Traveling and Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Traveling and Theodore Roosevelt National Park September 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th

We have been traveling for 4 days now passing some beautiful green rolling hills and farms full of hay fields. We’ve seen oil wells, wind farms, and lots and lots of cows on the roadside and on the roads themselves.  We have traversed Montana and North Dakota and are now in Minnesota. We also have traveled through the North Dakota Badlands and toured the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, ND. Teddy Roosevelt was a true conservationist and is responsible for much of the protected wildlife refuges and some of the National Parks being formed. He had a ranch in Elk Horn and spent a lot of time here in the Medora area. It was because of him the area was first a wildlife refuge and then a National Park established in 1947. It encompasses 110 square miles and has a South and a North unit.

We detached our car at the Visitor Center in the South Unit of the Park and drove the loop up and through the Badlands. Incredible vistas reminiscent of the rock formations in Utah and South Dakota Badlands. It was also fun to watch about 12 Miatas touring together with their tops down on a very comfortable warm and sunny day. However, I think,  if I were in one of them crossing through 3 miles of dusty dirt and gravel construction, I probably would have put my top up!

Miatas Waiting for Construction Crew

The prairie dogs have taken over most of the lower lands in the park but the vistas of the badlands and the bison there were beautiful.  The drive took about 2 hours and then we hooked up and continued on our way across North Dakota into Minnesota.

Bison in the Badlands

Cowboys In the Badlands

At one of our gas stops, Tim checked the tires and found one of them soft and he heard it leaking as he was putting air back in. Fortunately, there was a repair shop next to the gas stop and the mechanic there referred us to a tire dealership. But, now it was 5:15 and the tire dealership across town closed at 6pm. The first shop called ahead for us and we moved quickly to get there. All was said and done by 6pm and we had a new stem on the inside rear right tire. Evidently, the stem extension was broken and leaking and it was flat and all of our weight was riding on the outside tire.  Had Tim not noticed the issue, the outer tire would have blown and we would have been in real trouble with two flat tires! I have to say that wherever we have stopped for servicing or for any issues with vehicles, the people have been fantastic. They have taken us in rather quickly and had us on our way with no problem at all.

We will spend 2 nights here in Clearwater, MN so that we can get the RV serviced and both the car and RV power washed. We brought quite a lot of dirt back with us from Alaska as do most of Alaskan  travelers. We will also get the laundry and grocery shopping done. We have been pushing it the last few days and needed a rest stop.

Tomorrow, it is on to Wisconsin!