BajaNomad

How Weather Makes a Vacation

DianaT - 6-16-2015 at 10:00 PM

On this trip, we thought about stopping in Hill City, South Dakota ---

Changed our minds



Kept on going



And this when we decided to drive into Custer State Park to check on the great little theatre

Decided it was not the time to attend the theatre.



We wanted to visit and camp at a place we visited 10 years ago in north west Nebraska called Toadstool Geologic Park that is rather remote and the formations are real Alice and Wonderland. Glad I have my old pictures tucked away somewhere.

Heading down Highway 71 I could only only wonder who in the world would be crazy enough to head into this! Well, there was at least one other vehicle. And this was in the middle of the day.



And the skies opened up, and we wisely decided taking off on dirt roads was not a good idea especially since by this time, every creek, stream and river we had seen was over its banks, and everywhere we went, there were flash flood warnings. :-)



Wild and crazy weather this trip, but still a great time.






[Edited on 6-17-2015 by DianaT]

bajabuddha - 6-16-2015 at 10:06 PM

No such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.

......... Or so I USED to think....... :biggrin:

tripledigitken - 6-17-2015 at 01:43 AM

Diane,

I'd drive 3 hrs to shoot in the light of that #4 shot, excellent.

[Edited on 6-17-2015 by tripledigitken]

DianaT - 6-17-2015 at 08:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by tripledigitken  
Diane,

I'd drive 3 hrs to shoot in the light of that #4 shot, excellent.

[Edited on 6-17-2015 by tripledigitken]


It was amazing light like nothing I have ever seen before. There was not really much of anywhere to stop and get off the road, so I settled for a number windshield shots. Besides, being the big chicken I am, there was too much lightning. When we started down the highway, it was quite far off to the east and then suddenly, we were driving right into it. It was not long before the skies opened up with a fury.



[Edited on 6-17-2015 by DianaT]

StuckSucks - 6-17-2015 at 10:09 AM

VERY nice photo:


wessongroup - 6-17-2015 at 12:38 PM

Dittos ...

not to high jack ... but always liked the "vibe"




As always T ... enjoy the "ride" with you guys :):)

WOOF !!


DianaT - 6-17-2015 at 02:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wessongroup  
Dittos ...

not to high jack ... but always liked the "vibe"




As always T ... enjoy the "ride" with you guys :):)

WOOF !!



Oh I LOVE it, really love it! Thanks.

One thing that made us smile was that while we felt like we were driving into a whirlpool of a black hole, Paul Simon's "Slip' Slidden Away came on the radio. We started to wonder. :lol:

Pompano - 6-17-2015 at 04:21 PM

All joking aside, Diane, those sudden and often long thunderstorms can not only cause you grief by flooding, they can also create sink-holes and washouts in the damnedest places. Be aware and be careful.

This is a rural road near my ND/Manitoba hunting cottage that I traveled often, until the last storm. :rolleyes:

Thank goodness the state highway department is also 'flooded' with oil money so repairs were underway immediately. We went 'green' so to speak. ;)



[Edited on 6-17-2015 by Pompano]

DianaT - 6-17-2015 at 06:58 PM

Roger,

That is an awesome photo of some reality! Thought of that is why we did not head out the roads to Toadstool when it was raining so hard we could not see the front of the truck in that crazy weather.

The next day the rain stopped and we decided to take one of the roads out there and there were some major wash outs and places where it was obvious that there where flash floods especially from the elevated RR track beds, and the creeks were not in there proper places. Not a bad as what you show in that picture as it was passable with 4WD

Then we discovered that the loop trail was a mess. At the one end, it was completely washed out and at the other end, we would have needed to slog through a foot or so of sloppy mud --- not our idea of a pleasant hike.

Your practical and well experienced advice is very wise and well respected by this honorary Dakota person. We were happy to hunker down and wait. We will be back in the Dakotas, and we will be careful. THANKS