Moving on west in North Dakota

When planning our journey west across North Dakota, I noticed Theodore Roosevelt National Park near the western side of the state and we decided we would like to stop there.

Driving on I-94 across North Dakota - I wish pictures could capture how beautiful this is!

A triple-trailer FedEx truck - I wonder if our friend, Russ, drives these?

Sunflowers in the field, and round bales that have been baled from the grass cutting on the side of the interstate!

My sweetie driving!

While I get to hold a sweet kitty! (Miss Kitty)

We decided to get off the interstate to stop at the beginning of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park - there were bison on the hill (I know you can't tell that, you need to believe me!).

This area was called Painted Canyon - again, the pictures don't do it justice...

Another picture at Painted Canyon

After checking in at our campground, we headed back into the town, Medora.

We saw a big chimney in a field, and stopped to see what it was... the remains of a packing plant that burned down in 1907.

Chimney with some of the foundations

another area of foundations

Then we went in to the park and got to the visitor center just in time to join a guided tour of Roosevelt's house - the Maltese Cross Cabin. A college student, Margaret, interning here for the summer, gave the tour - it was very interesting.

It seems that Roosevelt had come out to this area of the country to hunt bison, and fell in love with the area, to the point that he purchased an interest in the Maltese Cross Ranch before heading back to New York. Just a few months later, his wife had their first child on February 14, 1884, and on the same day, his wife and his mother both passed away. He ended up leaving the child in the care of his sister and returning to North Dakota in his sorrow.

The trunk in this room was Theodore Roosevelt's. Other furnishings were appropriate for the period, but not necessarily his.

Heading back to our campground... about a mile and a half gravel road...

We are staying at Buffalo Gap Guest Ranch - you can see the RVs there on the left center...

Here it is zoomed in - and there are two other Bluebirds, as well as Miss Doozie!

I had been watching the travels of other Bluebirds on a map that we have among the group - and I noticed that two other couples who are going to Casper were stopped in this area. I asked them how they liked the campground, and, based on their recommendation, we decided to stay here also! We got to visit today with Lee and Jacque, Jim and Nancy - and Lee made a delicious beef stew - YUM!