Page 32 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

Saskatchewan. There is some non-profit organization that runs

most of the concession places in town. There are also businesses
that advertise that they are privately run. This is advertised in a

strident tone that immediately tells the visitor that there is friction

between these two groups. We never did get to the bottom of
this, as both sides were reticent to clarify the situation.

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The park was the inspired idea of Teddy Roosevelt, our 26
President. He lived here as a young rancher in the 1880’s. In just a
few short years, he saw the dramatic degradation in the land and

wild animals caused by westward expansion. As President, he got
through Congress several seminal acts of legislation that sparked

the concept of National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries. This Park is

dedicated to his efforts at conservation.

It is strangely divided into two sections that are separated by
some 60 miles of private lands. We are presently staying in the

South Unit in the Bad Lands Motel.

We arrived at noon, went to the visitor’s center for literature and

maps and headed out onto the 30-mile loop road to scout out the
place for later, cooler hiking and picture taking. We did strike out

on one self-guided trail just as the thermometer read 101 degrees.
We plan to be up before dawn tomorrow to get an earlier start.

Will describe the land more tomorrow. Today, I must report that

we had unbelievable luck in sighting animals and birds. Of course,
we saw hundreds of Bison. We saw several prong horn antelope in

the distance. Two female wild turkeys with their 7 chicks walked

right in front of our car. Two King Birds were harassing them.
There are several small herds of wild horses in the Park. We saw a

couple dozen mares and a few stallions.

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