Day 38 – July 20, 2015 – Medora ND – 38 miles

Day 38 – July 20, 2015 – Medora ND – O Day – 38 mile in Theodore Roosevelt NP

Bumble Bee – Audrey:

Today was our day off but it was a special day. No rest for the weary, we decided to pack a lunch and head out to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park which had a scenic 36 mile loop. We thought, cool we could do that no problem, no bags should make it a lot easier. Well we where in for a surprise and probably a little more than we bargained for. It was a 5 hr day with about 2400 Ft of climbing with grades often over 7-8 % and it was about 90 degrees all day. We got off our bikes to walk up many of those hills, and we almost ran out of water. Just before the turnaround heading back to Medora both Gregg and I ran out of water. We went into an old ranch house area that was populated with tents and conservation corps vehicles but no one to be found. I saw a sign saying “Drinking Fountain” beside an old barn. We filled our bottles with the stuff and it tasted like an old decaying garden hose. It was terrible. I dropped a electrolyte “bomb”, the name I give the tablets you put in your water bottles for minerals, salts, and everything you need to stay hydrated. I could survive the 7 miles we had left. Gregg was not to happy so we stopped at the Campsite just down the road, they too had a “potable water” spigot that he filled his with, and it was equally horrible but if we must we must. On trips like these you find yourself less and less picky about water – if it is cool coming out of a clean sources – its fine!

But that wasn’t our biggest drama on out little adventure into the park. We passed hundred’s of acres of Prairie Dog towns. They were pretty fun to watch as they shouted, or shall I say squeaked, at each other as we rode by. “Be Aware Be Aware” they were saying. “Strange things of 2 wheels with no motor approaching” the said. For that matter all the animals that we pass on the road react to us. They really don’t know what to make of us. Cows are very curious, the little calfs usually run away or to their mothers, but most of the herd just stares at us. You see their heads move in the direction of our riding. They must think “what strange looking cows!”. Horses do the exact same thing, every one stops what they are doing, eating, peeing, lounging, to pay full attention to us. We are special in the animal world because for a moment I really think they think we are one of them. Funny.

Well, the same sort of thing happened to us with slightly larger and probably more dangerous beasts, the magnificent Dakota bison. These creatures are truly prehistoric looking. They are large and proud, and the males make a loud snorting or grunting sound that is a mix between an Elk bull and a lion. Pretty amazing.

The first herd we say was about 500 yards away, grazing and doing one of their favorite things, rolling in the dirt. The mothers were nursing their calfs and the bulls were keeping a careful watch over things. As we continued we noticed a few lone males that were probably asked politely, or not so politely, by the dominant bulls to take a hike while the rut, or mating season, was happening. These lone bulls seemed to me truly lonely. As I took some scenic pictures I saw a silhouette of a very majestic looking bull grazing on the butte 500 yards away, suddenly he cried out, to my surprise another lone bull only about 200 ft behind me called back to him. They were communicating their loss and loneliness across the badland buttes, a beautiful but disconcerting moment for me since the one bull was so close.

A few more hills and we came upon a resting herd not 50 ft from us on the bluff overlooking the road. Amazing to see these creatures so close. It was told to us that is was safe to ride your bike in the park but when you came upon a herd crossing the road, use a vehicle to ride interference for you. Well, we waited as we watched a calf play chicken with one vehicle. It finally gave up as its mother came down the bluff to discipline it. So we flagged down the next vehicle coming down the hill, a 30 FT Winnebago, perfect. We slowly made our way down the hill, but what we didn’t notice is that the herd had decided that it was time to move, mothers with calfs first, and then some young males. The grass was definitely greener on the other side of the road. Well, just as this was happening we where smack in the middle of their path. The RV had to slow and then come to a complete stop waiting for the bison the pass. Suddenly we were surrounded by buffalo. Gregg kept saying “keep calm don’t show fear or don’t startle them”. Well, by this time the bigger bulls were on the move down the bluff directly towards us. I kept thinking what should we do if one of these guys didn’t like the way we smell. They too looked at us like we were some kind of strange buffalo, just like those cows. I really didn’t want them to get any closer. As this was happening, I kept saying to myself – take out your camera – this is real drama!! But no way. I said, “Gregg we have to turn back” it was getting far to dicey. So we jumped on our bikes and road back. We let the cars, and trucks, and RVs take care of clearing the road.

The animals had their way. They blocked the road for a good 30 mins until the last bull crossed the road. We watched from a distance, happy not to be down there any more. We’ve had our share of wild animal encounters, especially the African elephant bulls. We observe and respect these animals, they deserve to do what the liked and to have the space to do it. This, and the handful of other parks and sanctuaries, are just a small token to right the terrible wrong we did to these animals as we slaughtered them within an inch of extinction.

The park was absolutely beautiful and well worth a day extra in Medora, but that was not all we did, we treated ourselves to the Medora Musical. As far back as Columbus MT we heard about this special event. It was staged every night in a spectacular amphitheater nestled in the bluff above Medora. People come from far and wide to experience this show. We knew that it may be pretty silly and of a culture we are not really part of. It was not as sophisticated as “Prairie Home Companion”, actually it was nothing like that at all. It was a western song and dance show with very nice sets, and pretty talented performers. It was truly and All American show. Lots of red white and blue and even some fireworks! Lots of songs about Dakota – its cowboys, and the prairie. Of course there was a big tribute to Teddy Roosevelt. It was pretty much what I expected. The average age of the audience members was about 60. Everyone had a good time.

In the end, I needed a stiff drink after the show so we stopped at the Little Missouri bar. We walked into an empty bar but within minutes it filled with all the performers we had just seen on stage. The place became quite animated as the the star of the show “The Queen of the West”, the MC and all the dancers, were having their “time to wind down” drinks. One performer told me that this was their 50th performance straight without a break! The dancers were tired. And so were we. We slept soundly in our little Wooly Wagon after our hard ride, lots of drama both on the road and on the stage. We enjoyed Medora.

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Gregg ~ Bear:
I am almost an old man. Yet, after a month of this ride, I feel like a young man until the end of the day. But when we finally settle down on a place to stay, set up the tent or check in, I want my nap. I am still what I consider a fat man, but not a very fat man anymore. In fact looking at so many of the men and women of the areas we have passed through, I am practically svelte. I have lost pounds and inches as one would expect. My body must be looking younger all the time I tell myself. Strangely enough, it seems my biceps are getting bigger but not my legs. One of my goals for this trip was to not only reset my psychological well being, but to reset my physical health as well. As an almost old man, I want my creature comforts in a way I would not have as a young man. When I was a young man, I never stayed in hotels. As I got older and into middle age, a hotel every 5 or 6 nights was the rule. In recent years, I’ve done entire trips with all nights in a hotel and no camping gear. We are having it both ways, we are carrying a very elaborate and full camping set up weighing who knows how many pounds, but staying in hotels (or Wooly Wagons) more often than camping. Let’s just say we travel in the style as somewhat older couple should.

The type of thinking one does riding these kinds of distances through different environments as well as climbing, cruising on a flat road, descending at high speed as well as all the variation to those modes caused by the wind differ. Most the time my mind just wanders to one memory or feeling to another seemingly with out reason. When descending, things are happening to fast to think about much else but not riding off the road and dodging broken retreads and rubber cords with steel ‘S’ hooks. On flats with a tail wind, the vibe for me is so good I just look around and enjoy the scenery as if I were stoned on happy weed. Slogging against a head wind slows me down and sends my face down to look at the road so that my mind has fewer distractions from scenery or survival. Climbing a hill, however, seems to be the best time to think serious thoughts. This is not to say I look forward to hills. After all I’m a big guy (overweight) with a big load on my bike (could be as much as 70 pounds plus the bike). Nevertheless, hills must be done. That is where my best, and it would seem, only real thinking takes place.