chase scenes serial #20
to be thoroughly exploited or even explored. One would have to construct a very savvy definition of ‘wilderness’ to even describe what the terrestrial characteristics needed to be. He also mentioned that the day was ‘Earth Day.’ It was the day of our long hike which I found pleasing, for, although I have a sense of appreciation for conserved lands and ‘wilderness’ all year round, it is not ever so concrete to me as when I am exploring a national park. Breaking through the treeline as we climbed the north slope of some badland formations and emerging into a broad, high, grassy prairie that spread rolling out all around us filled me with a profound sense of humble awe. To the east a group of bison grazed. I could see a few reddish calves romping while the dark adults were head down to the grasslands. To the southeast the continuous golden green was pocked by white spots and patches, the telltale signs of a prairie dog town‡. Looking back down the grassy slope to the treeline and the badlands below I thought about how oblivious I was to this landscape I now trod. We had walked all around the bases of the sedimentary formations without a thought as to what was above them, or atop them, or even whether we would find out. It was the
