Travel from Medora, North Dakota to Spearfish, South Dakota

We drove our coach 203 miles, about 3 hours of driving, from Medora, North Dakota to Spearfish, South Dakota.

Here’s the map route (the red portion), heading south:

Route

An interactive map, with potential stops marked:

I-94:

I-94

Bison:

Bison

US-85:

US-85

Paladin asleep in his safe space next to the passenger chair:

Paladin asleep in his safe space

A sunflower field:

Sunflower field

Sunflower field

US-85:

US-85

A cop car decoration in Amidon:

Cop car in Amidon

Another sunflower field:

Sunflower field

A cowboy riding a missile in Bowman:

Cowboy riding missile in Bowman

Plane decoration:

Plane decoration

We stopped at Grazers Burgers & Brews for lunch, since they had a large dirt area, big enough for our 60-foot coach and truck:

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Grazers Burgers & Beers

Entering South Dakota:

Entering South Dakota

Up and down on US-85:

US-85

Roadworks, with a flagger sitting in a car (makes sense with 90° weather):

Roadworks with flagger in car

Paladin:

Paladin

Belle Fourche:

Belle Fourche

Arriving at our destination:

Arriving at KOA

Guided to our site:

Guided to site

Travel from Devils Tower, Wyoming to Medora, North Dakota

We drove our coach 226 miles, about 4 hours of driving, from Devils Tower, Wyoming to Medora, North Dakota.

Here’s the map route, heading north:

Route

An interactive map, with potential and actual stops marked:

There was a car show outside the campground (and people obliviously waking in front of our coach trying to exit):

Car show outside campground

Car show outside campground

Car show outside campground

Bye Devils Tower:

Devils Tower

Hulett:

Hulett

Highway:

Highway

Cows:

Cows

Entering Montana (just passing through):

Entering Montana

A stop at Stoneville Saloon for lunch:

Stoneville Saloon

Stoneville Saloon

Stoneville Saloon

Interesting decor:

Stoneville Saloon

Notes on the ceiling:

Stoneville Saloon

Stoneville Saloon

Sawdust on the floor:

Stoneville Saloon

Fancy menu:

Stoneville Saloon

Simple burgers and fries:

Stoneville Saloon

MT-323:

MT-323

Mountains:

Mountains

Hey, trees:

Trees

MT-7:

MT-7

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

MT-7

MT-7

Looking down at Paladin:

Paladin

Pause on the side of the road:

Pause on the side of the road

Sunflower field:

Sunflower field

Wibaux:

Wibaux

Detour down a dirt road; not a fun thing in our coach:

Detour down dirt road

Detour down dirt road

Entering North Dakota:

Entering North Dakota

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Exit to Medora:

Exit to Medora

Entering Medora Campground:

Entering Medora Campground

Approaching the office:

Approaching office

Office (staffed by foreign exchange people):

Office

Shop:

Shop

Our coach outside the office:

Coach outside office

Lots of bugs:

Lots of bugs

Our site:

Our site

Travel from Buffalo to Devils Tower, Wyoming

We drove our coach 130 miles, about 2 hours of driving, from Buffalo to Devils Tower, Wyoming.

Here’s the map route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map, with planned and actual stops marked:

A GIF of retracting the big front driver-side slide-out:

GIF of slide-out retracting

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving the RV park

I-90 off into the distance:

I-90

A rest stop (not initially planned, but needed due to battling wind while driving):

Rest stop

Onward on I-90:

I-90

One of several narrow bridges due to roadworks:

Narrow bridge roadworks

Coal power plant:

Coal power plant

Paladin asleep in his safe space next to the passenger chair:

Paladin asleep

A stop for diesel at the Sinclair Coffee Cup Fuel Stop:

Fuel stop

Our coach parked with trucks; we ran the generator so the ACs could be on, it being rather hot:

Coach parked with trucks

We went inside to grab some lunch:

Sinclair station food options

Food

We got some sandwiches, chips, and icees, which we took back to our coach to eat:

Food

Apparently Wyoming gets bids from farmers to mow the verges of highways; a great resource for them, and great for the state:

Hay

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Approaching Devils Tower:

Approaching Devils Tower

Our destination the KOA right outside the entrance of the monument:

KOA

Our coach parked while checking in:

Our coach

Check-in kiosk:

Check-in kiosk

Devils Tower:

Devils Tower

Travel from Cody to Buffalo, Wyoming

We drove our coach 179 miles, about 3 hours of scenic driving, from Cody, Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming.

Here’s the map route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map, with potential stops:

But before we could leave, I had to ask the driver of this truck to move, as they where blocking the exit (sure, just park across the road and no-parking markings; your convenience is more important than anyone else):

Truck blocking exit

Underway, with a flat and curvy highway:

Flat and curvy

Pump jack:

Pump jack

We stopped for lunch in the Washakie County Visitor’s Council parking lot, since it has some RV spots just barely big enough for us (and was pretty much empty, being closed). They have a mammoth sculpture out front:

Mammoth

Fun hills:

Hills

Hills

Hills

The cute town of Ten Sleep:

Ten Sleep

Ten Sleep

Heading through the Bighorn mountains:

Hills

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Bighorn mountains

Paladin chilling on the floor between us:

Paladin

Bighorn mountains

Snow fences:

Snow fences

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Rain:

Rain

One of several 8% downgrades:

One of several 8% downgrades

Mandatory brake check turnout for trucks, RVs, and vehicles with trailers; Jenn hardly touched the brakes, though; she’s great at using gears and engine braking on downhills:

Brake check turnout

More curves and slopes:

More curves and slopes

Bighorn mountains

The runaway truck ramp was closed for repairs or updates:

Runaway truck ramp closed

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Our destination

Our coach just before pulling into our site:

Our coach

Travel from Yellowstone to Cody, Wyoming

We drove our coach 80 miles, about 2.5 hours of very scenic driving, from Yellowstone, Wyoming to Cody, Wyoming.

Here’s the map route, heading east:

Route

An interactive map, with potential stops; we had lunch at Newton Spring Picnic Site, and got some fuel at the Sinclair station:

We paused bringing in the slide to let the pooled rain drain off:

Rain coming off slide

A GIF of checking the brake controller; the air brakes of the coach triggers this piston that pushes the brake pedal in our truck for proportional braking assistance:

Brake controller

Checking the truck lights:

Light check

Another check, moving the coach forward a couple of feet to engage the tow bar and make sure the truck wheels turn freely (reversing GIF):

Pull test

Leaving the campground; starting the Bluefire app for coach info:

Leaving campground; starting Bluefire app

The coach GPS mistakenly said “No Recreational Vehicles Allowed” again inside the park:

No Recreational Vehicles Allowed

Yellowstone Lake:

Yellowstone Lake

One of the last glimpses of a geyser:

Geyser

And a bison:

Bison

And deer:

Deer

A very scenic drive on the way out of the park:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Leaving from the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park:

Leaving from the east entrance

Leaving Yellowstone National Park

The scenic drive continues outside the park; rather Utah-like:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

We stopped at Newton Spring Picnic Area for lunch:

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Newton Spring Picnic Area

Lunch:

Lunch

Paladin sitting on upturned dining chairs:

Paladin on upturned dining chairs

Onward:

Scenic

Scenic

Scenic

Smith Mansion:

Smith Mansion

Scenic

Scenic

Three tunnels by Buffalo Bill Reservoir:

Tunnel

Tunnel

Tunnel

Tunnel

Scenic

Cody:

Cody

A fuel stop at a Sinclair station; not needed, since only down a third of a tank, but gives us peace of mind, since there are no truck stops along this route, other than stations like this:

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Fuel stop

Unexpectedly, the fuel pump stopped at $75; 16 gallons doesn’t help much. So we did two of these to get mostly full:

Fuel stop

Buffalo Bill Center of the West museum:

Cody

Downtown Cody:

Cody

Cody

Cody

Our destination:

Our destination

Our destination

Pulling in to our site:

Our site