We have headed from Chicago to Des Moines, through mile after mile of wheat fields and tourist destination billboards (e.g., 1880's Ghost Town, Flinestones campground, World's Largest Corn Palace, World's Largest truck stop) and finally out of nowhere we emerged at Badlands National Park. Absolutely beautiful. It pales in comparison to the Grand Canyon, but it's far more intimate and gorgeous in it's own way. There is little wildlife here, but we did get to take in one of the most colorful sunsets I've ever seen. In the morning we woke up for a really disappointing sunrise which slowly turned into an amazing sunrise when we reached the Yellow Mound Overlook. The weather when we arrived was a balmy 110 degrees Fahrenheit (record highs!), followed by a 50+ degree drop overnight. Without question, these are some of the best photos I've taken in the four years since I got my SLR. Mount Rushmore was definitely not as grand in scale as I had been expecting, but it is far more detailed and surrounded by deep forest than I had anticipated.

Now onto Yellowstone where we will spend two nights camping and get to take in a "blue moon" (the 2nd full moon of the month, which happens only once every 27 months or so, hence the expression "once in a blue moon").

What's your favorite picture out of curiosity?