Sunflowers and Sitting Bull

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Days 4 & 5

Yesterdays ride started out in the North West corner of North Dakota. I headed roughly North East, to find a part of the Little Missouri.

I was following one of the about 3 “scenic” roads in the state and I was not disappointed to find myself in the Bad Lands on North Dakota. For those of you familiar with the bad lands of South Dakota, these are a bit tamer, but still exist. It is if God drew a dull knife though the landscape, a great rip of the tundra opens to canyons and valleys that I could imagine some sheriff trying to talk to ranchers come deputies into chasing Butch and Sundance… (or some other group of scoundrels…) and meeting with stiff resistance.

I did find a couple nice roads here, but I really think that the state road system was drawn up on cheap graft paper after a few snorts, as my friend Ernest Shilling would say.

Mr. Shilling stopped and chatted with me as I wondered through a ‘quarter’ (160 acres) of wonderful sunflowers. We spent about an hour together, this wonderful 77 year old farmer and I. To be honest, he tells me that he is retired, as of almost 3 years ago now, and just runs a few head of cattle (30 give or take) and that he rents out his farm land to another family of farmers.

He taught me that a packet is comprised of 4 quarters and is 640 acres. He has some land, “from those hills over there to the valley that a way and this here road” Mr. Shilling spoke of when he was young going into town on Friday and Saturday nights with his wife to dance and have a few snorts and get a bit “tippy”. But that has been more than 30 years ago. I liked this small and durable man. I could have chatted longer but he had to be moving, checking on the cattle. God Bless.

As I motored on I was shocked by the sunflower fields. I saw tens of thousands of acres. Truly a wonderful sight.

I traversed the state north to south to find the grave of the Great Sioux Chief Sitting Bull.

There is some controversy of the true resting place. South Dakota reports that his bones were dug up in the middle of the night, but claim that the wrong ones were taken, so I went to both places. The spot in North Dakota felt right to me and there was a memorial on the reservation there. I could not find it on my own so I stopped at a local ‘gas’ station to ask.

The proprietor ‘Kip’ and his young son were there. He directed me to the site while his son mounted my steed. Kip was a very busy man, he was not selling gas ( he doesn’t have that, yet) but there was something moving there. In the 15 min I was there 4 or 5 transactions took place, and I declined an offer.

I headed Bismark for the evening. Arriving just in time to attend a local NA meeting (Sat Night Alive) It was an interesting meeting, and after I accepted the offer for fellowship and dinning with 10 folks. The next morning I just made a quick run to Fargo, keen to see my family here, Matt Millie and Regean.

I am in Fargo for until Saturday or Sunday, so there will be a void of the blog. I may post, but for sure I will let you know when I get back on the road.

Thanks for all the comments.. I love them!
Thanks for tagging along.
Chuck (Mr. Bill too)

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Photos

an offering
I am offering a pinch from my medicine bag, and replace with like from there.

Standing Rock
A legend of a Sioux woman who turned to stone with her child. This is a sacred rock to the Sioux.

Comments

[scott]

sunny Souix zee rides again
Looks great Chuck!! I hope Mr. Bill isn't getting "too" clean on this trip, however he does seem to be enjoying himself. Have a great time at the wedding coming up and I look forward to the next entry. I'm sure I will learn a lot about the USA in the coming weeks! Scotto

[Ris]

Tough day's end
we riders know how to end the day! on my way back to seattle i stayed in livingston, mt. My $140/night room (eek) had an old claw-foot bathtub...ran a bubble bath and took pictures in it too.. ;) ha! it looks like you're having a great trip; keep the blogs coming!