Theodore Roosevelt: Watford City - BOOM Goes The Town

     Before I could get down to the South Unit, I took the suggestion of several folks to go visit Watford City - a rising BOOM Town in the US. Oil and natural gas discoveries in the area, less than 40 miles north of the park, have driven folks to their "nationally genetic" capitalistic destinies. Hard work and long hours will be the small price for those who have traveled up here to strike it rich in this modern day gold rush. Some of those that made the visit recommendation to me are actually a part of the unfolding history.

     Whether you are for or against the industry or the still untested harms of fracking, this is HISTORY folks! Yes the cheap housing and temporary towns that are being erected in a lightning strike manor DO mar the once pristine and beautiful landscape....THAT sucks. But that didn't stop me from wanting to see the history unfolding in front of me. Is this the new Klondike? Have pick axes and sieves been replaced with oil derricks and tanker trucks?

     Well I took the 40 mile detour. And this is what I saw...18-wheeler after 18-wheeler for MILES. An endless river or fast moving, rubber burning, load hauling, steel...barreling down Route 85. No rest for the weary...and they drove like every minute was a dollar burned.

     This was a BOOM Town. When the oil and gas runs dry...will the beautiful grasslands that once stood in its place reclaim the land?

     Also, I gotta figure out how to load videos on here...

Theodore Roosevelt: North Unit - The Great (Black and) White Buffalo

     I promise...this is my final post on Theodore Roosevelt's North Unit. Fine I'll have ONE (and a half) more but it'll be on the South Unit. Make the parks less beautiful and I'll spend less time there! I won't blabber on much here. Mostly because I'm tired from having slept outside on the ground for two months but also I'll let the pictures do the talking.

     I really just took these as I was getting ready to leave the North Unit. As I was leaving I came across this sole bull...he decided to be nice and let me get out of my car without threatening to charge. Don't worry, mom, I stayed a safe distance. But look at this guy! He was eating up the limelight...you could tell it wasn't his first photo shoot.

     Next stop? The South Unit...