Good People, Badlands…
Explore it. Adore it. Medora, ND
Our calendar as of late has looked awful busy.. It’s been simultaneously exciting and draining. We had a blast on the Keweenaw Peninsula (maybe that will be another blog post.. who knows.), we had the chance to connect and meet with many wonderful people in the Two Harbors Studio and more recently (as you might have noticed from the abundance of Bison pictures..) we toured the North Dakota Badlands, specifically Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Oof da, yo. There were times I couldn’t even take it.
My man captured some amazing photos, as did our photog friends we were with on this trip. But for real. There is nothing, I mean NOTHING like being there in person.
From looking out over the incredible formations of rocks and sand and grass and some kinda magic, to being 10ft away from a real live Bison, to watching Wild Horses gently graze through the pasture, even prairie dogs wiggling and watching the world – Wow for incredible.
The most striking moment for me was the first morning we were there, I got up and out early enough to see the sunrise with the photogs. Walking around in those Wee Small Hours, being able to see for miles, it was the silence, the stillness that was so impressive. No one else was there, no traffic sounds, no other voices, not even the water sounds we on the North Shore are so used to. Nothingness. It was so peaceful, so quiet, it was almost deafening. I couldn’t help but be struck with awe, but also joy. You wanted to fall to your knees and cry while also shouting from the top of your lungs at the incredible, awesome, world we live in!
And then it hit me, this needs to be normal for us. This state of inexplicable captivation at creation. What a world we live in! Every moment should be shock and awe, every breath is a wonder. How did we get so lucky to live on such a planet? Whether we’re in the Badlands, on the North Shore of Lake Superior, Sitting at a Café in Malmö, driving through miles of farmland, or sitting in traffic on 35W – Wow for an awesome place to live, right?!
With today’s technology we don’t even have to get off our couch to get to see the wonders of the world. Though I highly recommend getting off said couch (when it’s safe for you) and adventuring into the wide-open spaces. There is nothing like it. Theodore Roosevelt Park, is a great one to just drive through, there is so much to see without ever leaving the vehicle (just watch out for the wildlife-they like to use the roads too). Roll down the window and breathe that amazing air, but go for the drive, it is so so worth it!
We were fortunate enough to explore these Badlands with some really great humans. Our friend John Gregor (of Coldsnap Photography), our friends Bill and Joyce, and new friend Tim. It was so much fun to drive around with Bill and Joyce, experiencing that amazing Park with great friends made it even better. They have been visiting that area for years, so hearing the stories and seeing the pictures, just made it all more exciting. Joyce, too, is a follower of her husband, ever the tri-pod carrier. It’s nice to know there is a club for us out there.. The camera clueless but beauty loving, we trek out with the Photog husband on whatever adventures his crazy heart desires. It was a great time.
If you’re looking for a place to stay, I highly recommend Rough Riders Hotel. The history! They have an incredible library, filled with books read by and written by T.R. along with many many historical books. It’s hard to not totally geek-out. I learned so much from just two days there, history of the area and of the great president himself. It was inspiring. It’s easy to see why he was so influenced by that area.
I hope everyone reading this gets a chance to find a new adventure that can reminds us to appreciate all this beautiful planet has to show us..
And while you’re driving through the badlands, remember to watch for the Bison. 😉
