Dan Will Travel
I'm Dan and I WILL Travel
Living in Seattle, it is hard to imagine covering 800 miles one way with nothing other than endless grass to see. Tons of tiny lakes, a few trees, but they were probably added by humans, as in the natural state it is treeless for the most part. Beautiful to see the vastness and emptiness, but hard to imagine in the winter. The wind is endless and ceaseless.
After Roosevelt National Park, I overnighted in Watford City. This seems to be ground zero for the Balkan oil fields. I have never seen so many pick up trucks! The hotel was loading up workers with giant duffle bags into buses to go off to some work site. Burly guys, just like you would expect for working oil fields, I guess. I also saw many depressing temporary housing enclaves, just sitting in weird areas outside of town. They reminded me of the “township” towns you see outside of South African cities. So, clearly the money is good, but the lifestyle has to be really depressing at times.
So, I took off to the north, aiming for Saskatchewan. Stopping for some photos and for a speeding ticket. Pretty good state to do it in if you want one. 10 miles over the limit = $20.00 and no points. Pretty much the same as a parking ticket in ND I guess.
Two days, 800 miles mostly 2 lane, some on gravel, and I got to Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies. Arriving to snowy rain and white trees everywhere!
A storage lot of temporary houses and front step assemblies I guess to the right?
Oil well along the road
Abandoned farm house far northern North Dakota.
The stove looks ready, don’t you think? Endless prairie behind it.
The refer may need some work?
hey, at least they had nice furniture!
My bumper after 1,400 miles of prairie. See the bug on the far left? He was number 5,000,000. He will get an award, but I am afraid it will have to be posthumounsly.
At the end of the 800 miles of one way prairie, here we are at one of the fine hotels in the world.
Lake Louise from my room. I did like the prairie, but this is pretty good too!
This is the more remote part of the complex. It is about 80 miles from Medora and 30 miles from the closest town, so it’s visitation is far less. This remoteness makes it a favorite of many visitors. The formations are probably a bit more stunning, and the ability to see how the terrain switches from rolling, endless prairie to deep gorges is really something. Unfortunately, my timing forced me to be there at mid-day which is not ideal for photography. But, I was able to get some decent shots to share here.
Vivid formations
View from River Bend Overlook, maybe the most famous view point of the entire park, either north or south units.
Also from River Bend view point
Little Missouri from River Bend. Do you want a geology lesson? Priors to the last ice age, this river flowed north into Canada and emptied into Hudson Bay. The Ice dammed its path and it took this sharp turn here and flows now eventually into the Gulf of Mexico.
One of a few solitary Bison I saw that day. It was pretty hot and he did not look comfortable.
This shot attempts to show you how the rolling, endless prairie rather immediately and abruptly changes into the badlands of the Little Missouri River.
I had to laugh. I am done with the park, and ready to exit having seen only 2 or 3 bison, and well, how about a trip to the visitor center instead? Looks like the exit is blocked for now. This stalemate went on for 10 minute’s or so until a brave ranger shooed the bison off the road.
The next morning, I was in the park before 6 am and saw much wildlife. But, I was surprised to see that the prairie dogs were not even up yet. Lazy dogs….
You can see I got many shots of bison, and a bison and a wild horse seemingly sharing the same territory very peacefully. And, the highlight, watching a herd of bison ford the Little Missouri river. So similar to watching elephants do that in Africa, but here in ND!
Wow, this reminded me of driving in Krueger Park in South Africa. Come around a bend and a very large animal is staring at you. And, remember, these guys are never in a good mood. He never moved. Just stared at me as I very slowing went by.
Shot quickly from an open car window. 10′ away.
Exotic erosion sculpture.
Flecks of iron everywhere.
Shot one of 3. Bison grazing peacefully below the road near a watering hole.
Scene 2 of 3. Wild horse approaching watering hole where bison looms.
Shot 3 of 3. What will happen as the invading horse moves in for a drink? Well, nothing. I guess they are Ok with each other.
Typical scenery in the park.
The bison herd starts across the Little Missouri river.
Mostly done, just two stragglers.