Door County is a peninsula north of Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is a well known tourist trap with little towns and bays filled with restaurants galleries, and shops. Although there are a lot of places closed due to covid, most are still open, just with rules about distance and masks. But out on the beaches, there were few masks other than ours. We stopped at several bays to see the watercraft, everything from paddle boards to schooners. We did have to hit one of the cheese shops. These folk sure know cheese.

So we have started to head back to our starting point back in northwestern Indiana. The trek officially started on August 1, 2019, and so we have been out for a year now. We left Ely travelling southeast to Lake Superior and then southwest along the coast to Duluth. We only spent a few nights as we have been here before. Then we tracked back to Chippewa Falls for two nights, long enough for me to get in some lab tests and to revisit the Leinenkugel’s Brewery for some samples, again! Claudia loves their Summer Shandy more than her cats (well, almost). Next stop, Door County!

Well, no. But for Minnesota, this is the western boundary of moose country. These wonderful beasts like shallow water and marsh to find food. Ely is quite close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the town has several outfitters that will get you licensed and into a canoe. Although there are no roads across the border, there are many signs warning visiting Canadians to report to the border patrol station due to the ease of crossing via the water. On the west side of town, there is the North American Bear Center and on the east side there is the International Wolf Center. We stopped at the IWC and it is quite interesting to see the story of the lives of wolves in the US. And it was there that we found the one resident moose of Ely. Unfortunately he is stuffed! So if you ever want to get away from the city and enjoy the true sights, sounds, and smells of nature, this is the place. Great walleyed pike fishing up here too.

Bemidji is a small (pop 16k) town in north Minnesota about 100 miles south of Canada. Our first stop here was International Falls. Although this is not the northernmost spot in the US, it is for us as Angle Inlet is only reachable by boat, so latitude 48.6024 is it for us. For lunch, we took our picnic basket over to the Rainy Lake Visitors Center at Voyageurs National Park. Voyageurs is a true water park best explored by boat, kayak, or canoe. We ate at a table by the lake and watched the boats go out to fish. We hiked along a nice path through the forest, too, before heading back. Another day, we drove over to Itasca State Park. Here, on the north end of Lake Itasca, a little river called the Mississippi starts it’s 2348 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. It is the only place you can walk across it!

With plains full of wildlife to hills of granite, Custer SP is definately worth a visit. Custer is also home to the famous Needles Highway. This winding stretch of two lane passes under canopies of green and then along the rocky cliffs. There are three short tunnels to pass thru, two are just under 9 feet wide with the center “Needles Eye Tunnel” at about 8 feet, too tight for our dually. Along the 18 mile Wildlife Loop we saw buffalo and a small herd of burros. Although the rangers advise not feeding them, these are the most well fed creatures in the park as the tourists bring bags of apples and carrots, among other treats, for them.

Another geologic wonder, the Badlands is a sheer joy to see, both the rock formations as well as the bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs that live here. The rock here formed over the course of 300 million years, and each layer has both a different form and color. Just north of the Wall entrance, there is free parking along the cliffs for RVs that will forego power and water hookups to have a breathtaking view from their dining table.

Even if you are not a history fanatic, this is a place to see. The 60 foot high faces were completed in 1941 taking almost 14 years to complete. Also, before the pandemic, there was a Native American presence on the grounds explaining the stories of the area tribes. You can walk the trails around the grounds where facts about the presidents and the construction are displayed. The Avenue of Flags just reopened for visitors, and it is a colorful addition to the granite portraits. Also nearby is the Crazy Horse Memorial. Not supported by US funds, the work here is moving much slower. Even so, the artifacts and presentations of Native American history and culture make this an excellent stop, too. The explanation of the pose is that a white man ask Crazy Horse where his land was, and he pointed to the distance and said ‘where my dead lie buried’.

Probably the most well known landmark in eastern Wyoming, Devil’s Tower is formed of columnar jointing and remains a subject of study. It is also the United States’ first national monument. The rock faces here are great for climbing, and they were out this morning. There are two trails around the tower, an inner and outer. We walked the inner to stay close enough to see the details. Although it’s all the same igneous rock, the sun seems to change colors and perspective from different sides. Really worth the stop!

In a state the is so sparsely populated, there is a lot to see! First, Wyoming is one of nine states where there are more cows than people. Deer wander fields and yards like squirrels do in the midwest. Mountain snow melt supports many species of fish while supplying a lot of hydroelectric power. A calm wind can turn into a 45 mph gust in an instant. We have travelled as many miles on two lanes as we have on interstates. Rawlins is a nice small town near the Hot Springs in Saratoga, the most modern oil refinery in Sinclair, and Seminoe State Park just to the north. In Casper, we visited the Devil’s Half Acre, an interesting collection of geologic formations. This place was where the movie ‘Starship Troopers’ was filmed. We hiked atop Casper Mountain and stopped on the way down to see Casper spread out below us.

Flaming Gorge NRA is mostly in southwestern Wyoming with a smaller part in northern Utah. That smaller part is on the northern slopes of the Uinta Mountain Range, and that forms the deepest part of the gorge. Here, near the city of Red Canyon, the Green River winds thru the red rock cliffs giving you a spectacular view spoiled only by an occasional boat passing thru the gorge. Henry’s Fork is a bay where there is camping and a marina just north of the gorge. The area is home to eagles, bears, moose, and many others.