At the moment, I am doing a crazy road trip through the US. I have so much to show you but for lack of time and internet connection, I am far behind posting. Today was an amazing day that ended pretty badly and I am thankful that I am still in one piece. But see for yourself…
I left this morning the city of Lusk, Wyoming driving all the way up to South Dakota. Those two states have got a real cowboy feel to them. I love this old school western charm and of course, I had to buy me a cowboy hat on the way.
I drove around 130 miles through the middle of nowhere, vast land areas without any population, totally flat. The whole ride, I thought that this could be a region where tornados could take place.
My first stop was Mount Rushmore National Memorial that I had been wanting to see for a long time. The colossal portraits of four famous presidents of the United States: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt in the Black Hills of South Dakota are pretty impressive.
Please stay tuned for a post about my look that I shot at this outstanding location.
My second stop was the Custer State Park where the Needles Highway and other roads offer idyllic scenic drives. It encompasses an abundance of wildlife.
So when I thought that it couldn’t get more thrilling than having a real bear in front of my car, I was completely mistaken.
On my way back to Wyoming, the sky started to darken and I could see lightnings. Then, it all happened very fast. The wind got stronger and the rain heavier. All of a sudden, the radio announcer issued a warning that a severe thunderstorm was approaching and that people should look for shelter. For me it was too late. I was surrounded by miles and miles of flat land. All of a sudden, the sky dumped golf-ball-sized hail with 70mph winds. I stopped the car and threw myself on the floor. It was so scary. The hail made a horrible noise and broke the windows of the car. The glass went all over me. I was so scared that this would become a twister but fortunately, it didn’t go that far. Nevertheless, the car is completely destroyed and looks from the outside as if I had been in a fight with Terminator.
Right after the storm had passed, I saw a rainbow through my destroyed rear window.
No more windows left…
… and glass all over.
Do you see the damage of the roof? Can you imagine the size of the hail that leaves such marks?! It is impressive how strong the forces of nature truly are and that there is a point where you are at their mercy. Thank God that all went well!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht
