Arriving in North Dakota, the home of our ancestral roots! This sign was a welcomed sight after driving endlessly through Montana. In all we spent nearly two weeks, one of our longer stays in Mandan, since leaving there in 1991. This trip allowed more time with our brothers and sisters, but also with friends that we rarely had time to visit on our shorter trips to Mandan. Let's not be strangers, so send us an update by clicking on the email link Larry and Glorine.
	We camped along the banks of the Missouri River at Fort Lincoln State Park, south of Mandan. This is the same place General George Custer was stationed before his last trip to Montana. Our fate was a much better one. This is our living quarters, all 225 square feet of it, including one bedroom, one bath, kitchen, dining table, small living room and adequate storage. While a lot smaller than our condo, it provides nearly all the convenience of home.	We call it "Ol' Sport" a 1992 motor coach which we bought in 1999, which means we were pretty much used to it before this trip. After several weeks in the RV, we talked about how comfortable it felt and while it is quite small, we learned to squeeze around each other to get from one end to the other.
	One of the most noted landmarks of North Dakota are the famous Badlands, located in Western North Dakota. This scene is near Medora, which was the home of Theodore Roosevelt prior to becoming president of the United States. This spring, brought unseasonable precipitation, giving a green and lush beauty rarely seen in mid-summer.	One of the sadder moments of our stay in Mandan was attending the funeral of Glorine's brother Ted, who died of Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Ted was 76 years old and worked as a brick layer mostly in the Chicago area. Pictured here are his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews along side the headstone of their parents.
	Mandan celebrates the 4th in a big way, which typically brings family member back to North Dakota. Here are Larry's brothers and sisters at Jack's farm west of Mandan. Our oldest sister, Lillian, was vacationing in Minnesota when this picture was taken.	Our extended time in North Dakota gave us some special moments with friends and acquaintances such as Dennis and Betty Steele. Larry and Dennis worked together in the early 1980s and the four of us have remained friends ever since. We are now all (or partially) retired which means more time playing together.
	When we talk about "old" friends (Bob and Diane Schlosser), we are not referring to age. Bob and Larry were in 4H together as youngsters and Glorine and Diane graduated from high school together. Our kids went to the same Catholic school together, which brought us together for lots of school function. Bob is retired and Diane may be following suit shortly. Good times and great memories!!	Besides sporting the largest parade in North Dakota, the 4th of July brings in cowboys to Mandan from throughout the United States to display their rodeo skills. Here the Barnhardt family was gathered to watch Chuck Wagon racing, which ended in a tie.
	Play Me!!
	Hold on to your hats! When Larry was growing up on the farm, it only took one time being bucked off a horse for him to figure out he was not cut out to be a cowboy!!	The night at the rodeo ended with a bang (one of the best fire works displays we have ever seen). And so did our stay in North Dakota. It was two weeks filled with many events that brought us a lot closer to family and friends. What a great way to start a retirement!!

Arrived in North Dakota on Wednesday, June 16 and left for Minnesota on Friday, July 6, 2007.