Vehicle and self maintenance

What I thought was going to be a boring maintenance day ended up becoming one of my favorite days of the trip so far.

Last night I pushed a little farther west than originally planned. My van rolled over 40,000 miles, which meant it was time for an oil change, tire rotation, and a general check-up before heading deeper into the trip. I had hoped to find a local shop somewhere in Minnesota, but most of the smaller places couldn't get me in on short notice. That meant driving a couple of extra hours to a larger town where I could get an early morning appointment at one of the chain service centers.

I parked at Walmart for the night, rolled out of bed in the morning, and handed over the keys. While the van was getting some much-needed attention, I took care of myself too. I hit the gym for an upper-body workout and some cardio, deliberately avoiding leg day because I know there are some incredible hikes coming up and I'd rather not be wobbling my way through them. I also enjoyed some red light therapy, a massage, and one of those long showers that somehow feels extra luxurious when you've been living out of a vehicle.

With the van happy and the water tanks refilled, it was finally time for the five-hour push to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

One thing I've been surprised by on this trip is how much easier the driving has felt than I expected. When I planned everything, I assumed I'd get tired of long driving days and want frequent stops. Instead, a lot of these roads have been beautiful two-lane country highways rather than endless interstate miles. I've been making much better time than expected and actually enjoying the drive.

As I got closer to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the landscape started changing. Then I got my first real glimpse of the badlands.

I immediately turned off my audiobook.

I couldn't focus on it anymore.

Instead, I just kept saying things like, "Wow," and "Oh my God," to absolutely nobody.

Because of the time change, I actually arrived earlier than expected and reached the park around 5:00 PM. That gave me enough time to drive the South Unit Scenic Loop before sunset, and I'm so glad it did.

I don't really have enough words for how beautiful this place is.

Every few minutes I was pulling into another overlook because each one seemed to reveal an entirely different landscape. Massive rock formations, colorful layers of badlands, rolling prairie, pockets of trees—there's so much variety packed into one area that it never stops feeling new.

Of course, I spent most of the drive watching for wildlife.

The park delivered.

I saw several bison, a herd of wild horses, and more prairie dogs than I thought could possibly exist in one place. At one point, a large wild horse was standing right in the middle of the road. I slowed to a stop and just watched him graze. No temptation to honk. No desire to rush him along. I'm the visitor here. He's home.

And he was a big boy.

The prairie dogs were hilarious. There were thousands of them. Seriously, enough that it felt less like a wildlife sighting and more like an infestation. Apparently they're named prairie "dogs" because their calls sound like barking. I don't hear it. To me they sound much more like tiny birds chirping. I've got a video, and you can judge for yourself.

I eventually made my way up to one of the highest overlooks in the park before ending the evening at Painted Canyon. As the sun started setting, I wandered out onto a rocky outcrop, found a comfortable spot to sit, and simply watched the light change across the landscape.

No music.

No audiobook.

No distractions.

Just one of those rare moments where everything feels quiet and exactly right.

What's funny is that today wasn't supposed to be about exploring. It was supposed to be the practical day. The maintenance day. The day where I took care of errands and made progress toward the next destination.

Instead, it became one of the most memorable days of the trip.

Tomorrow will be a much busier day with actual hiking and exploring, and my original plan was to leave tomorrow evening and start making my way toward the next stop.

Now?

I'm not so sure.

This place is incredible.

I may end up staying an extra half day just to squeeze in one more morning here because right now, the biggest problem I have is that I don't want to leave.

I absolutely love it here.

One final little adventure before calling it a night: I found a dispersed camping spot about a mile and a half off the highway and decided it was too good to pass up. Getting here was an adventure of its own. The dirt road was rough, full of ruts and potholes, and required a lot more patience than speed. Not going to lie—it was equal parts creepy and exciting. There's something about slowly bouncing down an isolated dirt road toward a place you've never been before that makes you wonder if you're making a great decision or a terrible one.

Thankfully, it turned out to be a great one.

So tonight marks my first true wilderness overnight of the trip. No parking lots, no nearby businesses, no traffic noise. Just me, the van, and a whole lot of open space. Right now I'm sitting here with my little USB lights glowing, winding down for the evening and getting ready for an early start tomorrow.

It's quiet.

It's peaceful.

And after a day that was supposed to be all oil changes, tire rotations, and errands, ending it out here under the North Dakota sky feels pretty perfect.Read more