MT-MD Sept-Nov 2019

Great Falls of the Missouri River

What portaging a L&C canoe might be like

After we left Fernie, BC we headed into MT and spent a few days around Great Falls. The Missouri River runs right through town and five major waterfalls presented the Lewis and Clark Expedition their greatest challenge. The 18-mile Great Portage took the expedition a month to carry 30 tons of supplies and equipment over rough, cactus covered ground while wearing just moccasins. Now many dams along the river detract from the original beauty of the falls. The Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center is a great place to catch up on their travels. 

Stylish Duck

Gates of the Mountains

Further down the road we hiked to First Peoples Buffalo Jump SP. Here the natives herded the bison over a high cliff to their death. We also took a scenic cruise on the Missouri River in an area Captain Lewis called “the gates of the rocky mountains”, because the water appears to flow from solid rock, but then the mountains appear to open up as you approach.  

Bison Pictograph

At Pompey's Pillar

We explored the capital city of Helena, and its massive city park, on par with Bangor ME for city hiking. After touring Tizer Garden, we hiked Bear and Hyalite Canyon near Bozeman. Our last stop in MT was Pompey’s Pillar - here Captain William Clark climbed the 150 ft sandstone pillar to get a better view of the Yellowstone River. His carved signature and date are the only remaining physical evidence of his detachment’s passage along this route. He named the pillar after Sacagawea’s son whom he had nicknamed Pomp.

Little Missouri River

In North Dakota, we spent two days exploring Theodore Roosevelt NP. Here bison, wild turkeys and way too many prairie dogs roam the badlands of the Little Missouri River Valley. Teddy came to North Dakota to shoot a buffalo, but soon fell in love with the land and the need to protect it. Roosevelt established the modern USFS and created 150 national forests and 5 national parks and numerous reserves and monuments. 

Bison, TRNP

Prairie Dogs, TRNP

Petrified tree stump (on left),  TRNP

Room at Fort Mandan

Further east we toured Fort Mandan in ND. Here the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1804-1805.  They made six dugout canoes, leather clothing and cured meat. Lewis and Clark meet with the local tribes to get food and information on the trip ahead.  

Stave Church

We crossed into Minnesota and stopped at the Hjemkomst Heritage Center in Moorhead. One man, Guy Paulson, spent five and a half years doing the woodwork for the stave church he built on site. Another man, Bob Asp, dreamed of building a Viking ship and sailing it to Norway. Construction took eight years. He died five months after its maiden voyage in Duluth Harbor. Two years later his dream was accomplished when his boat reached Bergen, Norway. 

Viking Ship

Pat and Diane at Hawk's Ridge

We connected with our friend Diane, whom we met through our work with Habitat for Humanity. Together we investigated the Kensington Runestone and later when to Hawk Ridge near Duluth. This is usually a great place to see migrating birds, unfortunately the wind was blowing from the wrong direction and the birds were waiting for better conditions.

Big Manitou Falls

Trail of Gold

Falls Colors

We stayed at a timeshare in remote Cable, WI and enjoyed exploring the parks in the area and seeing the fall colors. We had another week in the Wisconsin Dells. In addition to the usual stuff, we visited most of the Frank Lloyd Wright structures in the area. We took a cave tour at Cave of the Mounds and a duck boat ride through the dells.

Devil's Lake SP

Devil's Doorway, DLSP

Bank designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Wisconsin Dells

Pat, Shawny, Connie, and Phil

We dropped the RV off at the factory in Elkhart, IN and drove down to Fishers, IN to visit Phil and Connie. After a nice, but short stay, we picked up the RV and headed to Lewisburg, WV. The purpose of this side trip was to pick up the canoe for our FL trip and get a bike from storage to replace mine that was damaged in a backing accident. Upon arrival, we found our storage garage had been broken into and the bike (jewelry and other stuff) had been stolen. The canoe, which had been stolen and recovered from a previous break-in, was still there as its size makes it easy to find in the neighborhood. We may sell this property in the spring.

Barb, Don and Sharon

We spent the month of Nov at a campground in Woodbine, MD and took a side trip to a timeshare in Hawley, PA for a week. We wish Sam and Maha Amad safe travels. Sam, after retiring from WSSC, took a three-year work assignment in Lebanon. We gave Sharon a send off prior to her six-month volunteer missionary assignment in Albania. We hope she has a rewarding experience.

Have a great Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!