North Dakota

Before this trip, I'd seen 46 of the 50 States. By the end of the trip, I'd add 2 more to that list-- North Dakota and Oregon. North Dakota was fairly uneventful for most of the state until we reached the western side where they have a stretch of badlands similar to those in South Dakota but not quite as impressive. The scene above is from Teddy Roosevelt National Park.

Near the park, is an adorable little town called Medora which is definitely worth a stop. One of the gift shop ladies told Mom that they don't get into full tourist mode until after Memorial Day (which explained the "ghost town" kind of feel the day we were there). But she did recommend a nice little family-run diner for lunch that had real home-cooked meals. It was a great change of pace from the typical chain restaurants we'd been eating at thus far on the trip.

Here are a few shots of Medora: