aug 31  Juniper campground  TRNP  North Unit  ND

I got up shortly after 6 am and   I began to eat my remaining 2 slicws of pizza for breakfast with the leftover coffee from the motel that I had forgotten about until I uncovered it somewhere in the front seats.   After breakfast I went out for a walk - it seems so long ago - I am not even sure where I went.  I think there might have been a short trail near the campground.  Hopefully, I will be able to tell from my photos.  When I got back, it seemed as if everyone else had left.  When I had gone for the walk, hardly anyone was up and about.  I quickly organized and put things away in the car.  Then I began to look at the map to put my destination into the GPS.  I had wanted to drive along hwy 85 because it was designated as a scenic route and then head on to New Town for the MHA Interpretive Center exhibits.  When I looked at the map, it did not make sense to do it that way - it was more efficient to continue on and go to the North Unit of TRNP.  It supposedly took an hour.  Oh, yes, before leaving the south unit, I stopped into the visitor center to ask about the flowers, bisen patties and short grass.  Hmmm, and what did I learn:  the patties that look like cows' probably were bison and supposedly there was short grass around here originally as well as long grass.

It was supposed to take an hour to go between the units, but it seemed longer and I was beginning to fear another problem with getting a campsite.  I was so worried that I almost did not stop for the ice that I needed, as well as something to eat because I was starved.  and I missed most of my breakfast coffee.  I also got a banana for tomorrow's muesli. When I arrived at the visitor center and asked about camping, the ranger said I should be OK since it was Tuesday and the labor day rush had not really started yet.  No guarantees.  He pointed out the various types of sites and said the tent sites were rarely all taken.  I hadn't noticed that the river sites were all RV sites, but I headed toward the tent sites.  First I had one non-tent site as a potential.  Then I found a few more and as I went farther, I found several more potentials.  Now I had trouble keeping them all straight.  Of the last bunch I liked one, then I liked the one next to it better, but by the time I left it, I had to go back and check the number again.   By the time I got to the registration kiosk, I had forgotten which of the two I wanted so I put down 21.  Luckily it turned out to be the one I finally picked.  It is nice because the picnic table is shaded and there were a couple of cleaner spaces for the tent.  Since I planned on staying 2 nights, I decided to put up the tent.  I haven't checked the weather though.  Today has been great, though quite windy.  I did stake the tent down with a few stacks.

After setting up my space, I went for a walk that was supposed to be on a short trail - the Little Mo trail - that left from the campground.  It had a short paved loop and a longer loop.  I started on the longer loop and saw some great rock formations, but then came across a corral of some sort and was confused as to where this trail actually was since there was another longer trail intersecting it.  I went back, found the longer loop where it intersected the short loop and took that backwards along the Little Mo (I am assuming) until I got to a grazing area that smelled kind of funky.   Or was that the other side?  Anyway, I saw quite a few bison patties and decided to come back since I didn't know what trail I was on.  Before going back to my campsite, though, I had decided to go to the Cannonball pass-out (or whatever they call them) to see the cannonball formations.  They were quite cool.  I continued to walk along the cliffs and found a little canyon which I followed along to a few holes and a cave and I sat in the shade hoping to see some animals.  After a while I did hear some tweety birds.  On the way back I noticed insect song from the low shrubby area.

As I passed the restrooms, I tried to fill my water bottle from the potable water faucet.  I  turned the lever but the lever just twisted 360 degrees.  I saw a blue hose that went to the RV nearby and gave up trying to get water there.  As I was trying to fill my bottle in the drinking fountain, a woman says to me that I can fill my bottle at the faucet.  I told her I had tried but couldn't get any water.  She said all I had to do was pull the lever.   I said I turned it and it went all the way around.  She said "no, you have to pull it toward you."   I said, "you have to pull it  toward you?"  And she said "forget it.  I tried to be helpful."  When I went back and pulled the faucet out toward me a half inch or so, water starting coming out  I filled my bottle, started down the road, and shouted thank you to her retreating figure, but she did not turn around.  This is the first instance of rude behavior I have run into on this trip.  The lady in the convenience stop was really nice when I had all sorts of stuff dropping onto the counter.  I have to be more careful and not end up with the plastic bags that appear so easily here.  So, I wonder what was wrong with that woman.  Was it because I am a New Yorker or did she think I was utterly stupid and worthless because I had never encountered a faucet that gave water when you pull it out.

Well, now that I am done with blogging, I don't think I will try anything else on the computer because the screen is too dim to see well.  Good night, all!.  Actually it is time for me to fix my dinner.  Then I can go to bed.  It is now 5:48 on the phone and I thought it was after 6.  . I had I guess I will be getting to bed pretty early tonight.