Sat, 8/10, and Sun. 8/11

After all the rotten luck I've experienced, my heart and soul are soaring above the clouds!

I arrived at Theodore Roosevelt-South yesterday and set up my tent, then took a drive around the Park.  It is a beautiful place but I was disappointed I hadn't seen any wildlife, especially since the man camping across the road from me had seen much of it.  Then came the rains - I tried to set up a bed in my car but it was too uncomfortable and there is just too much stuff to move.  View from my campsite.

 

On the tour of the south unit:

So I slept in a wet tent and left after having good coffee and a decent breakfast.  I thought I would be the only person who left this Park and didn't see any wildlife, when two wild ponies grazed down the other side of the road.  Most of the CG was still asleep at that time.

On the drive out of the park I saw a huge herd of buffalos on the hillside.  I took photos of them until my camera battery ran out.

Sunday:
I took my time getting to T.R.-North and found a nice campsite.  It is sunny all day and I'll be able to see the stars tonight, and maybe even some of the Perseid meteors.  (They were at their peak from Midnight to 4:00 am, so who am I kidding!)  I've met a couple of really nice women here at the CG and it's nice to have some good conversation after being alone for so long.
I did get out for the drive through the Park, and it just takes your breath away.

There was a letup in the wind just long enough for me to photograph the 4 Flats - Hailey, Sierra, Carter and Ralph.  I think I'll have my grandsons do two more for me, Flat Lester (Flatt), and Flat Earl (Scruggs).  We'll have us a hoe-down!

Billy Bob, I'm using my big tent tonight - does it look big enough to you?  I bought a tent suitable for a woman and a large dog, so why don't you put Sadie May on a Greyhound Bus and let her travel with me for a while, and I can drop her off on my way back.

I haven't set this big tent up for a while and it took me some time to get it done.

TR-North vs TR-South:  I'll have to say I much prefer the North unit.  The scenery is drop-dead gorgeous, although both are spectacular.  The North campground is much nicer although for anyone traveling with kids the South would be better.  The kids were all out riding their bikes around the loops, plus scooters and even some were walking!  I think kids could easily meet others to play with and there are a lot of ranger activities geared to kids.

In the north campground I could not see any other campers although they were all around me, but the privacy is great.  I was close to the bathroom which had an electrical outlet, and I was able to charge the camera battery enough to last me until tonight, when I'll charge it overnight.

I'm sort of miserable with the pain in my tailbone and can't sit comfortably, plus it hurts when sitting down and getting back up.  I have been using my "Forever Comfy Cushion" while driving, but that raises me up to a level incompatible with the lumbar support of the seat back, so I end up with a backache.  And when I scratch my head I can feel the place where I banged it on the ceiling of the cave - I'm just plumb pitiful and don't know when it will get better!  Good thing I'm loving this trip.