The Maah Daah Hey

Two nondescript fellows deciding to hike the Maah Daah Hey

trail in Western North Dakota in July 2009 might seem rather

foolish. Not for Dad. He thinks he should have been born

about 1880 and been the riding partner of Theodore Roosevelt

on his Elkhart Ranch. Me? I was just along for the glorious

ride, doing something I had never done before. Mostly, though,

it was a beautiful time to know God, know each other as father

and son, and enjoy working together toward our goal of

finishing this challenging trail.

Thanks Dad. I won’t forget it!

Your Son,

Kris

Dad was born in the wrong century...

The Land

“The variety is astounding. There are prairies, rugged climbs, rolling hills, and desert. Striking land- formations like the “China Wall” and “Devil's Pass” will take you into different worlds. There will be a river valley that you won't want to leave. The vistas – often 360 degrees – will take your breath away. Miles and miles of buttes, partly green, with blue sky overhead, will spread themselves out before you. You'll wish for wings. You'll feel blessed. Perhaps, like Kris, you'll burst into tears andsay, “It's so beautiful.”

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“The badlands will take you back in time. The buttes, like mute sentinels, will look down on you as you pass. You'll see how the years of wind and water have carved intricate, wrinkled patterns in them and exposed their colors of grey, yellow, brown, and even red. Petrified tree stumps, longdead trees, and occasional bones complete the picture of age and harshness.”

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Life and Death

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“I will never forget the wonder of the Maah Daah Hey. The mystery, the beauty, and the colors of its landscapes, its 360 degree vistas, the all-embracing quality of its “Big Sky,” its isolation, and the life-affirming joy of its wildflowers are not to be forgotten. There is a harshness there as well. It is a kind of harshness that demands attention. Life and Death, both have their place on the Maah Daah Hey.”

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Petrified wood

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Mother protecting her young.“Grave Digger” in a valley of death.

Kudos to the volunteer trail maintenance

crew.

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~ Every end is a new beginning ~

Photography by Kristian BjornstadText by Carsten Bjornstad

Copyright 2010

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© 2010 Photographer Kristian Bjornstad www.prettygoodportraits.org

Carsten is a retired teacher, missionary, and church musician

making his home in New London, MN (or is it now China?) He

has been hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail for the past ten

years. Kristian is a Lutheran pastor in Scranton, PA. He and

his wife, Monica, have four daughters. His hobbies include

sailing and photography.

Together, Carsten and Kris hiked the Maah Daah Hey from the

CCC Camground to Elkhorn Campground from June 30 to July

3,2009.

Father and Son