Another national park where we've never been, staying at an RV park in the nearby town of Medora. The Roosevelt park area is very much like the better-known badlands down in South Dakota, but not so dry and there are many wild animals to be seen here, unlike the SD version.
The park and surrounding area is also a great place for riding bikes and hiking. There are museums (the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame), restaurants (of course), and theater. We attended the Medora Musical last night, a Branson-style extravaganza staged in a 2,000 seat outdoor amphitheater with an emphasis on North Dakota's cowboy tradition, patriotism, Teddy Roosevelt, and country-western music. It was well done and very entertaining. The finale featured a cowboy on a white horse, spotlighted on a hill behind the stage and ridden slowly down the hill till he got to the stage. (Where did that spotlight that followed him all the way down the hill come from?!!)
Visiting here has also heightened our interest in Teddy Roosevelt, a President we both know too little about. Roosevelt came to this town when he was only 26, trying to recover from his grief at the deaths of both his mother and his wife - on the same day (Valentine's)! - back in New York. He ended up staying here in a small cabin he had built for himself and later bought a ranch a few miles north of Medora. He credits his life in North Dakota for becoming the President he became. One of his achievements was a major role in the creation of several national parks (230 million acres), including Yosemite in California and the Badlands in South Dakota. Harold first read a biography of John Muir after visiting Yosemite, and has now started one on Roosevelt.
This is the actual cabin he built. He got the cabin and 400 cattle for $14,000. Later he bought a ranch and become the cowboy we know he was.
On a ride through the southern "unit" of the park, we saw: bison, up close and personal lolling alongside the road; wild horses, deer and about three prairie dog towns. The prairie dogs were the most fun to watch, hundreds of them popping out of their holes in the late afternoon to look around, play and eat. They're earnest little guys.
One of the hundreds of prairie dogs we saw, surveying his surroundings and "lookin' good for the tourists".
One of about 30 bison we found lounging by the side of the road.
The badlands inside the park.
One group of wild horses we found oblivious to the us taking their picture along the roadside.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment