Let's Go Places: The Great Blogger Road Trip, Part Two

 

The last time that we talked, Kyria and I had just arrived in Bismarck, North Dakota.  It was the first time for both of us in the state.  Here is what happened next, in rapid/semi-real time blogging style.

Day 4

Start: Bismarck ND

End: Richardton ND

States Traveled In: North Dakota

Ohio License Plate Sightings: zero, which was surprising because there were plenty of east coast license plates in the parking lots.  However we had already seen an Ohio license plate in ND on the previous day.

Things We Did: It was a day of North Dakota madness!  We toured the capitol, stopped by the state museum, and then drove one hour to Richardton and met up with a friend of Kyria's.  He drove us to Medora and we went to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (hereafter known as the TRNP), and then we had dinner and a show: we went to Pitchfork Fondue and the Medora Musical.

Eats: yogurt/granola/honey for breakfast, Eggs Benedict for lunch, and Pitchfork Fondue for dinner.  Pitchfork Fondue is streak that is cooked by deep frying it in oil on a pitchfork.  There is a special Pitchfork Fondue buffet dinner in Medora.  It's a "when in Rome" kinda thing.

Media Consumed/Road Trip Activities: none, since we were only in the car for an hour.  We talked for the entire time.

Best Thing: being shown around by someone who knows and loves North Dakota.  Eye candy wise, the ND Badlands are incredible and we saw bison.

2nd Best Thing: the capitol!  Its nickname is "The Skyscraper on the Prairie".  I can't argue with the opinion that it is not much to look at from the outside, but it is a wonder of Art Deco on the inside.

Plus it has what our guide referred to as "the Monkey Room".

It's the hallway leading to the Secretary of State's office, and the wood used for the walls has an unusual pattern.  You can see animals for days in the pattern.

Worst Thing/2nd Worst Thing: Nah.  The only negative is that it was a very long day with no downtime.  We left our Airbnb at 9AM Central time and went to bed at midnight Mountain time.  

Worth Noting: the humidity dropped considerably between Minneapolis and Bismarck.  I don't have a lot of experience with "it's a dry heat" and now that I have, I am a fan.

Day 5

Start: Richardton ND

End: Billings MT

States Traveled In: North Dakota, Montana (my first time in Montana!)

Ohio License Plate Sightings: none.  C'mon Buckeyes, step it up!!!

Things we did: hiked the Painted Canyon trail in the TRNP, drove to Montana

Eats: for breakfast we stopped at the same place where we had lunch the day before because it was on the way to our hike.  We both wanted the same thing: a combo platter with eggs, sausage, hash browns, and a side of biscuits and gravy, and we split a pancake.  The main reason why I wanted this was because I wanted to try their biscuits and gravy without committing to it as my full breakfast.  There was an insane amount of food on the table

Lunch was appropriate for "I ate a lot but not all of my massive breakfast and then did a very challenging hike".  We hit up the convenience store where I got an icy cold Dr. Pepper and potato chips.

For dinner we went to a Thai place within walking distance of our hotel and I had Panang curry.

Media Consumed/Road Trip Activities: a few podcasts and we started the audio book of On the Banks of Plum Creek (the Little House book where they live in the dugout).

Best Thing: the hike at Painted Canyon

2nd Best Thing: our massive breakfast

Worst Thing & 2nd Worst Thing: Slim pickings here!  We were both tired from the late night and the drive got a little tedious toward the end.

Day 6

Start: Billings MT

End: Helena MT

States Traveled In: Montana

Ohio License Plate Sightings: none

Things we did: a walk at Norm Schoenthal Island in Billings, a hike at Mount Ascension in Helena which is right behind the Airbnb where we are staying, and the Helena Trolley Tour.

Eats: yogurt/granola/honey bowl for breakfast, car cooler sandwich for lunch, burger and a hot honey spritz at The Windbag Saloon in Helena.

Media Consumed/Road Trip Activities: listened to more On the Banks of Plum Creek, talked our heads off.  Later on our hike Kyria told me some fun facts about fir trees, and which put the song "Trees" into my head, so we had to track that down.  It's the one with killer music that starts off with deceptively ridiculous lyrics that ends in a mic drop.

Best Thing: Too many to chose from...I'm going to pick our Mount Ascension hike.

2nd Best Thing:  Still too many to chose from...I'm torn between the Helena trolley tour and just walking around Helena.

Silly Thing: The number of deer out on the streets of Helena on a Friday night.  It's their world and we are living in it.

Worst Thing/2nd Worst Thing:  The hotel room alarm clock in Billings went off at 5:00 AM.  It was an unwelcome but minor nuisance and we both went back to sleep.

Did You Say Airbnb?  Let's Rate it!

Surely!  The unit is an enormous, two bedroom in-law suite in a house at the foot of Mount Ascension.  When I book Airbnbs, I always look at the negative reviews, and the "worst" one said that the host baked yummy muffins for them.  This host easily makes the list of Top 10 Airbnb Hosts of All Time.  She promised to make us lemon scones for breakfast tomorrow, and since it is time to end this post, you'll just have to tune in next time to see how that turned out.

Peace out on Part Two of The Great Blogger Road Trip!  Who has been to ND or MT?  Who likes biscuits and gravy and where is your favorite place to get it?  Who has heard the song/poem Trees?