with his friend, both of whom carried little water and got lost on an unmarked trail-a real tragedy that could have been obviated with appropriate planning.

For this trip, due to the constraints of space, I left my large format cameras at home and instead brought the Mamiya 6 and Hasselblad systems. Most images were made with the Mamiya 6, which in my opinion, is the most capable medium format camera for travel, with capabilities of hand holding (due to leaf shutters in the lenses), as well as razor sharp optics, especially the 50mm wide angle lens-my most used lens on this system. A light yellow filter was used on the Mamiya lenses to provide a bit more contrast in the skies. Both systems were carried in Tamrac photo backpacks, which I have preferred for many years.

On the third day, the boys enjoyed the splendor of Mount Rushmore on the way to Custer, where we stayed in the Custer/Mount Rushmore KOA, just a few miles west of town. We camped here for three nights to take in the beauty of the Black Hills on day trips, in addition to the incredible landscapes and wildlife in Custer State Park-a 71,000 acre paradise for seeing bison, whitetail and mule deer, antelope, mountain goats, elk, coyotes, burros, bighorn sheep, birds, wild turkeys and prairie dogs. Each evening of our stay we would get in the Jeep and slowly drive the 18 mile loop. The wild burros, descendants from those let loose or escaping during the 1800’s gold rush, will stick their heads in open car windows in search of treats-quite entertaining.

The ride up Needles Highway to Sylvan Lake was a nail biter…hairpin turns, narrow roads, drop offs, and to top it off, the infamous Needles Eye Tunnel, inside which your vehicle has only inches on each side from the chiseled rock.

Sylvan Lake is a beautiful spring fed trout lake with an excellent trail around the perimeter, as well as good swimming and rock climbing. The boys cooled off in the lake while I worked the Mamiya 6 on the loop around the lake. Knowing we could fit through the tunnel, made it less anxiety provoking on the way back down in the later afternoon.

Of notable mention is the fact that we unknowingly picked the week before the famed Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to go on this adventure. Most of the 500,000 motorcycles were in each town, but did not fit the stereotype of what one might think of attending a week long Harley Davidson party. We found all of the riders to be polite, and for the most part, well to do older folks ( with plenty of money to buy $40,000 bikes and even more expensive toy hauler/campers to get them there). The only down side was the traffic they created and the congestion in restaurants and stores.

The ride home on Saturday put us in the driveway of Rauhallinen Farm at 2 A.M., making for a long drive. The dog and cat were retrieved from Bluffview Kennels the next morning and then the downside of these adventures-unpacking, putting away, laundry, and cleaning the camper and truck. Then on to film development.

I am planning a solo trip back to the Badlands during early January, during which time I will bring the 4x5 and 8x10 Intrepid Large Format cameras. The solo trip will allow for the concentration and efforts to shoot sheet film with large format equipment-nothing you want to be rushed doing.

"Myrtle" (2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon in Badlands National Park) — “Myrtle” (2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon in Badlands National Park)