"What are Kevin and Suzanna doing descending that trail set against so majestic a backdrop?" you are asking. Well, read on:A while back, Jay and Erin had made plans with her sister, her sister's husband, and their kids to meet at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park over the 4th of July weekend for a camping trip together. They all kindly invited us Mobergs to join them, and Jay and Erin even brought an extra tent to expedite our participation. However, two problems presented themselves:
- I have to work tomorrow morning and thus couldn't spend tonight out of town.
- We don't do tents. "Roughing it" to us is spending the night in a hotel that doesn't serve continental breakfast.
We were quite happy, however, to take a day trip and follow their tightly packed vans to Medora, ND, where the entrance is to the south unit of the Park. They found their camp site at Cottonwood Campground in the Park and began to unpack and set up their tents and other equipment for their camp. That seemed a prime opportunity for us to cut out of there and drive around the Park's 30 miles or so of paved roads, taking in the breathtaking sights and snapping photos of every animal, flower, butte, valley, and pretty cloud in the vicinity. We pulled over several times to get out and look around, and we even took a brief hike at one point that led us up a steep slope to a point overlooking the Little Missouri River and, in fact, the entire park off in every direction. Gorgeous, majestic, and humbling, to be sure.
Look how close the rabbit was!
coyote
We returned to the camp in time to join them for supper (good timing, huh?). It was hot and buggy, but being situated in the heart of so many trees helped the camp to cool down relatively quickly once the sun began to set. We said our goodbyes and left our friends to fend for themselves in the Park until Sunday. On our nighttime drive the 30 miles back home, we saw fireworks displays in Medora, Belfield, and Dickinson and thus enjoyed three pyrotechnic displays for the price of none!
All the kids enjoy the screen tent's protection from all the pesky bugs!
Abigail, Suzanna, and Hillary in their patriotic-colored clothing
P.S. At one point during our tour of the Park, we found ourselves standing on a hilltop in the middle of a trail worn down by wild horses, looking off in the distance in every direction and talking about the incredible sights and sounds of nature all around us. Moved to song (doesn't that happen to everybody?), the girls began singing the Norwegian national anthem! I appreciated their patriotic fervor; however, I thought "The Star-Spangled Banner" would be more appropriate, so I redirected them to sing it instead. There we were: the poster children for the Aryan nation, standing each of us with one hand on the heart and one behind the back, singing the national anthem of the United States of America on our country's birthday while standing in the middle of the Badlands and looking off in the distance at nothing in particular, really. What a country! (What weirdos!)
"The Badla-a-ands are ali-i-ive with the sound of mu-u-u-usic!"
It was a GREAT day for spotting wildlife! We got upclose-and-personal with that buffalo. We later decided that the buffalo had fallen in love with our van (it is the right size and close to the right color) and that's why it followed us from where it had been standing down the paved road. We also saw a deer as we were leaving the park, but it was getting too dark for pictures and it ran away too quickly.
ReplyDeleteThough getting close to wildlife is great, getting up close and personal with buffalo (and their smell!) I could do without. Sounds like you had a great time though.
ReplyDeleteI like the "Tatanka" (remember the movie "dances with wolves?)the most myself......and the scenery photos never get old.
ReplyDeleteI was just cruising by and stopped to enjoy these photos! I've always wanted to spend time in TR Nat'l Park, but circumstances allowed me only a longing gaze at the highway sign on a cross country trip.
ReplyDeleteI've spent time in the Badlands, Wind Cave and Custer in South Dakota and loved it -- Wind Cave ranks right up there with the Everglades for wildlife in my book -- but these photos have renewed my resolve to get to North Dakota. Love em!