Evil North Dakota

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Evil North Dakota

Ok. I have a lot of writing to catch up on! I left off in the Twin Cities almost a full week ago! A lot has happened since.

We left Minnesota - land of lakes - and continued through the rest of Minnesota and through the rest of North Dakota. That was the worst day of driving that we had. Hayfield after hayfield. Bale of hay after bale of hay. It was a nightmare. North Dakota had to be the worst drive ever created. There is literally nothing to see. I thought we were going to go crazy. It did inspire some creative language. The motto on the North Dakota license plate is “Discover the Spirit,” which Matt completed with “The Spirit of Death.” If you were in our car you’d also hear, “This is where dreams go to die,” and “Are there even ten people living in this entire state?”

Finally 15 miles before the border of Montana, and after a solid ____ miles of driving, we made it to our overnight camping destination - the Teddy Roosevelt National Park. It was like as the state was getting towards Montana, it finally got interesting. I think that part of the state really should be considered Montana.

The Teddy Roosevelt National Park is really beautiful. There are lots of plateaus and rock formations. We camped in a very nice little site, and were pleasantly surprised when we woke up and it was so beautiful. We got in really late at night, and could make up some of the formations, but couldn’t really appreciate the color, which was a bright yellowish-brown rock. Another pleasant surprise that we woke up to were BUFFALO! All over our campground, the buffalo just walked on through, grazing, and totally unconcerned with the humans near them. It was so cool. After that we saw a mule deer, and prairie dogs! It was an eventful morning. Before getting back into the car, we decided to climb up a rock formation. It was really cool, and we got a great view. I got near the top, but it was too steep for me to get all the way to the top of the plateau. It was at this point that I learned of Matt’s secret mountain goat identity. He flew up and down on the rocks like it was nothing. Very unfair. After the climb we got back into the car and started the long drive to Missoula (close to Idaho).

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Comments

[Johnstoirvin]

Whining at its best
Typical ignorant tourist. Drive through a state, stay in the car, don't get off the interstate and then gripe that there was nothing to see?? Give me a break! Do you work for National Geographic?

[Terry LaPora]

Tourist in a Hurry
How can one hurriedly drive through a state, while remaining on the interstate, and then gripe because it's boring and there's nothing to see? Those bales and those fields are what put food on your family's table. Give me a break! You must be from a big city. Your notions of North Dakota were set before you even entered the state. Kind of like writing a critique on a movie you've never seen or a book you've never read. And yes, there really are more than ten people in the state.

[cherylrw]

nope
I actually expected North Dakota to be more mountainous and beautiful, which is why I was so shocked.