Journal entries are just that – the digital copy of my hand-written entries in my journal. If you aren’t interested in the daily details of our adventure, feel free to skip on to the next “regular” post.

Neither of us sleep well, beween the heat, lights, and trucks. At 5 we’ve both been lying awake and decide to go ahead with our day. We do get to see a beautiful sunrise during breakfast. Inside the store, we grab coffees and hit the head. I top off the motorcycle and we’re on our way.
The park is only a short trip down the interstate so we’re parked and have the motorcycle unloaded before the ranger station is open. Though it’s going to be hot, the morning is still nice and cool on the bike. We pass a number of bicyclists and runners in the first few miles.
It’s not too long before we are stopped in traffic. A herd of bison are crossing the road, with a bull standing in our lane. I pause to let the truck get through before I get too close. Passing a 2,000 lb creature only a few feet away sure does get the heart pumping! He stuck out his tongue and yelled at us as we passed.

Soon afterward we stop in the Cottonwood Campground to check it out and top off our water bottles. Nice place, tucked next to the Little Missouri River among the Cottonwood trees. We chat with one of the campers. He’s from nearby and expresses surprise that we didn’t head straight on to Glacier or Yellowstone, skipping North Dakota entirely. “Most people do.”  
 
We stop and hike the Wind Canyon trail. It’s beautiful! The clouds and sky are gorgeous!

   
 More bison, pronghorn antelope, and prarie dogs are scattered throughout the park. As are wild horses!

  
We explore a few more of the trails along the way. There is one paved road, a scenic loop, throughout the park and a few hours later we are back at the campground.

   
 
I chat with Joe, a ranger, a bit before we head back to the RV and check out the visitors center. We walk around the town of Medina and decide to drive on in to the camground. There is one more trail we’d like to hike in the morning, and the weather is supposed to break tomorrow so we’d enjoy the mid-70s for highs.

We find a camping spot and settle in, hiding from the heat in the shade. We comment on how the matted grass looks like the bison either came through here or bedded down here recently. Ashley starts the last book in the Sword of Truth series while I catch up on journaling.  
  I hang the hammock up past the picnic table and string up the tarp for extra shade. After a few hours I hear something in the grass behind me and look up to see the bison herd munching its way toward me, about 50′ away. Heart racing, I hurredly untie the tarp and hammock and retreat to the RV.

 
Ashley and I sit and watch them pass through our picnic table area, 35′ away. At least one passes through where my hammock had been less than 4 minutes prior. One nearly trips over a log partially hidden in the grass. How much fun!
They pass on through camp and we sit in the shade of the RV until supper time.
After eating we hop on the bicycles for a quick ride. Looping through the campground we run across the herd. There are more than 50 of them and we very nervously ride through on the road. Coming back upon them as we complete the loop we pause as a couple of big bulls mosey across the road. We leave camp and get out on the main road for a mile or so. Our tires are low, though, and we can feel it so we head back.
Ashley wants to do yoga so she grabs her mat and heads down to the picnic table clearing. A couple of minutes later I realize she’s still standing there and go to see what she is debating, assuming she is pondering where to spread out the yoga mat.
Just up the clearing, a touch over 100′ away, is the bison herd. She’s torn, wanting to exercise but thinking this isn’t the safest place. Also, they’re fun to watch!

  
We sit at the picnic table and watch as they move closer. They get about 40′ away and we decide to move closer to the RV. I stand up too fast and a couple of cows spook and trot out of the main clearing.

  
Under the awning we sit again. They munch their way along – no idea how many. Some get within 20′. The bulls are huge! Just massive. Their deep grunts and noises could be very intimidating. It’s almost as if the bulls are in the back, herding along everyone else.

  
After they have passed and our awe has subsided, Ashley does yoga next to the RV and I set up for stargazing on the roof.
As the sun set it cooled quickly and was comfortable outide for the first time in days.
She wraps up and we grab showers as the sun sets. With darkness almost here, we decide we’re too tired from a long, full, hot day and head to bed.