Sol y Sombra

I spent the last two weekends hiking through sun and rain.  Although none of them were fighting, I did see plenty of bulls and also some horses.  I can't believe we're so lucky as to live right down the road from this stuff!

My Trail: Lower Talkington

The first couple of foals are already here, but no new bison yet.

Notice that Theodore Roosevelt National Park is listed as one of America's Most Underrated Parks.  You might want to think about getting out here sometime!

First Day of Spring

Last week, in less-than-dramatic fashion (unlike last year), the ice breaking on the Little Missouri River exactly coincided with the first day of spring!  By the time the town woke up last Saturday, the river was flowing again and large chunks of ice had made their way onto the riverbanks.

 View from the Medora Bridge

The weather was wonderful too!  A quick drive up into the park proved that we weren't the only ones happy about the return of spring.  We saw three beavers swimming happily upstream and swear that some of the grass is starting to turn green already (hard to tell).  Enjoy these visions of spring from the top of Wind Canyon!

Beavers & Ice

Another Creature Happy it's Spring

Yucca Plant

Return to the Park

I haven't had a drive through Theodore Roosevelt National Park since January.  We only have six weeks left in North Dakota and no concrete plans to return, so it's time to start taking advantage of this beautiful place before we leave!

 Easy to forget these aren't mountains

Not a minute after leaving the house, the sun went away and I started one of the most wildlife-less drives of my life up the only plowed section of the park road.  The prairie dogs were out, but I got all the way onto the slushy East Boundary Road before seeing a single bison, horse, or deer.  I was starting to think there was some kind of Ungulate Council Convention deep in the park, that I hadn't been invited to.

This place is still gorgeous and half-covered with snow.  I find myself really excited to see large sections of prairie peaking out, even if it's still dormant and brown.  Finally, I was able to find tiny bison dots along the East Boundary Road and white-tailed deer in the campground. 

I was about to give up on seeing anything really interesting, when I rounded the final turn right before leaving the park.  There, not 20 feet from my car on the road, were a dozen pronghorns - the closest batch I've ever seen!

It's funny how nature rewards you for being patient, and sometimes apathetic.  I'm hoping soon the park will recognize how long I've waited to see a mountain lion and award me that sighting too.

Square Butte

Elkhorn Ranch

This January saw tempuratures in Medora drop down to -34...twice, we've gotten snow dumped on us by the foot, and now we're exiting a week of 40-degree weather (annual January thaw).  Assuming pleasant company might be reading this, all I have to say is WTH?!

We started off the year with a visitor (yes, it is possible to get here without a dogsled).  Nathan's dad, Allan, came to celebrate the New Year and participate in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, the world's oldest citizen's science project.  What did we turn around and immediately make him do?  Hike 1.5 hours through 1.5 feet of snow in -14 degree weather to the park's seldom-visited (and I'm guessing almost-never visited in the winter) third unit: Theodore Roosevelt's former residence: The Elkhorn Ranch.

New Year's Eve Blue Moon

Many attribute Theodore Roosevelt's time in the North Dakota Badlands as the birthplace of his conservation ethic.  That's an incredible place to witness given he was a man who went on to set aside more acres of land in this country for preservation than any other president.  Theodore Roosevelt spent, combined, about a year ranching cattle in these parts, but the experience stuck with him for a lifetime.

I had never been to the Elkhorn Ranch, mostly because we don't have a vehicle that will safely navigate the road there - especially in winter.  With Allan's Jeep we were able to just barely make it.  The way there is pretty well marked, but instead of street signs and landmarks, you have this - directions by way of who lives where. 

I have to say the 1.5 hours outside was, in retrospect, very worth it.  One of my favorite things to do is to stand silent in a place steeped in history and imagine what life was like "back then".  Here, I was transported to a rocking chair "in the hot noontide hours of midsummer [on] the broad ranch veranda, always in the shade".  I could have really used that hot noontide summer at the time.

 

Elkhorn Ranch House Cornerstone

Don't worry if you aren't able to make it to the Elkhorn Ranch.  You can still learn all about it by listening to this audio clip!  You might recognize the voice behind Theodore Roosevelt's lines.  Amazing place, amazing time to be alive!

Just In Time

I am the luckiest person on Earth.  After driving an hour to get to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, my mom and I got to view the entire park and on our way out were told we were the last people on the road, probably until spring.  They'd closed it thanks to the steady snowfall pelting the park's meandering road that day.

Let me tell you, it's not like we rushed to get there either.  Before entering the park, we actually drove another 16 miles North to go to what I truly believe is the hellhole of North Dakota: Watford City.  Why so harsh?  This is the closest town to the North Unit entrance and the only place for MILES around.  Was it wrong for me to assume there would be someplace to eat there?  Yes, apparently.  Everything in that town was CLOSED or locked for inexplicable reasons, despite the glowing OPEN sign in the window.  Add to that slippery roads and unhelpful people and you have what I refer to as the second worst tourist destination in the world.  I usually love places that I go and that's why my list of horrible destinations is only two cities long:

1. Myrtle Beach, SC - Let's take a beach and completely cover it with concrete, then put one of four giant discount beachwear shops every two feet and call it a fun place to go.
2. Watford City, ND - I hate this town.

Anyway, all you need to do is avoid hitting Watford City in the winter and bring your own sandwich, then you'll get to see some amazing things in the North Unit.  I actually prefer the scenery in the North Unit as the bluffs are larger and everything is more dramatic.  Plus, you have the chance to see a couple things you can't see in the South Unit: Bighorn Sheep & Mountain Lions.  Oh, I've never actually seen either of them in the North Unit, but it's fun thinking that one could show up just around the Riverbend.  I keep thinking they might because I am, after all, the luckiest person on Earth.

Cannonball Concretions

Riverbend Overlook

Oxbow Overlook

Upper Talkington

Fifty degrees in November feels like eighty degrees and sunny to us. 

Last Friday was the best Black Friday ever.  A morning of ONLINE shopping - same deals, no crowds - then out to the park for my first hike of the season.  I chose a portion of the Upper Talkington trail in Eastern Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Starting from the loop road, I went three miles to the East park fence, across a valley surrounded by multi-colored bluffs, through the largest prairie dog town in the park, to an expansive, golden prairie overlooking the beginning of the badlands.  It's a fantastic, quick hike if you ever find yourself in the park for a day looking for some sunshine and beautiful, typically TRNP scenery.

Chillin' by the Road

This horse was not completely excited about me tromping by, so it ran in front of me and snorted.

 Endless Prairie that leads too...

 ...this!

Ridge-top Elk

Four Years

What's your address? seems like a funny thing to ask your husband the day before your fourth anniversary, but that's exactly what I asked last night! Nathan started at Pipestone National Park on Wednesday and is busy learning all about sacred rocks.

Last Thursday I DID pass my PMP Certification exam, so I am officially a PMP! (I always pronounce that "PiMP" in my head, which makes me chuckle.)

Three weeks ago, I finished my Hiking Challenge strong with a hike along the Round-Up Horse trail, Jones Creek, and the Loop Road for about 6 miles.


I didn't see anything out of the ordinary: some horses, but no bison on the trail. When I finished, the entry above mine in the register said they saw a scorpion. When I got back to the Visitor Center, I found out a guy had brought in a picture of a Rattlesnake sunning itself from the day before. I was not quite as lucky to see such exciting things!


Nathan's brother, Justin, graduated on May 16th and we went to Madison, WI to partake in the festivities. Lucky for us, we didn't have to be crammed into the Kohl Center waiting for 2,000 names to be read off. Nope, the LaFollette School of Public Affairs has their own, intimate ceremony in the Assembly Chamber of the Wisconsin Capital. We were in and out in an hour - now that's what I call a graduation!

Justin and his Wizard Sleeves

It also gave me a chance to marvel at how amazing their capital is (take note, North Dakota!) - a fact that I just don't think I appreciated as much on our 4th grade trip to visit it. Now that I've been a few places and have seen works of art like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and Chichen Itza in Mexico, I agree that Wisconsin's capital really is something special. And to think - you can walk in any time from the Farmer's Market on Saturday just to use the bathroom!


It was really good to see all of Nathan's family. We almost didn't, save the last-minute trip to Milwaukee to see Nathan's mom. We even got the chance to stop into Buraka for some delicious East African food.

Which reminds me! I had a chat with one of my African Wildlife Foundation buddies and found out that they have not only secured funding for the Eco-Lodge I worked on, but they plan to start construction in June. Who wants to come with me to the Grand Opening?!

The Big City

Although I haven't been blogging, I have kept up with my hiking regimen. Tuesday, I went into the park to do the Jones Creek Trail, but instead ran into a bison on the trail and decided to go bluff-climbing instead. Wednesday & Friday I had to walk around town due to events later those nights, and Thursday you're about to hear about.


Thursday Nathan had to go to Bismarck, which is 2 hours away, to test out on CPR and First Aid, so I decided to take the day off and go with him. On a whim, we decided to stop and take a closer look at Salem Sue, the world's largest Holstein cow. We found out from a friend at the park that New Salem had a choice between building a Recreation Center and erecting this gigantic, fiberglass cow - they chose the cow and those rumors I've heard of the veins are all true.

Even though I've only been here for two weeks, it was kind of fun to drive around Bismarck looking at the giant footprint of corporate America once again. We mourned the loss of cute little shops everywhere and then stopped at Kohl's to buy shoes and were excited to see a Coldstone across the street.

Before lunch, we decided to check out the North Dakota capital building, whose nickname is the "Skyscraper on the Plains". Maybe I've been spoiled by Madison's outstanding capital, but this is not a capital building. It did have a nice mall leading up to it, but you had to have the courage to take your eyes off the giant, evil scar plastered against the beautiful blue sky in the middle of North Dakota.

Across the street was the North Dakota Heritage Center. It was free, so we decided to try it out. Unlike the capital, the Heritage Center was packed full of some interesting things - a dinosaur & bird section, sections for each type of people living in North Dakota, and, Nathan's favorite, the special Cold War exhibit where we found out that Medora was pretty safe as far as Soviet targets go - those were all in the middle and Eastern parts of North Dakota. We also learned that a desk and a few bricks will keep you safe in the event of a nuclear holocost. (Really! Just ask the government!)


For lunch, I was forced to go to Famous Dave's despite a restaurant called Space Aliens being right down the street.

On our way home, we decided to take the scenic route North and visit the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site. Of all of the native cultures I've ever learned about, the Knife River Mandan Indians have got to have the most ingenuity. They made Earth Lodges, which were constructed of a layer of timber, then straw, then mud on the outside - far more sturdy than many of the houses in East Africa today. These lodges were usually about 40 feet in diameter and could fit giant families. They also made something I'd never seen before: bull boats. Made out of one buffalo hide, these round boats actually float!


We finished with a walk down their path to visit the actual village where Sakakawea lived, which is now just a field, but interesting to imagine yourself so close to the Lewis & Clark expedition. It's not New York or Paris, but this little trip to Bismarck, was enough excitement for me!

Town Hall Meeting

Yesterday was another fabulous day for hiking. Today was not so good as I was forced to have a short walk in the rain around Medora...again.


On Sunday, I hiked up a section of the Lower Talkington trail just off the Loop Road. Another perfect day bordering on hot. I actually didn't see any animals on the whole trail, unless you count the grasshoppers that were constantly making me think I heard rattlesnakes. The trail ended up on top of a small plateau covered in grass and surrounded by bluffs. I suspect I went between 4 & 5 miles.


On the way home, I found a band of 15 horses, among them four cute, little foals.


Medora had its yearly kick-off Townhall meeting tonight. To entice people to hear about what's new for the upcoming tourist season, the town buys everyone dinner and then sits you down to hear from the various business owners. Tonight we got BBQ sandwiches, chips, fruit, and macaroni salad, all served in the gym of the Medora Community Center.

At 6pm we filed into an auditorium large enough to seat all of Medora's 100 permanent residents and heard about everything that could possibly go on in Medora. From the brand new Medora Stampede Rodeo (still looking for actors for the shot-out if you're interested) to the fact that the Chateau de Mores just got some new patio furniture. Yee-haw! In reality, it was kind of nice to be in the loop. My only disappointment was that the duo introducing the pricing scheme for the Medora Musical didn't get up on stage to make their announcement in song. Would something like this performed with clog dancing really have been so hard?

So come to Medora
For fauna & flora
That ain't no fedora
That's a cowboy hat!

We've got a great show
With pitchfork in tow
Better'n watchin corn grow
You won't wanna miss that!

I have less than a week here and now that I know what I'll be missing, I'm starting to wish I weren't.

Hiking Challenge - Day 7

Finally, a gorgeous day! I was supposed to work today in exchange for getting next Thursday off for a trip to the "big city" (Bismarck), but as soon as I stepped outside after lunch all of my good intentions flew out the window.


I decided to do a longer section of the Upper Paddock Creek trail, which was about 6 miles round trip. The landscape was your typical TRNP badlands and the trail pretty much followed the creek the whole way. Despite that, I ended up going farther than I'd wanted due to the fact that I was constantly lost. This park has so many animal trails and sign posts on this route had been knocked over by bison in extremely unfortunate locations. Unfortunate if you mind tromping through tick country with sagebrush up to your belt, which I do not.

Moss Phlox

This is what hiking is supposed to be like! No snow, dirt trail, hot, but with a cool breeze, no people around, beautiful scenery, and happy exhaustion after the hike. I didn't see a lot of wildlife save a pack of four horses on my way out. Oh, and the tick that I found crawling on my dirty clothes in the bathroom. Its new home is now the wastewater treatment plant.

Coal Vein

Hiking Challenge - Day 4 & 5

It's been raining and snowing for the past two days, so I've been relegated to "hiking" in town to avoid getting stuck in the mud. For two nights in a row I took a few walks around Medora. Medora is about 4 x 6 blocks of shops, restaurants, hotels, and a couple of houses sprinkled here and there. As it's almost May, the town has started to wake up a bit. Delivery trucks are making their way into town, some shops have lights on, and even a few places like James Gang Java are open for lunch three days a week! That's biggest news we've had around here since the ice broke on the river!


It really hasn't sunk in yet that I won't be living in Medora after next week. Although, a piece of me must know as I felt compelled to take pictures of everything.

First, there's the thing that brought us here in the first place: Theodore Roosevelt National Park.


Next is the Post Office: the gathering place - where you can find five cars at any given minute during your lunch hour, after not seeing any cars for a week from your front window.

Right down the block, past the horrifying mass of construction formerly known as the Rough Rider Hotel, is the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame. Extremely boring if you're not into cowboys, the history of saddles, or Miss North Dakota. However, you are reading the picture correctly - it was the 2007 North Dakota Tourist Attraction of the Year, so come on down!


Go another block and you'll hit Chimney Park, home to the meat packing plant that put Medora on the map thanks to the Marquis de Mores.

If you walk three more blocks to the other side of town, you'll hit the Iron Horse, the only restaurant/bar open year round. They've had some violations, hence the (I'm sure snide) French comment on their sign alongside the names of every cop in Western North Dakota. I'll always look back on it with fond memories of it as the scene of Dan & Jen's Wedding Reception this February.


Last but not least the Medora Musical Amphitheater. Carved into the side of a bluff at the edge of town, this theater attracts 3,000 people almost every night to see the famous Medora Musical. I had a blast at it last year, but, alas, will not be sticking around long enough to see the college-age actors clogging it up this year.