Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Scenic Drive

 Another prairie dog.

The interior of the park showing the road I just came in on.

 Looking the other way.

Wild horses roam the park.  I was fortunate enough to see some.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Scenic Drive

I did not make it to the Northern or Elkhorn Ranch Units of the park.  The part I was at had a 36 mile scenic loop

Shortly after leaving the visitor center.  You can see the bridge the crosses the highway to the heart of the park.

One of the first stops on the scenic drive is a prairie dog town.

Something tasted good.

A prairie dog.  These little flowers were all over the place.

Looking around.

Keeping a look out.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Roosevelt's Lodge

In 1884, Theodore Roosevelt's mother died.  Eleven hours later his wife died in the same house just two days after their daughter was born.  To get away and recover, he moved to Medora, North Dakota and started a ranch. 

This is the cabin that he had constructed.  It was somewhat pretty extravagant.  It consisted of three rooms and a loft where the ranch hands stayed. 

This is the main room of the cabin and takes up roughly half the space in the cabin.  Many of the furnishings are original. 

The bedroom.

The kitchen.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Painted Canyon

My first stop was at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This park is one that I had heard of before had always meant to visit at some point but never had any specific plans to do so.  So when I saw the sign for Painted Canyon along I-94 in western North Dakota I stopped.

The Painted Canyon section is more like a rest area.  There is a parking area, a small visitor center with an information and gift shop areas, some picnic shelters and a hiking trail down into the canyon.  It was mid afternoon when I arrived so the colors weren't that great.  Still, it was my first park and a taste of what was to come.  There is no admission fee to this area of the park.

The view northwest from the visitor center area.

Looking north.

From the trail looking down into the canyon.

Looking back the way I came.  The top of one of the building is just visible on the skyline.

Looking north from along the trail.

Heading West

After departing Manitowoc, I headed west.  I didn't stop to take pictures in Wisconsin or Minnesota.

I've seen this place name on maps before but never really expected to be there.  It is a far cry from the Ypsilanti I hail from.  The appears to be the focal point of the town.  I didn't see any gas station, restaurant or really anything other than this and houses.

I don't remember where this was, but the large cow on the hill caught my eye.

A rest area in Minnesota or eastern North Dakota.  There were bodies of water all over the place and it was very pretty.  The line across the water is the railroad.

One of the rest areas in North Dakota.  It was a nice building and had displays inside regarding Native American life in the area.

Manitowoc

After arriving in Manitowoc I headed to my hotel which was right around the corner.  I walked out and took a picture of her from the parking

The Badger in Manitowoc.

Next to the hotel in Manitowoc there is the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.  Moored there is the U.S.S. Cobia, a WWII Gato Class submarine.  Here the main deck gun is illuminated at night.

   

The Cobia is open for tours, overnight stays and is very well preserved.  Her diesel engines, radio room and radars are all operational.

Departure - S.S. Badger

I decided shortly before leaving to take the Badger across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc.  I sailed on her last year returning from Wisconsin and enjoyed it so figured I'd do this time round trip.  There is a possibility that this will be the last year the Badger will run and you never know when these opportunities will disappear so I took it.

The Badger tied up, while waiting for boarding.  The Badger is the last of the car ferries built and she is the last one still plying the Great Lakes.  She operated between 1953 and 1988 when she was taken out of service because of the economy.  In 1992 she returned to service sailing between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  

The Spartan.  This is the Badger's sister ship, although she is non-operational.  She was launched and entered service in 1952 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.  She was taken out of service in 1979 and has remained tied up since then.  She is owned by the Lake Michigan Carferry Service and is used to provide spare parts for the Badger.

The Spartan from the stern of the Badger.  Both ships were designed to operate all year and have reinforced bows allowing them to sail through ice pack.

The bridge from the bow.

The Captain was enjoying himself.  He opened the window, called down to "Watch your ears," and sounded the ship's horn.

Leaving Ludington.   I chose an evening sailing so I could watch the sun set from open water.

 The North Pier Light.

 Big Sable Lighthouse from the deck of the Badger.

Smooth sailing.


If you have a chance to take the Badger, I encourage you to do so.  There are factors in play that my have the ship laid up after this sailing season.  She is a beautiful ship and an icon of another era.