Home on the Range

Two bull elk and a mule deer on the National Forest elk-pictures.com

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo elk roam. And the deer and the antelope cattle play take their time crossing in front of your pick-up.  Maybe not the lyrics Brewster Higley intended but they serve the purpose for the latest version of the North Dakota trip.  Two nights in Medora are restful and peaceful, the town is proud of Teddy Roosevelt; a nightly flag lowering in honor of the United States, North Dakota, and Teddy’s Rough Riders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rough_Riders) silence the town in respect.  The shops sell the same souvenirs you see in most tourist traps.  But it is friendly and the views are wonderful.

The auditors take in the sights and the landscape when they noticed some cow elk grazing approximately 75 yards away.  After hiking around on a few trails a small herd of bull elk are noticed, even some large 6x6 elk are found in the National Forest.  Rex looks around for a no-hunting sign, but David quickly puts the brakes on any ideas he might have of elk steaks for dinner.

After hitting the sack early, the next morning brings two compressor stations and the Baker Plant.  Leaving North Dakota and heading to Montana is bittersweet, as they know they are one day closer to home and family, but will miss time spent in the Roughrider state.

As Mark and Richard drive to a compressor station, they realize life is a little slower in this part of the state.  The cows don’t care about their schedule, so they take their time crossing the path. 

Baker brings new work and a pizza lunch with the employees.  A pizza from Baker, MT that could rival Hideaway any day.  Jalapenos, sour kraut, mushrooms, olives, cheese, three different meats with red sauce sounds odd but tastes great.

After tours, research, Richard washing the pool pick-up the RV is back on the road heading to Hardin, MT near the reenactment of the Battle of Little Bighorn (http://www.nps.gov/libi/index.htm).     

Tonight’s menu consists of grilled chicken fajita salad with guacamole, grilled corn on the cob, and campfire pies.  This satisfying meal was topped off with ice cream and chocolate syrup served at the KOA campground.  The ice cream was provided by the local chapter of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, a group the auditors did not have much knowledge of beforehand but for whom they now have a great admiration for. 

They sit, relax and reflect on the weeks’ worth of site reviews, campfires, meals and miles driven.  Not many words are spoken as their eyes are getting heavy. 

A great appreciation is earned for their brothers and sisters up north.  The amount of heavy lifting to keep operations running smoothly while dealing with the conditions of everyday life is to be admired.