Tonelli's Travels

Last week we arrived at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ready to hike, only to find a defect in my RV. Not even a week old and the refrigerator was already falling out of its cubby! After lots of desperate phone calls to Winnebago dealers (the closest 180 miles away!) with no appointments available and lots of tears, we were able to find a local RV repair shop about 30 miles away willing to try and help. Luckily Winnebago approved the independent dealer to work on my vehicle and we set off the next morning to Kuntz RV in Dickinson, ND. Willie and his team were extremely helpful and kind. They set to work immediately reinforcing the wood under the fridge, screwing the unit back in with longer screws, and cutting a board to brace the appliance along the floor. I will forever be indebted to them for their speedy work and attention to detail. If you are ever out here and need RV repairs, I highly recommend Kuntz RV.

Feeling relieved our trip wasn’t completely derailed, we headed back down the highway to the park for an afternoon hike. We traveled down the loop to Peaceful Valley Ranch. We filled out water bottles, slathered on sunscreen, and laced up our boots to hit the trail.

About half a mile in we came to the Little Missouri River, with the trail continuing on the far bank. Always up for an adventure, we took off our shoes and socks to wade across in the warm, shallow water. It felt nice to rinse off our feet.

On the far side, we picked up the trail and continued across the grasslands. Soon we came to a prairie dog town that stretched on in all directions. Little dirt mounds with holes in the center dotted the grasslands, sometimes coming up right on the edge of the trail. Prairie dogs waddled and scurried from mound to mound, watching us from just above the tunnel, seeing if we were friend or foe. They squeaked their warning calls with their trails rapidly beating back and forth. Sometimes, to make sure they got volume and power behind their alarm, they stood on hind legs and arched their backs. Those prairie dogs who weren’t worried about us, grazed in the grasses, picking up little treats to nibble on with their paws. We encountered communities like this at nearly every flat area along our hike! They were adorable to admire from afar, but we made sure not to get too close. The fleas that hitch a ride on prairie dogs can carry diseases like the bubonic plague! So, best to leave the wild animals wild.

On we went, across plateaus with gorgeous views of mountains and domes created over decades and centuries from erosion. It is amazing to think how powerful Mother Nature is. Each day the earth and landscape are changing, yet we barely notice it. It’ll be interesting to look back at photos years from now to see if there are any noticeable changes.

Nearing the end of our 5 mile hike, hot, tired and happy, we rounded the corner to recross the river only to be confronted with a large bison herd! First in line, I immediately stopped, signaled to my parents to do the same and whispered, “Bison!” We were about 25 yards away, the recommended distance, but not much farther. The herd began to migrate towards us. Heart beating, we climbed up the embankment nearest us to get out of the way and reach a little bit of safety. Did you know bison can run at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour?!

Good thing we climbed up, because the herd kept advancing with the bulls huffing and grunting as they passed. Soon the group took off, running into the distance, kicking up dust cloud as they went. Their power and grander were an inspiring sight to see. And of course, it was only amazing because we safe during and after the experience.

We tried to climbed down a few times to head back, but were soon up on the hill again as several groups of stragglers passed through. When it was finally clear, we trekked down to the river, following the hoof prints left behind by the buffalo. It appears they were having an afternoon drink of water.

We crossed the river, this time in our shoes, and headed back to the car. A day that started out difficult turned out to be quite spectacular. A good reminder that you never know what is ahead. Some positive energy can be rewarded.

The next day we got started early and drove the 7 mile dirt road in my (now safe and secure) Solis to the petrified forest section of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This part of the park was once a swamp like the Everglades, full of animal and plant life. As the geology changed, the area dried up and the trees turned to “stone.” Striped in white, yellows, oranges, and reds, petrified logs and stumps line the trails, some as tall as me! We wandered in and around the structures, trying to stay on the trail to protect the environment. Eventually we made it back to the car for a snack and headed back to the main section of the park.

We drove further around the park loop road, enjoying the scenery of untouched land, and stopped at the Jones Creek Trailhead for another hike. No sooner had we gone 50 yards down the trail did we come across a large bison laying smack dab in the middle of the trail. Of course, I was leading us again and my heart skipped a few beats. The bison was facing away from us, so we slowly backed up and tried to go around the other side of the dome in front of us before it noticed. However, we were about to round the edge of the dome to rejoin the trail when another bison was peeking its ahead out. I stopped dead in my tracks and backed up, all the while this bison was staring me down! Luckily it wasn’t alarmed and we were able to move away to safety. We went way around, into the brush to bushwhack to the path farther down the trail. As we did so, we realized the two bison friends were saw were acting as guards for the herd of about 10 bison on the far side of the dome. They certainly owned that territory for that day!

We continued our hike safely, through more prairie dog towns and grasslands, along the dry creek bed. We climbed to a few vistas and were greeted by views of yellow, red, and gray stripped hillsides. We meandered in the creek bed on our way back to the car, always vigilant. When we reached the start about an hour later, the bison were still guarding the trail! So, of course, we gave them a very wide berth and bushwhacked back to the car. The one bison on guard duty watched us carefully from his post. Back at the car, we revealed in the excitement of bison sightings two days in a row and exchanged words of gratitude for being safe.

Happy, hot, and tired, we headed back to town for some cool sweet ice cream. A buffalo herd crossing the road delayed our trip a little, especially the one who decided to stand in the middle of the road for a while, but we eventually made it to the shoppe! Homemade huckleberry and juneberry ice cream was exactly the right way to end another day at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

This park was definitely worth the visit. It is the only park named after a president, a way to honor President Roosevelt for helping to create five national parks. He created more national parks than any other president in the history of our nation. Theodore Roosevelt was inspired to contribute to the preservation of nature after his time attempting (and failing) to be a cattle rancher in North Dakota. There is a separate part of the part where his homestead is preserved. President Roosevelt is quoted as having contributing his ability to earn the presidency to his time in the wilderness.

For the rest of the day, we relaxed at the campground and planned out the next section of our trip. We are headed to Glacier National Park in Montana next!