ND Trip Stats (8/08):
Counties visited:
11
Best county:
Billings Co.
Last visited:
8/2007
Town visited most:
Medora
Places slept in:
Roosevelt NP (Cottonwood Campground); Fort Ransom SP (tent)
Most impressive town:
Fort Ransom
Least impressive town:
Jamestown
Biggest town:
Fargo
Most scenic area:
the North Dakota Badlands in Roosevelt NP
Most scenic spot:
Wind Canyon
Three words:
grunting, surprising, windy
State Animal:
bison
State Tree:
trees?
Tourist Traps:
just west of Medora is an odd little collection of huge sculptures
Best Food:
Thor's Bar in Fort Ransom on Tuesday night
Road Trips:
Ring of Fire
Trip (8/07); High Plains (8/08)
Neighboring States
& Provinces:
MN, SD,
MT,
SK, MB
Major Passes: In
8/2007 and then in 8/2008 passed through the state from Fargo to Medora along the
I-94 corridor.
Accents: There are two accents in North Dakota, well, three if
you count the Canadian accent that is heard on the radio. In the east,
the accents are a Midwestern with a heavy Scandinavian influence. A
little east of mid-state, the people speak in a very Western sort of way
in the way that they mumble and amble through their words.
Heroes:
North Dakota's hero is strangely Theodore Roosevelt. The rich New
Yorker hunted often in the state and wrote of its natural beauty so they
named a national park after him near Medora. I am aware of a paranormal
fascination with the native Lawrence Welk, as well, but
choose not to comment. |
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First Contact:
I passed the state line, as most do, while crossing the Red River
along I-94 in the "great" city of Fargo. Generally the views
were not so impressive. I remember that there were a lot of
apartment complexes along the road and a heavy Midwestern accent on
the radio, but not much else. I stopped for a bit outside of the
city to use the bathroom and admired the vastness of the 'amber
waves of grain." |
Cass
Co. (8/2007)
Fargo.
The most populated place I saw in the state. I did not stop to
smell the roses. It seemed to be a decent, respectable place
with modest apartments and businesses. There were notably more
ice rinks on the side of the road than I am used to seeing. In
fact, now that I think of it, it did feel a bit like Ontario
here. West Fargo. The outer limit of the
Midwest. Mapleton.
Castleton. Tower City.
Barnes
Co. (8/2007)
Made up of
fields of grass and haystacks. Oriska. Valley City.
Outside of town were a collection of medium-sized lakes
beside the road which were a welcome change of scenery. Of
particular note is large Hobart Lake.
Stutsman
Co. (8/2007)
Jamestown.
I consider this the less interesting sister city to
Mitchell, SD. Because this large town is home to the state
mental health facility, there were many mentally handicapped
people working at the fast food places in town. The downtown
area is run-down, but somehow not a depressing site.
Cleveland. Medina.
Kidder
Co. (8/2007)
Wheat fields
and rangeland. I stopped to mail my car payment somewhere in the
county by handing the letter to an old man in an old Chevy with
a sign reading 'RURAL ROUTE U.S. MAIL' taped to his car window.
Tappen. Dawson. Steele.
Burleigh
Co. (8/2007)
Bismarck. The Missouri River was impressive as usual. I
think the starkness of the Great Plains makes crossing the river
more exciting than it probably is.
Burleigh
Co. (8/2007)
Bismarck. The Missouri River was impressive as usual. I
think the starkness of the Great Plains makes crossing the river
more exciting than it probably is.
Morton
Co. (8/2007)
Mandan.
Site of the famous village where Lewis and Clark made
contact with the Plains Mandans. Now it is a suburb of Bismarck.
New Salem.
Stark
Co. (8/2007)
There were
tornadoes brewing when I drove through the county.
Dickinson. Better get gas. Last stop for a while.
Taylor. Gladstone. Belfield.
Billings
Co. (8/2007)
Medora.
A neat, tiny, relaxed town that was a mix between
the West and the Northwoods in feel. This is the biggest tourist
town in the state and so gas prices are insanely high. There are
a few nice restaurants and shops. Medora is still waiting for
the rest of the country to hear of it. Theodore
Roosevelt NP. The rocks rise out of the grassy Plains
out of no where. One of the greatest places on earth! This is
where the West lives and while I was here I felt more alive than
ever. Driving through the windy fields and dodging prairie dogs,
you wind through buffalo herds and the domain of wild horse
bands. The badland formations reflect the sunlight the way God
intended. The air is crisp and clear. In the night, while
camping, the air is full of the grunts of bison and you are
awoken by the plaintive neighing of stallions. Vast hills...
winding streams... ponderosa stands...
Golden
Valley Co.
(8/2007)
Little Missouri Nat'l Grassland.
There is an odd drive-thru sculpture
park along the road here. Ranches and rolling short grass
prairie. Beach. Sentinal Butte.
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A pair of wild horses played as a thunderstorm brewed in
the clouds. (2007)
The sun setting near the town of Medora.
(2007)
What most of North Dakota looks like. Big skies,
empty fields. This photo was taken in Barnes County.
(2007)
A bison roaming along the roadside in Roosevelt
NP. There were healthy herds in the Badlands.
(2007)
The North Dakota Badlands in their glory.
(2007)
all photos (c) 2007 J. Bezold, all rights reserved |
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