South Dakota, November 2010

South Dakota along its western boundary is very similar to the north with an interesting National Park area known as the "Black Hills of Dakota" and it's interesting history and characters.  Mt Rushmore with the Presidents' Carvings is in the Black Hills.

More prairie.

With some grazed by Merino sheep...

...and other areas for intensive cattle finishing.

There are restored tourist towns in the Black Hills such as Deadwood.  The town has a population of 1,100 people and 83 casinos.

Here a lone person (Kath) wants to leave town, waiting on the restored railway station, now the information centre.

This is a feature of the Black Hills located not far south of Rapid City.

A monument carved out of solid granite.

From left:- Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Lincoln

A couple of international visitors.  It was cold !

During carving, this picture gives a perspective of size.  The work was lagely done with explosives.

Washington from a different angle.

"Crazy Horse", work in progress.  When completed it will show him on his horse.

There was some interesting engineering around scenic roads.  It was not the intersection of two roads but the same road in a tight loop to gain altitude.

Also an interesting stone bridge over a water course.

Several short tunnels through granite rock were encountered.

He was unlikely to come to life but it would not be appropriate to sit closer to Abraham Lincoln.  Besides his hand was hard and cold, very cold.

A typical view from the Black Hills.

Where Elk abound.  Well, they can be seen.

A real surprize was in store.

The mamouth archeological museum at Hot Springs about an hour south of Mt Rushmore near the south end of the Black Hills.

The excavation was contained within a large building and is an ongoing excavation site of mamouth remains.

Back to the present livestock.  A mob of Red Angus cattle encountered as we left South Dakota for Wyoming on Highway 24.

North Dakota November 2010

North Dakota was mostly about Roosevelt National Park on the western boundary of the State.  It is however an interesting area and deserves further comment.  The northern part is all about oil, older wells and current drilling.

The landscape is similar to southern Saskatchewan, Canada.  Grain fields and long disused homesteads from a byegone era...





...and big agricultural machinery for modern large scale farming and ...

new oil wells.

After an hour or so we came upon the small village of Epping.  As often happened, the village populations were preparing to hibernate for the winter.  The museum was closed.

The wooden boardwalk had contributors?? names carved into each board.

Our car was the only one in the street and remained so.

There was however evidence of commercail activity spanning many years.

Yes over a very long period. We continued our journey noting one person burning some rubbish beside a "For Sale" sign in front of his house.

Now and again a major industry was evident as we travelled south.

And wildlife.  Here a herd of Pronghorns.

In Watford City (a small prairie town) this very interesting financial institution with modern premises.  It has survived all the fluctuations of the financial ups and downs of the prairies for over a century, claiming  no depositer has ever lost their money.

The view south from opposite the bank above.

Prosperity shows with agricultural machinery on the outskirts of "town".

Further south several paddocks of sunflower were seen and not yet harvested.

Perhaps this farmer is heading that way.

North Dakota was a very pleasant and diverse area to travel through, but don't look for for accommodation in the northern half as it was all taken by the oil men.

North Dakota Roosevelt NP 6-8 November 2010

The feature of North Dakota was about Roosevelt National Park which was relatively small surrounded by the Little Missouri National Grassland.  On the south boundary was the small town of Medora which has had an interesting history but its main claim to fame originates from a 24 year old French nobleman who managed to get his wealthy father in law to invest in ranching and meat processing delivering meat to the growing eastern seaboard cities.  It only lasted 3 years from 1883 until 1886.  During the same time Theodore Roosevelt, later to become US President in 1901, when on a hunting trip became enchanted by the area and invested in two Ranches, now in part they make up the National Park.  In 1962 an entrepreneur started restoration and modernization of the town of Medora. It is now a delightfully resored and funtional town.  A feature being the Rough Riders Hotel at which we stayed.  A large new wing has recently been commissioned.

In the park get welcomed by the Prairie Dog and his village.  Their effect on the grassland is not too different to rabbits except they tend to stay in close proximity to their "village" which can cover up to about a hectare.  They also have predators which keep them close to home.

A varied landscape.  Rocky hills, river valleys with deciduous trees, flat dry berms and easy rolling grasslands.  The whole region is a near desert with variable low rainfall.

In former ranching days river flats shown above were corral (stock yard) sites.

Larger mamals include Bison seen in this valley floor...

...and they do not always stay there.

Close up and personal, thanks to a telephoto lens

A variety of land forms giving rise to the term "Bad Lands" of Dakota.

Deep sandstone eroded by water and wind.

Rivers have worn down through valleys and created wide silt flats and terraces.

Also a few "Hoodoos" had formed.

An over view showing the complexity of the land which has enabled it to carry a diversity of species.

Including several small bands of feral horses.

Including some smart looking animals and one foal was seen.  The animals originated from horses that were released or escaped from Indians and settlers.

At dusk the rest of the animals appear.  White Tail deer.

Wild Turkey

We retired to the Rough Riders Hotel  in Medora for the night.  The hotel is named after a military troop formed by Roosevelt at the time of the Spanish war - Cuba late 1800's.

Next morning it was to the north section of the park (it is in two separate parts) about an hour distant.

We take a look around for a small group of Longhorn cattle and did come across them later in some trees by the river.

Spheres appear out of the eroded clays.  The area was labelled the "Cannon Balls".

A somewhat different "Hoodoo".

The "Oxbow overlook"  where the Little Missouri River has a maze of old water courses as it has eroded though the rock.

Two Big Horned sheep.  The find of the day we thought.  But wait.

A few minutes later a mob walk around a smal knoll and pose before crossing the road.

Including two large rams.

Wildlife happily together.

A while later we cought up with the mob again and this fellow...

...watching over his ewes.

Mule deer in the shadows beside the road.  Distinguised by the big ears and black tip to the tail seen here.

This photo journal of Roosevelt NP started with comment on the Frenchman, and it ends with this placque about his plant.  Some literature says he gave up after three years but it may have opperated a little longer.

All that remains of an optimistic venture.  However the magnificent Chateau de Mores,  the home of the Marquis is fully mainained and open to the public during the summer months.  It was closed during our visit.