We swapped Dakota’s today. Our traveling buddy Mike needed to check North Dakota off of his “Been there, done that” list. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do that. We have been hanging out in South Dakota (Sturgis) so we loaded up the bikes for a couple of days in a different state. 220 miles or so in a due northerly direction from Spearfish, we are now in the other half of the Dakotas.

On our way out of South Dakota, we passed through the small town of Buffalo. There was a brief rain shower. It wasn’t enough to put on the rain suits. It was just enough to make my jeans wet in places that I would rather not be wet. We pulled in for gas in Buffalo and were informed by the helpful woman behind the counter that there had been a significant wildfire very close to the town. They thought they were going to have to evacuate but a heroic effort by the firefighters had saved them and the surrounding area the devastation that wildfires can bring.

While we were parked in the gas station, a lone motorcycle rider rolled in. His ride was a newer model but was sporting a few layers of dirt, dust, and road grime. He seemed friendly enough so I initiated a conversation. His name is Gary. Three months ago, he retired after serving 44 years in the air force. He had prepared to spend his days riding his motorcycle and that’s what he was doing. He started mentioning some of the places he has hit so far – Key West, Montana, Napa Valley – so many that I could not keep up with him. He had served as a jet fighter engine mechanic. I thanked Gary for his service. His efforts and millions of others allows him and us to enjoy the freedom that this country offers. Gary is enjoying his for sure. So are we. “Thank you” doesn’t seem like enough but to all the service men and women, past and present, you help make rambling possible – Thank you from Henry’s Ramblings.

The seat of my jeans dried out somewhat so we left Gary and the nice people at the Buffalo gas station and continued our trek north.

The goal for today was to get to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I had been through this area before and saw the signs for this attraction but had never taken the time to visit. The park is supposed to contain significant herds of bison (or buffalo if you prefer) as well as wild horses.

The first stop within the huge park area was at Painted Canyon. The temperature had climbed into the upper 80’s and the air conditioning of the visitors center felt pretty good.

These pictures don’t come close to capturing the essence of this part of the park. My poor camera skills with a cell phone (where I can’t see what I’m taking pics of) just didn’t do the job.

We left the Painted Canyon and passed through the tourist town of Medora (where we will spend the night) and entered what is known as the “South Loop” of the park. The visitor’s center at the south loop offered the opportunity to buy more stuff that I didn’t need as well as see the cabin known as “The Maltese Cabin”. This cabin was a hangout for Teddy Roosevelt and has been moved from it’s original location to near the visitor’s center. For me, a history buff, it was nice to see but this National Park is experiencing the same massive numbers of tourists as other attractions. I’m glad people are discovering the beauty of this nation but why do they have to do it the same day I’m trying to see it?

On to the South Loop. We saw a large herd of antelope, a group of bison enjoying rolling in the dust, prairie dog town, and even a few of the wild horses. Unfortunately for those reading this blog, the images of the wildlife are captured on video. This poor little laptop that I travel with just doesn’t have the “horsepower” needed to deal with video. Once I get home I should be able to extract some good images.

Leaving the south loop, we returned to Medora and our home for the night, The Rough Rider Hotel. It is said to have been frequented by Teddy Roosevelt himself. It is a nice hotel and I’m sure Teddy appreciated the air conditioning as much as I do. Each room comes with it’s own Teddy Bear which you can take home with you for the low cost of $34.99. The Teddy in my room will remain in this room.

Part of our group headed out to “Steak Fondue” for dinner. Mason and I headed for Boots Bar and Grill. The food was good, the beer was cold, and Kate, our server / bartender took good care of us. This is a tourist town and the tourists were certainly everywhere. One of the nice things about Boots is that it is within walking distance of the Rough Rider Hotel. I’m a big fan of leaving the bike parked once the ride is completed for the day.

Tomorrow, we will try to explore the North Loop of Theodore Roosevelt National Park before heading back south to Sturgis. I’ll be traveling without the Teddy Bear.