Broken Bad
Broken bad land that is. As we took our last little exploratory hike the morning we were leaving Badlands National Park, I focused my view on the land itself. Without looking into it, I suppose that although this is very rugged terrain, part of the reason for the "Badlands" label is the ground.
So hard. So cracked. So inhospitable. Also though, so beautiful.
If you've been reading for a while you know that I love natural textures, and you can't get more textural than this ground.
I was surprised by the variety -- at first glance it all looks the same (like cracked mud). When you really look though there are so many differences: flats, clumps, bumps, ribbons of smooth, subtle color changes. Really quite beautiful!
Enjoy!
I wonder what this area looks like after a rain... do the cracks go away, with everything becoming smooth? I'd like to see that!
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Good photos.
Just think, a kid might see those and grow up to be a geologist. I've taken geology courses. I don't remember a thing about study mud, soil but not mud formations.