Travels with Ari – Day 22 – Ari and Ann

Ari here:

I think I’m getting used to this car travel. And Mom has FINALLY figured out that I just want to talk when I meow at her when we first start driving. We now have a good conversation (Meow, meow, meow) and then I can settle. (Ann here: I think she is just reminding me to drive safely 😉 ) I spent some time looking out the back window today.

We spent the night at a campground just outside Medora, ND where Teddy Roosevelt visited often and had a couple of ranches nearby. We camped right next to the Little Missouri River. The water was quite low, according to Mom. I didn’t venture that far from the car.

It is quite dry there and there was a fire ban in place. We saw places in eastern Montana where areas had burned. There weren’t there on the way out to Seattle. They certainly have a drought like MN does.

I got very brave and got out of the car a couple of times.

Ann here:

Medora is a fun little tourist town with a Teddy Roosevelt theme. It is just south of the North Dakota Badlands that I talked about on my trip out (Day 2). Its a beautiful area though very dry and parched. The Official Teddy Bear shop caught my eye and I went in.

It is a very fun shop where kids can build their own Teddy Bear. First they pick a ‘skin’ (an empty stuffed animal). Then fill it with stuffing. Then pick an outfit to go on it and dress it. They are given a certificate of authenticity to go with it. They say that kids really enjoy it and are very proud of their creations. I can see my granddaughter there in a couple of years! There are bears for grownups dressed up like Teddy Roosevelt too.

In case you don’t know the history of the Teddy Bear: “The teddy bear is named after U.S. President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. In 1902, President Roosevelt participated in a bear-hunting trip in Mississippi. While hunting, Roosevelt declared the behavior of the other hunters “unsportsmanlike” after he refused to kill a bear they had captured.” (https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-did-the-teddy-bear-get-its-name)

There are lots of other tourist shops in town.

And this wonderful plaque about a strong Irish woman!