Oh Medora, How I Adore ‘Ya.
Getting ready to hit the Medora Musical.
As we were planning our way west, we decided to make the first day a long one to knock out the North Dakota territory we had already covered on our way to Minnesota. Our long day landed us in Medora, a town I had never heard of before. I quickly discovered, however, that Medora is not just a random stopover town.
You guys, it is a DESTINATION.
It started with my sister-in-law:
Nikki: “You’re staying in Medora? Are you going to see The Musical?!”
Me: “What’s The Musical?”
Nikki: “You’ve never heard of the Medora Musical?!”
You guys, it’s a thing. And it’s glorious.
Singing, dancing, comedy, magic, horses, balloon animals, endless odes to Theodore Roosevelt.
Sign me up.
The musical itself was super entertaining, we all loved it. Will has proclaimed that when he grows up he will be moving to North Dakota to ride horses in the Medora Musical. So if anyone knows the appropriate training route for that life path, please let us know.
Also important to note in these COVID times, they did an excellent job of creating appropriate space between all of the attendees. It’s an interesting thing, traveling through states that have so far been largely unaffected, because it feels like “business as usual” in a lot of places. I was nervous to be in a situation where we might get stuck in close proximity, but when I saw the ticket seating map layout, reduced capacity, and the other precautions they were taking, we decided to give it a go. The musical takes place in a gorgeous outdoor amphitheater, overlooking the badlands and Theodore Roosevelt State Park. We had the entire row to ourselves, with no one in front or behind us. When it was over they made everyone wait until their row was dismissed so that things didn’t get jammed up in the walkway. We had masks and felt safely distanced the whole time.
Well done, Medora Musical. It was a rootin’ tootin’ good time.
Even more than the musical, the town itself was super charming and set in a beautiful location next to the National Park. We only had one full day there, so we spent most of our time biking around exploring.
I pull Olive in the trailer while we bike, which works out ok because let’s face it, I desperately need the extra calorie burn (please see previous post re: RV sway). Brent and Sam typically ride ahead, showing off, launching themselves off of even the slightest bumps, and other such nonsense. Longer rides usually give Will and I some quality time to cruise together, which we both love.
Favorite conversation during our long Medora ride:
Will (after humming/singing for the last half our or so): “It feels so good sometimes to just sing a nice song while I’m riding my bike.”
Me: “I totally agree buddy, that’s the best! I love listening to you sing.”
Will: “Want me to sing you some Taylor Swift songs?”
Me: “Um, YES. Absolutely.”
Will: “I don’t know any.”
Why you gotta get my hopes up like that, son? I was READY FOR IT. Bless your little song loving, bike riding, Medora Musical-bound heart.
I was lured into the cutest shop by the gorgeous woven rugs the owner had displayed outside, and got to chatting with her as I was shopping. Apparently there are only 100 full time residents in the town, but in the summer when the Musical runs, Medora explodes with seasonal employees and tourists. We were there a bit early in the season, so the town felt nice and quiet to us, but I can imagine how crazy it must be during a “normal” summer. I seriously fell in love with this cute shop and its sweet owner, Jordan. I could have stayed and chatted with her all day, but Olive was demanding ice cream and who am I to deny her?
Olive hilariously fell in love with a shawl and spent the entire time begging me to buy it. She seriously stood there snuggling and petting it the whole time we were in the store. It was super cute and soft, and perfect for hanging out around the campfire, and at that point so covered in my daughter’s germs that it felt hazardous to leave behind for the next customer, so I happily obliged and Olive has now commandeered it as her favorite “nap wrap.”
Bar Diamond Bar Boutique & Gallery- Jordan ships all over the country, and has the cutest stuff at really reasonable prices, check her out!
https://www.facebook.com/bardiamondbar/
So, that was pretty much it for Medora, a quick and lovely stop. Check it out if you are ever passing through North Dakota!
In Joy, Truth, & Love,
~lisa
