Medora, North Dakota

We arrived in Medora, North Dakota last evening.  We started our day today with a trip through the Teddy Roosevelt Badlands National Park.  It's not nearly as "bad" as the South Dakota Badlands.  This one is much greener and has some very colorful rock formations.  We drove the 36 mile loop through the park and were treated to beautiful views, saw some wild mustangs, huge prairie dog "towns" and of course a buffalo jam.

Teddy Roosevelt Badland overlook.

Another "jam".

In the evening we went to the Medora Steak Pitchfork Fondue dinner.  It's an outdoor BBQ buffet where they feature ribeye steaks that are threaded onto pitchforks and plunged into vats of boiling oil.  Wes ranks these amongst the very best he's ever eaten ..... and he's had at least one in every state we've ever traveled in.

Pitch-forked steaks ready for the oil.

Great chow!

Dinner was followed by the "Medora Musical".  It's staged in an outdoor amphitheater set in the side of a mesa overlooking the Badlands.  A stunning setting.  The show is true "Middle America".  It started with the young being invited down to the stage to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of the National Anthem.  Of course our Katie jumped right in.

Katie is somewhere left of center.

The show continued with lots of song & dance by a dozen or so very talented folks.  There were  horses, wagons, cowboys, a very funny comedian who was appropriate for all ages, a little gospel singing, a reenactment of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders assault on San Juan Hill and more patriotic songs.

It was a wonderful evening.