North Dakota

Our plan is to pass through North Dakota fairly quickly. The main stop will be Theodore Roosevelt National Park. 

However, before we get there, we make a stop at Pelican Point Campground in Jamestown where Tom makes emergency repairs on the RV sideview mirror. 

The mirror had vibrated loose and had to be removed before it fell off as we passed through Fargo. 

We made a trip to the local store and got some Loctite high strength epoxy. Tom re-coated the bolt holes and reinserted the foundation bolts. Luckily enough, it seems to be holding.

The site we had reserved there had such a steep grade that we completely extended the front levelers, so the first step into the RV was at Wendy's hip! Even then, the RV was not level. Since there was no one in the office (and hardly anyone in the campground), we grabbed a different, nearby (level) site. 

We spend a couple of nights making repairs and waiting for the epoxy cement to dry. Then we head west to Red Trail Campgrounds in Medora. We're lucky, campgrounds are closing down for the season, and we're getting in just a day before they shut down their water for the winter. 

At the visitors center, which is right in town, we see Teddy Roosevelt's cabin. Pretty amazing that a President of the United States lived in such humble quarters when he was here. 

As we drive through the park, one of the first things we come across are the wild horses of the park. The story is that ranchers used to release their horses on the open range and would round them up when they were needed. After the park was fenced, a round up was held in 1954, but a few horses evaded capture. Their off-spring are wild horses that now live in the park and are part of the historical setting. 

Bison and prairie dogs are the other wild creatures to see. 

I did manage to capture a couple of pictures of the wild photographer stalking his prey. Truth be told he shot (without remorse) a heard of wild horses, a number of bison and some poor defenseless prairie dogs.

Parts of the park include the Badlands, thought not quite as close up as in South Dakota.