Way before breakfast – the night auditor still at the front desk of the lodge. Way before many guests were moving around the quiet and secluded hotel. We headed out of the park. We saw a fox and a few deer on the road. We kept it under 10 mph on the gravel road, and we really couldn’t see much of GNP as we left.
I had arranged for Bubbish (the lovely nana name she has come to be known as – a possessive derivation of Bubbe, Yiddish for nana) – I had arranged for Bubbish to fly to Dallas/Fort Worth to see our son, his lovely and very pregnant wife, and the two grandkids.
After leaving GNP, I yielded the wheel to her and I slept till we exited for the airport … about 90 minutes out of the park. I then prayed with her, turned east and headed to North Dakota.
It was my plan to hit at least two more national parks, maybe more.
Montana and North Dakota were crazy. Shutting down the highways for construction and only having one lane open to a lead car. This added lots more to the travel time.
I did not stop except for gas, and well, bodily essentials.
And at 4:25, I made it to the gate of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Southern Park gate. Though open 24 hours, the visitors center closes at 5p (according to the website) so I felt like IU was okay – I could get my magnate and destination Tee. But, ignoring the website, the store had a 4:30pm close time on the door. They were just emptying out the store but I pleaded, begged, maybe even cried a little – asking for 90 seconds to get the items. I explained I left GNP before sunrise and this was the fastest I could get there with all the construction.
Dang that last stop due to drinking too many Celsius may have been my downfall.
They had mercy … they didn’t smile much … but they had mercy. I grabbed and paid cash.
Whew.
I then circled the park – hiked a wonderful short nature trail – talked to the prairie dogs – and watched the sunset – and still got out in a decent time frame.
It was much like Badlands NP. Similar landscape, lots of prairie dogs, and not a lot of visitors. I am glad I made it and I can scratch another park off my bucket list.
Yes, every park deserves days to explore. But sometimes, it is the wideness of our exploration, not our depth.
My wife – well, her first leg of her journey took her to Salt Lake Airport, but delays kept her there for hours. I think she made it to DFW a bit after midnight. I felt so bad, but on Saturday morning, it was all worth it as those grandkids woke to her dotting on them
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Me? I spent the night hours driving the rest of North Dakota and Minnesota and some of Illinois. Next stop … Sand Dunes of Indiana.
Muddy Shoes by Todd 
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