Driving in North Dakota!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today, I left the really nice Minnesota state run Campground in East Grand Forks and found US-2 to head west!!! Before I drove away, I walked the two blocks to the post office to mail some letters. I had to climb this big hill to get to town and it stretched north and south for quite a ways. Then I figured it out – this was a levee to keep flood waters from the town. It was at least 20 feet high, so they must really have a flooding problem at times!!!

Anyway, just before I got to US-2, I stopped at a store to buy a few groceries. Outside the store, near the front door, was a little prairie dog (I think). He would run and hide as people come to the door and then run to the door as it closed. Then he would stand on his back legs and look for the next person. Well, I went in the store and he ran and hid! When I came out, I startled him and he was jumping around against the wall, then he made a mad dash for the closing door. The door shut on him and he started to squeak, so I opened the door thinking he would run outside --- nope, he ran inside!!! As I walked away, all I could hear is people saying “Damn, how did he get in here!!!” I just kept walking!!! I hope the little guy got out okay; he was kind of cute!!!

Once I got on US-2 I just drove!!! I needed to get to Minot, North Dakota by early afternoon. The weather was nice, but we had a wind and you know how the wind moves the trailer around and makes for a very tiring day of driving. Anyway, as I was driving, I noticed how flat the land was!!! I think this is the flattest land I have seen on my whole trip!!! Here are the photos – you be the judge ---

 

Then, near a town called Rugby, ND, I saw signs saying we were getting close to the center of North America!!!??? So when I saw the sign that said “you are there”, I stopped. What I found out was that, geographically speaking, that is the center of North America and it is on US-2 in the town of Rugby, North Dakota!!! Here are the photos of that monument ---

I must admit that when I stood by the monument, the pull from the Atlantic Ocean was equal to the pull from the Pacific Ocean!!!??? I also felt very --- centered!!!

Then I arrived at Minot, ND!!! What you may not know is that the Dakota Territory Air Museum is located here!!! That’s why I needed to be here in early afternoon --- so I could go through the museum!!! This museum isn’t very big, but it has some of the finest WW-II airplanes I had ever seen!!! These are also operating airplanes!! In fact they are all going to fly off this weekend for a show!!! Here are some photos of those airplanes ---

Here is a North American T-38 “Trojan” ---

 

A P-51D Mustang ---

 

A beautiful DC-3 ---

 

A P-40 Warhawk ---

 An FM-2P Wildcat with its wing folded ---

 

A TBM-3E Avenger with its wings folded ---

 

A B-25 Mitchell Bomber ---

 

A really nice Chevy Pick-up that looks to have a “go fast” motor in it ----

 

And a couple of WW-II Jeeps ---

 

When I finished there, I went hunting for an RV Park! I ended up at The Roughrider Campground in Minot, ND.

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day of mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!! I even learned a few things, I think!!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

Driving Through Minnesota!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today, I left the KOA at Bemidji, Minnesota area and drove into town to see something we all know and love --- Paul Bunyan and his Ox, Babe!!! From what I gather, Bemidji was that town a lot of the Paul Bunyan stories started in 1937. Anyway, he was home and I got his photo ---

He lives on a lake in the city and lets students study on his dock. Here is a photo of the lake and a studious student ---

 

He also has a few statues around. I took a few photo of his art works ---

 

After that I got back onto US-2 and drove west!!! The weather is still nice – bright sunshine, some clouds, was cool, but warmer than yesterday, and no wind!!! Again, this made for a very comfortable drive!!!! I was going to drive into North Dakota, but the RV Park I had chosen didn’t sound that good and when I stopped at an information center in a rest stop, the lady suggested that I stay at the State Recreation Area in Minnesota. So I drove there and it was just on the border between Minnesota and North Dakota! It is very nice and has all the hook-ups. It is called the Sherlock Park Campground.

As I drove along, I noticed how flat the land had become!!! I took a few photos, but I don’t think they tell you the true picture --- you can be the judge!!!

 

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day of mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!! I even learned a few things, I think!!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

A Drive in Minnesota - Interesting!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today, I left the Duluth, Minnesota area and drove just a little while into about the middle of Minnesota to a place called Bemidji, Minnesota!!! Here I stopped at the KOA and set up camp!! The weather is still nice – it had bright sunshine, some clouds, was cool, and no wind!!! This made for a very comfortable drive!!!!

Anyway, I drove from the KAO, which was about 12 miles from Duluth and US-2, toward Duluth when I saw an information center that said it had a view!!! I went in and yes, it had a great view. It looked over the entire Duluth area and you could see the St. Louis River and other rivers, plus Superior Lake. This was nice because as I left the information center, I also left the Great Lakes!!! Here are the photos I took and our last look at the Great Lakes!!!

 

There was also a stainless steel sculpture called “The Gate” which is supposed to be a metaphor on the lines of Lake Superior as they intersect with the lines of Duluth! Okay, I don’t see it, but its shinny and looks like a wing and gives a great foreground to a photo of Lake Superior and Duluth!! See what you can see ---

 

From here I got on US-2 and just started driving west!!! I did see some interesting things as I drove!!! Like a town called Floodwood that boasts to being the Catfish Capital --- as these photos attest!!!

 

Then I saw some really cool cloud formations over the road and took some photos!! As I have said before, my eyes see things that my camera doesn’t necessarily see, so if you don’t see it, it’s my camera’s fault!!!

 

Then I hit a town that I seem to have seen the name before --- Grand Rapids!!!! Oh, yes, there was a Grand Rapids in Michigan and here was another one in Minnesota!!! Again, I didn’t see the rapids, but I did cross the Mississippi River --- of course it is near the head waters of the Mississippi River, so it wasn’t very big!!! In fact, I think that at this point the Spokane or Green rivers are bigger!!! Sorry, I didn’t get any photos because I was too busy driving and didn’t think to stop, but it is kind of cool crossing the great Mississippi River!!!

Well, in no time I was at my KOA Campground and getting busy with a few chores. You see, I was out of clean clothes and my sink was full of dishes and my floor was pretty dirty!!! After doing the cleaning and eating dinner, I went to work on this BLOG Post.

Well, that was my day!!! Very busy, mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!! I even learned a few things, I think!!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon