"Travel makes one modest. You see what a small place you occupy in the world."
Fern and I had no idea we were in for such a treat when we left Dickinson, ND. We stopped at a cute coffee shop called The Brew House on our way out of town, which was a church converted to a coffee shop. The coffee was delicious, and the stained glass windows were beautiful. I sat for a while, planned our next stopping point, and reserved a campground. We were headed 360 miles away to Columbus, Montana.
About 30 miles down Interstate 94, the scenery began to change. Several people had told me about Medora and the Badlands. I was told they were a must-see. We went to the south entrance of Theodore National Park, just off Interstate 94.
“I knew I wanted to see the badlands for sure, but I was in no way prepared for how breathtaking they were."
The pictures don't begin to capture the vastness of this natural wonder. These rocky formations are millions of years old and form canyons, ravines, and gullies that are stunning, unlike anything I have seen before. If you're lucky, you might find fossils from animals like a saber, tooth cat, rhinoceroses, and marine reptiles on a hike. I was overwhelmed with the urge to share it with someone, so I Facetimed my son and friend in Minnesota.
Just a few miles down the road was Medora. It is a little town oozing with western charm. It is located within the badlands and is the gateway to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
This was the first big natural wonder I saw on my trip, and from that moment, I was hungry to see everything possible that would give me this feeling. The feeling of having all of my senses so heightened that I felt dizzy. I was so grateful to be there at that moment to witness it.
“This was the moment I knew I had made the right decision to take this trip. This was the beginning of my heart breaking open and becoming brave."
We ended our day in Columbus at the Mountain Range RV Park just in time for a beautiful Montana sunset.
Fern and I took a break from each other. We love each other, but even the best relationships need a little space! I explored, saw the sunset, and grabbed some incredible pizza.
It was a big, beautiful day! I am again so grateful to be on this journey.
Stay Wild 🌿
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Love your blog! Can't wait for the next installment.