Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) to Bismarck, ND

Start: 90553 miles

River Bend Overlook, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit), morning after storm

Sunrise after the storm. I realize that I do not know when there will be another morning like this. When will I wake up again in such a beautiful and strange place? It is sad to think of this, but I am still happy for the opportunity to be here. I am pleased that I made the journey, one which was met with curiousity by some that I met along the way.

To express this feeling better -- there is no sadness at all. I accomplished what I set out to do. I better understand my personal machinery, how it operates, where it was failing, and most importantly, how it is to be used from this point onward.

Along the way, I encountered good friends and family. This was an important step in the process of self-awareness. I like to think to myself that solitude is the only state pure enough for the process of self-examination. This is a lie, at least for myself. Experiencing the friendship of others is vital.

(For situational reference, a small herd of buffalo, perhaps 12, is crossing the Little Missouri River, their snorts and splashes audible from a mile away)

Self-awareness. Taming the beast. Understanding what lies within. Cliche, but an important waypoint on an ongoing journey. Life, and how to live it.

Understanding the landscape is one thing, but navigating is another. This is the next challenge. This trail will not require boots, but the footing is treacherous still. I'm eager to go, to apply my new experiences, and to arrive at the next waypoint with the same enthusiasm and curiousity that allowed me to venture this far.

Expenses

Gas: Conoco, Williston, ND
$12.95, $2.199/gal, 5.889 gal
182.7/90678 miles, 31.02 mpg
Coffee, $1.00

Captain Jack's Liquor Land, Bismarck, ND, $17.15