i'm sure the badlands came by their name honestly enough. get rid of the roads, cold beer, and perfect weather and the place could be a real nightmare (especially if the beer was warm). but after a wet spring with a cool tailwind on a bicycle followed by a couple of hot blonds, the badlands are double sixes on a paradice.

this has turned out to be an incredible time to be up north; everything is grassy green and there has been enough rain to produce a bumper crop of wildflowers that are pleasantly incongruous with the harsh western scenery.

it's always a pleasure to see tiff's maternal instincts emerge. sliding down a loose trail with stella strapped to her back and playing next to the "beware of rattlers" sign shows me a new softness i'd never seen in my wife before.