While driving across North Dakota we really felt like we were moving into new lands. We had been near so many lakes and forested areas for five days, and suddenly we were in the great plains (well, suddenly is a relative term). North Dakota is all so gorgeous that they really don't need special sites to show off the natural beauty of the landscape, so instead they create large statues of random animals to break up the monotony of a long drive. So of course we had to stop and investigate all of these - including the world's largest buffalo, the world's largest Sandhill Crane, and the world's largest Holstein cow, named Salem Sue. After all, we couldn't ignore the world's living creatures after taking time to visit with Paul Bunyan.
Sue was our favorite - here is Dick for scale...
And the view from where she was standing was extraordinary...so I can see why she looks so happy.
What was also fun about this particular stop was chatting briefly with a local family who was up behind Sue flying a kite - a perfect spot! From them we found out what the beautiful fields of purple were that we had been seeing all day. The children explained with obvious pleasure that we were fortunate to see one of the three or four days that flax fields bloomed - they turn back to green at night and in the morning they hope to see the flowers one more day - and that was today! We also said "what a wonderful day to fly a kite" - the wind was amazing - and the father replied that "every day was a good day to fly a kite in North Dakota!"
When we arrived at our hotel/motel on the Yellowstone River, we had time to head for Makoshika State Park, which was literally right next to the town of Glendive where we were staying. A short drive past the visitor's center we were blown away with the vistas all around us!
So we walked a short loop trail right down into this canyon - a bit precarious but worth it. And then we felt we had earned our dinner for the night :)
I'm standing on a natural bridge in this picture. Very cool.
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