When I wrote last, we were on our way to the Scamp Factory in Backus, Minnesota. It was only a minor detour from our route, so we decided it was worth a stop. It was hard to miss...their "billboard" is a Scamp up on a pole.
We stopped in and saw several new Scamps in various stages of production and returned a part we had ordered from the factory for the renovation but never used. After chatting for a few minutes, we loaded back in to the truck to continue our journey.
Before long, we were crossing another state line--into North Dakota. We decided to stay at Graham's Island State Park on Devil's Lake. I would never have thought that a place named Devil's Lake would be so beautiful, but it sure was amazing! The lake has no natural outlet, and in recent decades has begun to overflow, swallowing up homes and roads in the process. There were many fisherman enjoying the lake, and we enjoyed an amazing breeze and weather bug-free at our campsite. We made Sloppy Joes for dinner, took the dogs on a walk aroud the campground, and enjoyed the campfire before falling asleep. The shower facilities at this campground were outstanding--I thoroughly enjoyed a hot high-water-pressure shower at this stop!!
Bright and early the next morning we hit the road again in search of Theodore Roosevelt National Park also located in North Dakota. On our way there, I discovered that we were close to a key spot from the Lewis and Clark expedition, and continuing our Lewis and Clark theme from last summer, I insisted that we stop to see Fort Mandan. This fort was constructed by the Corps of Discovery in only 6 weeks. This is where the team spent their first winter and first met Sacagaewea. I've taken the virtual tour of the site online, but was so excited to see it in person!
After the tour of the fort, we got back on the road towards the badlands. We accidentally stumbled upon the geographical center of North America, so we got out of the truck and took a selfie. You may be disappointed to know that the marker is located in the parking lot of an out of business Internet Cafe.
Before long, the landscape began to change and we knew we were getting close to our destination. We saw the badlands of South Dakota last summer, and we were surprised to see that the badlands of North Dakota had more vegetation. The views were breathtaking, but it was the wildlife that caught us off guard. We saw buffalo during our time in South Dakota last year, but there seemed to be so many more in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. As we drove on the scenic loop in the park on a rainy Wednesday morning, it felt like we were literally in a painting. We were surrounded by wild horses, prairie dogs, and herds of adult and baby buffalo. Here is a video to show just how close they really are.
There are no fences. The animals roam free as a reminder that the land really belongs to them and not to us.
The biggest reminder came when a large and I mean large buffalo wandered right through our camp on our first night in the park. Kevin went on a walk down the path from our campsite to the Little Missouri River and the buffalo decided to follow Kevin back! Kevin wisely decided not to run, but walked as calmly as possible back to camp and got into the Scamp with the dogs and me. The buffalo just moseyed through our campground and joined another buffalo in a field across the way to graze. The wildlife officers say this is a regular occurrence and cautioned everyone to remain quiet and calm while they were in the vicinity. They minded their own business and seemed unconcerned about our presence. In the middle of the night we were awakened by the sound of a buffalo munching on grass two feet away from the scamp. I was so glad to be sleeping in a trailer rather than a tent that night! Here is a video of the buffalo crossing through our campsite:
We spent two relaxing days at the park--hiking, driving the scenic loop, reading, relaxing, and cooking over the campfire. The dogs seem to be enjoying the fresh air, and we've met some nice people at the campgrounds who have given us some tips about what to see as we continue our way west.
This morning we left North Dakota and continued our journey into Montana. Kevin has been saying he wanted to visit Montana for as long as I can remember, so he's in heaven right now. We aren't sure where we will camp for tonight, but we hope to make it to Glacier National park tomorrow.
Bison are unbelievably immense up close. Scary powerful.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, this is the Southern Unit of the Teddy Roosevelt NP.... Northern Unit in reading to come