August 4, 2008

Monday 4th~~~ We drove 245 miles to Dickinson, North Dakota today stopping only for gas, as Sharon packs a picnic everyday on the road. We are staying in a campground our friends John and Linda stayed at a couple of years ago and really liked. There is a musical play in the town of Medora that is supposed to be real good, we will go to tomorrow night. Tuesday 5th~~~Kent did the laundry while Sharon cleaned house and fixed lunch, then we were off to see the town of "Medora". We toured the town, then we went to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitors Center to see the Teddy Roosevelt museum and the log cabin (picture) that was used by Teddy Roosevelt about 1884 before he became President of the United States. In 1901, Roosevelt, at age 42 became the youngest president in United States history, serving until1909. He got congressional approval for the establishment of 5 National Parks and 51 wild life refuges and land for national forests. As a conservationist Theodore Roosevelt was a major figure in American history. We got another interesting stamp in our National passport book. Next we had dinner and we drove to the "Burning Hills Amphitheatre" where the musical was held, it held 2900 seats. It was so neat, the 50 year old Amphitheatre was down in a canyon surrounded by the badlands (picture) you rode a seven story escalator down the mountain, you got off one and stepped on another to get to the floor of the canyon. In the canyon way up high on the rim were 3 Elk with huge racks and you could see them so clearly. The setting was so beautiful. The musical was in an old town setting( picture) with lots of music and dancing which we enjoyed. It was 11:30 PM before we got home but we have no set schedule so we can do that.