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National Park Road Trip 2024National Park Road Trip 2024
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Myron and Diana exploring 4 of our National Parks. Read more
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  • 21days
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  • 16footprints
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  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 1

    09.01.2024 Sunday Rapid City, SD Day 1

    September 1, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Go West, they said. So we did.
    We left around 9:00 am. Our first stop was to see Dignity of Earth and Sky statue at the Chamberlain rest stop. She is gorgeous. Diana also learned there are three divisions of the Sioux tribe, Nakota, Dakota and Lakota.
    We stopped for a quick lunch at Al’s Oasis and shared a hot beef. Food was good. Hadn’t been here in years.
    Stopped in Wall Drug. It had also been a long time since we were here. Arrived in Rapid City and checked into the Comfort Inn and Suites. The best part of the day was meeting up with Randy and Vicki from our WC. We had dinner at the Dakotah Steakhouse. Great food and a great visit.
    That’s a wrap for Day 1.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 2

    09.02.2024 Monday Deadwood, SD Day 2

    September 2, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Happy anniversary to us. 24 years and counting!
    It’s very hot today. High of 99. After breakfast we checked out of our hotel and visited the Chapel in the Hill. It is a replica of Borgund Stave Church in Norway, a 12th-century church of wooden boards & steep gables. It was built in 1969. Very cool, Diana hadn’t been here for years and Myron had never seen it. Of course, we bought a nativity set. Also 3 little trees that are made out of the roof shingles.
    We are playing tourist of the Black Hills today. We made a brief stop in Keystone and then onto Mt Rushmore. We then meandered over to Crazy Horse Monument. (Myron had never been)
    We stopped for lunch at Hill City and to look around a few of the stores.
    We continued to venture north to Deadwood where we stayed at the Hampton Inn connected to the Tin Lizzie Casino.
    We perused down Main Street, hit a few casinos. Myron is a winner, Diana not so much.
    Diana participated in the Wild Bill Hickok poker game at Saloon #10. Fun!
    Grabbed some appetizers for dinner then back to the hotel.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 3

    09.03.2024 Tuesday Day 3 Medora, ND

    September 3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    It’s going to be another hot one. 95 today.
    Today we left Deadwood and headed to Belle Fourche, SD. Their claim to fame is the Geographic Center of the Nation Monument. It is the center of the nation because the admission of Alaska and Hawaii to the United States moved the location of the official center of the nation. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous U.S. states is Lebanon, Kansas.
    We continue on to Medora, ND. Medora host two things, the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Medora Musical.
    There is a lot of open ranch land from Deadwood to Medora but we managed to se a few herds of antelopes, a few turkeys, lots of oil wells and a massive oil refinery. The Medora Musical is good old-fashioned family fun with thrilling variety acts, live horses on stage, a firework finale, and new twists each summer. All while celebrating the history of Medora, Teddy Roosevelt, and the historic American West with music from country to disco.
    Before the musical we have a Pitchfork Steak Fondue dinner. The food was delicious and the views incredible.
    It was a great night and beautiful weather.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 4

    09.04.2024 Wed Day 4 T R Nat’l Park

    September 4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    We are staying in Medora again tonight because our plan today is to explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s cooler today with a high of 82… smoky from the Canadian wild fires. Diana cannot stop sneezing. So some of the pictures are kind of hazy.
    Theodore Roosevelt National Park is an American national park of the badlands in western North Dakota comprising three geographically separated areas. Honoring U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it is the only American national park named directly after a single person.
    We explored the South Unit of the park is the largest and most diverse. You enter the park right from Medora.
    We also stopped at the Painted Canyon which is part of the park but is situated about 10 miles from Medora.
    We saw a few bison, a couple of hawks, prairie dogs and a few wild horses.
    After lunch we visited the ND Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum. Established in 1995, the hall of fame endeavors to preserve and uphold the historic and modern western lifestyle throughout the state as it pertains to Native Americans, rodeo, and ranching. It was very cool.
    A quiet evening tonight as we are staying in.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 5

    09.05.2024 Thursday Day 5 Lewistown, MT

    September 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    Following a great two days in Medora we are headed to Lewistown, MT but first we detour to the Little Big Horn Battlefield Monument.
    Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument preserves the site of the June 25 and 26, 1876, Battle of the Little Bighorn, near Crow Agency, Montana, in the United States.
    The Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought along the ridges, steep bluffs, and ravines of the Little Bighorn River, in south-central Montana on June 25-26, 1876. The combatants were warriors of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes, battling men of the 7th Regiment of the US Cavalry, along with their Crow, and Arikara scouts. The Battle of the Little Bighorn has come to symbolize the clash of two vastly dissimilar cultures: the buffalo/horse culture of the northern plains tribes, and the highly industrial based culture of the United States.
    In 1868, after fierce fighting from 1865-1867 between U.S. Army personnel and Lakota and Cheyenne warriors, several Lakota leaders agreed to sign the Treaty of Fort Laramie. This treaty created a large reservation for the Lakota in the western half of present-day South Dakota; the Lakota's beloved Black Hills area. The United States wanted tribes to give up their nomadic life.
    However, Lakota leaders such as Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse rejected the reservation system. Likewise, many roving bands of hunters and warriors did not sign the 1868 treaty. They felt no obligation to conform to its restrictions, or to limit their hunting to the unceded hunting land assigned by the treaty. Their forays off the set aside lands brought them into conflict with settlers and enemy tribes outside the treaty boundaries.
    Fascinating site to visit.
    Tonight we are heading to the Mexican Restaurant El Ranchi Alegre.
    Back to the historic Calvert Hotel where we are staying to watch Diana’ s Chiefs.
    It was a great drive today. There was a lot of beautiful landscape to see.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 6

    09.06.2024 Friday Day 6 St Mary MT

    September 6, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 50 °F

    80 degrees today. We left Lewistown and headed for St Mary, MT which is the East entrance to Glacier National Park.
    What a beautiful place. We drove up to the Many Glaciers entrance . Took some fun photos of Wild Goose Island. Myron is pretty sure he can make me an instagram star.
    What an amazing place to visit. We did part of the Into the sun road. We are staying at St Mary Village and have a nice little cabin.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 7

    09.07.2024 Saturday Day 7 Whitefish, MT

    September 7, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    We left our cozy cabin at St Mary Village around 8:45 this morning. We started our journey by entering the Park at the Going in-to-the Sun Road. You did not need a vehicle registration to enter the park at St. Mary at least for 2024. Our best purchase was the America the Beautiful Pass. Lifetime admission for seniors is $80 which we bought a few years ago. We have used it a lot.
    There was so much to see today. Mountains, lakes, creeks, waterfalls. McDonald Lake definitely lived up to its reputation. The colored rocks and views were amazing.
    We stopped for lunch at Eddie’s Cafe and shared a bacon chicken wrap with chips. Diana really enjoyed her Moose Drool beer.
    Our final destination is Whitefish MT where we will spend two nights in a condo. It is gorgeous.
    Tonight we are at the Bulldog Saloon for supper and watching some college football.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    Day 8

    09.08.2024 Sunday Day 8 Whitefish, MT

    September 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F

    Today we are not touring anything. It is a down day. We had breakfast at the Buffalo Cafe and then watched football for awhile at the Bulldog Saloon. Diana browsed through some of the shops and found a few gems to purchase.
    Early dinner at Abruzzo, an Italian Restaurant that came highly recommended. We shared a Caesar salad and lasagna. Very good but we didn’t finish the salad or entree.
    Back to the condo for the rest of the afternoon.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    2
    Day 9

    09.09.2024 Monday Day 9 Livingston, MT

    September 9, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    This morning we said goodbye to our wonderful condo in Whitefish, MT. What a great place to visit. We were about 30 miles from the West Glacier park entrance. Whitefish is an artsy kind of town with many boutiques and eateries.
    It is very smoky this morning due to wildfires so again our timing is impeccable to be leaving the area.

    We stopped for lunch at a local place called Homestake Pub. Not very big but busy! Diana had a butter burger and it was one of the best burgers she’s had in a long time. Myron had fried shrimp.
    After lunch while leaving Butte we saw this statue high up on a hill. Upon investigating and thanks to Google it is
    Our Lady of the Rockies which is a 90-foot (27 m) statue built in the likeness of Mary, the mother of Jesus, that stands atop the Continental Divide overlooking Butte. It is the fourth-tallest statue in the United States after Birth of the New World, the Statue of Liberty, and the Pegasus and Dragon. The base is 8,510 feet above sea level and 3,500 feet above the town. The statue sits on private land and is lit and visible at night. Picture is a little hazy due to the smoke.
    Really pretty drive as we left Butte and again crossed the Continental Divide.

    We chose Livingston for our stay tonight as we want to enter Yellowstone National Park from the north to see the northern loop and the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. Gardiner is closer to the entrance but fully booked. Livingston is a cute town with lots of boutiques and restaurants. There are quite a few buildings with the old neon signs. Very cool.
    We are staying at the Murray Hotel. The Murray Hotel is an authentic western hotel restored to its role as the premiere lodging in Livingston. The Murray occupies 4 floors with 30 room or suites that are tastefully furnished with attention to modern comfort and the hotel's historic legacy. They still use the original Otis elevator from 1904.
    We had dinner tonight at the Fainting Goat. We shared a whiskey glazed salmon with roasted potatoes and mixed peas. It was very good. We ordered a bottle of wine and took the test back to our room.
    Livingston is about an hour from the park entrance. We are told there is more wildlife in the north so we hope to see bear or maybe even a moose sighting. Guess we will find out tomorrow. Our weather continues to hold with sunny warm days in the 80s and cool nights in the 50s. We hear that might change by Thursday.    Read more

  • TravelerNational Park Road Trip 2024
    1
    Day 10

    09.10.2024 Tuesday Day 10 Yellowstone NP

    September 10, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    We had a great breakfast at the 49ers Diner and then hit the road. It’s 51 miles from Livingston to the North Entrance of Yellowstone. We followed Yellowstone River where many people were fishing for trout. The rapids were nice.
    High of 78 today and sunny skies.
    We stopped at Calcite Springs. Beautiful stop. Our next stop was Tower Falls and Tower Creek. Loved the rock formations.
    Myron saw a herd of about 20 moose but by the time we parked and walked back Diana only saw 1 1/2 as they headed behind the trees so no pictures. We saw a buffalo grazing. No other wildlife spotted all day
    We drove up to Mount Washburn lookout, elevation of 10,243 feet. Quite the views.
    We ventured to The Norris Basin area and saw Emerald Basin and Steamboat Geyser. Stopped to take in the views at Elkhorn Meadows where the elk may migrate to later today.
    We checked into the Holiday Inn at West Yellowstone. Walked down the street to the Grizzly Bar where they serve Czechmate Pilsner. Good beer. We went next door to Three Bear Restaurant. We shared a prime rib dinner.
    Back to the room. We are tired.    Read more

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