Where we're heading next:
Home Sweet Home
Quote of the Day
Peanut, "Wow, mom, now we can say we've been to all 50 states! What are we gonna do next?"
Don'cha know I got a ticket for real this time? Heading down Hwy 94, toward Bismarck, these new speed limit signs emerged. "We can go 75mph now!" So we got moving and I started telling Niece about how I took off for Albany, NY when I was her age to escape Texas and see all 50 states (my first round). Here's how I got set up:
I drove a U-Haul with Elliott, my cat, and went straight to University at Albany to see if I could find an apartment. Sure enough I met a girl and we paired up. She was fascinated by my independence (and all my stuff). To get the apartment, I had to have a job, which I didn't. So I kind of convinced the landlord that I was getting a job at The Bagel Baron down the street. Got the apartment, now I had to get the job. The next morning, I walked down there and it was like no place I'd ever been -- was it a kosher deli? But the owner was surely Italian? Walking up to the deli case full of meat (how many types of pastrami can there be?) I asked these big guys in aprons if they were hiring. First they wanted to know where I was from. (The cowboy boots, cut-off shorts and tie-dye t-shirt gave them a clue I wasn't from around there.) Then they said that they only hired people who sang. So, I belted out the first song I could think of, The Ship Titanic, to the amazement of all standing in line for the restaurant and deli case. Ha ha! I'm so funny. Ha! Ha! Niece and I were laughing away until I looked up to see a flashing rainbow in my rear-view mirror!!!
North Dakota trooper #2 had apparently been trying to get my attention for the past 3 miles. Whoops. He, too, was extremely pleasant even as he delivered the news that I was going 26 miles over the speed limit. Somehow I'd ventured into a 60mph zone (I told you N.D. has all these zone switches!) and I was going 86mph. Peanut was imploring me for details on the subject. "Will you get a ticket this time? How fast were you going last time? Just 7 miles over and he gave you a warning? Will this one be nice, too? But you were going a LOT faster this time!" He was exceptionally nice and dropped my speed to 80mph so my ticket was $35 less. This time I asked if I could take a picture of him and he said, "For your blog?" Affirmative. He said he'd already written down the address!
Mr. North Dakota trooper #2, are you reading this? Thanks for being so nice -- I know the ticket was very much deserved.
Peanut's post about North Dakota in her own words:
"When we went to North Dakota we had to drive such a long way and on the way we saw this lightening. It just kept flashing across the sky. I wanted to get a picture of it but I couldn’t. There was a really nice Police Man and mom almost got a ticket but he just warned us not to drive so fast. All the people are so nice in North Dakota.
We got to stay in this really nice house. It's a Lodge or you can call it a B&B. They gave us a really nice dinner and even cleared our spaces for us! But me and Little Man and Doodle are used to clearing our own spaces at home and the people here were so surprised when we kept doing that! They served us cereal and waffles with choke cherry syrup. They have to pick TONS of berries just to get a little bit of syrup. I liked it only in moderation for dipping. They also gave us pizza and mac’n’cheese and cereal and they even had to drive 15 miles to town to get some apples for us but they had to drive to town anyway so it was okay. In North Dakota they don’t really eat fruits or vegetables very much.
We went on this golf cart drive and it was really hot. I feel that it is VERY hot and it’s fun and when I ride in a golf cart dust blows in my eyes so I have to squint my eyes. We went down this real cliff and got to climb this big mountain of dirt, but it was really steep and high and slippery. I climbed up it with no complaints. Mom never lets me do anything dangerous and I finally got to. We saw where the river used to be, but now there’s a dam so it’s far away now. Then we went on another tour and we went through this HUGE sprinkler that was more than 15 feet! It was really for watering the crops, but it seemed to be watering us in our golf cart! Then we went on another ride and we went to that river, the Missouri River, and it was completely covered with coal on the bottom. Some were huge and some were tiny. I got to bring some home.
One of my favorite things is this girl kitty named Bubbles. She’s 9 years old, and really lovey and when you pick her up she purrs. And there’s a tire swing, but the tire is carved out so it’s different. It’s hanging from a big tree. And they had a real -live gecko!
We went to this festival about the Native Americans here. They're called Hidatsa. There were all these animal skins with noses on them and we could try them on. Here are some of the names: bison, skunk, muskrat, black bear, wolf, beaver. They used all the parts of the buffalo because they were really respectful of animals. They used the hooves as a doorbell! They hung them all together on a leather string so it’d jingle when you moved it. They used buffalo skins for blankets and for these round boats. They’d go steal enemy horses so when the enemies wanted to come attack their tribes they couldn’t because they wouldn’t have any horses.
Besides hitting buffalo with bows and arrows or spears they also had this trick. One person would wear a buffalo skin and hide atop a cliff. The other tribesmen went around and started aiming at the buffalo with their spears. The scared buffalo would run toward the man wearing a buffalo skin to escape with his friend. The dressed up guy went and hid quickly and the buffalo thought he had run ahead, so he kept running and went right over the cliff and then broke all his legs. And that was a great trick they used.
We earned another Junior Ranger Badge. I’ve earned 4: Glacier Bay National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Glacier National Park and now the Knife River National Park.
I love my dad and tomorrow I get to see him after a long, long drive!
Here is Little Man's post in his own words. I separated it into paragraphs though.
"I went hiking and we hiked inside of a cloud in Montana. And I got a Native American hat. I’ll show it to you when I get back. It has giant feathers in the front and leather in the back to keep it on. In the front where the feathers are, it’s so beautiful.
I like North Dakota because this Lodge was FUN. I liked playing with the little boy. He just became my friend at the Lodge. We went down to Spider Rock – it’s really not but we called it that – because we played Spider Man. And Doodle played Spider Woman on the rock with us.
There were such beautiful sunsets – too beautiful that I’m gonna die – but they really were so beautiful. I drove a tractor. It was so so fun. There was a gas pedal that you pushed that made you go and there was a shift in the middle. When you put it into the middle it made you stop. When you put it in the front it made you go very slow and when you put it in the very back it made you go so so fast and you could go up the hill with it. And there was a red triangle thing on the back that had a gas pump on it, and when you twisted it, it gave the tractor more power.
When B&B Son took us around on the golf cart we hiked in The Little Badlands. That’s when we hiked on the cliff and there were these tiny, tiny cactuses. They were so little and they were huge. That’s when I got the thorns. We hiked down a real cliff and I was so careful, but I got cactus needles in my hand; we pulled them out and I wasn’t even crying.
At the fair, I got a Park Ranger backpack kit that has stamps, magnifying glass, backpack, Ranger badge, 2 books, a compass and the best thing are Ranger binoculars! I learned so much. There was a movie about Native Americans when they used to live out in the Great Plains. They lived in Earth Lodges and we got to go in one. They smelled so stinky but that’s what they lived in. It doesn’t matter because we’re all different.
I feel wonderful and I like this state better than any of the others. And I like Canada as much as this one, but Canada is a country, you know. When we go to a state we don’t have to show our passports and when we go to a country we do.
That’s it!" ("Mom, did you actually put, 'That's It?', because I want you to.")
This trip wouldn't have been half as great without B&B Son. He is the most incredible 15 year old boy, such an obvious good-hearted person, with a love of nature and history and people. Having said that, he has kept Niece and I in hysterics. We have literally had to keep a list of quotes for him alone. Where oh where is Niece to help me out here?
Freedom has been granted to all of us here. It's our one slow spot on this trip and we're each enjoying it in our own way. I'm catching up on this blog or hanging on the hammock swatting flies. Niece has been hiking to the top of hills searching for cell service and wafting under the star-filled skies. (She went hiking and found an old Native American ceremonial ground which really impressed her.) Little Man is running wild outside with the other little boy tagging behind calling, "hey, new guy". Peanut has been swinging or smothering Bubbles with love, unless she's escaping the heat to read. Doodle is in and out of the house asking for apples, cottage cheese, shrimp, our neighbor girl -- things we don't find in North Dakota.
Our first day here, while B&B Dad was traveling to B.F.E. for apples, B&B Son was giving us a tour in the golf cart. He took us up to the hills behind the house, called The Little Badlands. We learned that echinacea roots will make your entire mouth numb if you chew it. He also taught us all kinds of ways to make things blow up -- stuffing a swim noodle with fire crackers, for example. Aerosoft guns are a big deal here, too, just like with my nephews in Texas. One of the first things he asked us is if we wanted to see his AK-47, but I think it just shot pellets. The subject of Rock Band and Guitar Hero came up and when I finally figured out what he and Niece were talking about, I said, "Oh our kids don't do computer games." He looked at me dumbfounded and goes, "No computers? Ohhhh, deprived kids."
From the top of the hills you can see these huge circles of crops. They have the pivot watering system and he took us for a ride underneath! We were soaked and thrilled. Before the dam went in, the Missouri River came up to these hills. Now it's fertile farmland. I tried to keep the kids dry at the river but you can imagine how long that lasted. What a blast. We've already listened to the Adventures of Tom Sawyer in the car and the kids kept remarking that they felt just like him in this river. I couldn't have been happier to hear it.
Like Niece, B&B Son was amazing with the little kids, teaching them how to find coal at the bottom of the river (Lewis & Clark wrote about this in their journals), carrying them up and down slopes and being really patient with their endless questions. He looked at me at one point and goes, "Don't hate me. I made your son a slingshot," at which point a stick came sailing toward my neck. He loves his cat, Bubbles. I asked him where he got that name (thinking there was a good story behind it) and he looked at the ground, obviously embarrassed and replied, "I don't know. It was a long time ago. I was a kid."
No one remotely close to his age has stayed here in over a year. He was excited to hang out with us and the feeling was definitely mutual. He was an exceptional tour guide, his brain being loaded with funky information, and clueless about our sort of lives. Niece asked him if they have recycling and without missing a beat he responded, "No we have trash here."
When I told him we live in the city he looked kind of disappointed for us and said, "Oh, so your house probably only has about a 1/2 acre, huh?" I said it would take about 6 houses in my neighborhood to make a 1/2 acre! Our lot is only about 30x60 and that's a big lot for us! I said that we have coffee shops we can walk to and he got all excited, "Starbucks?" I said, "Well, we don't go there usually because they're too far. We have one a mile North and another one a mile South. But we have 4 coffee shops just a couple of blocks in any direction." B&B Son's mouth literally fell open and he replied, "Wow, I have to drive 30 miles just to get a pop!" He can drive, too. Up here they need to drive to do anything so he got his license at 14. How about that? They start them out when they're 3 on these miniature tractors. I'll have to let Little Man tell you about it.
Time for some kid blogs...
I’ve already told you how nice B&B Dad was when we arrived at the Missouri River Lodge. Well, his family’s generosity never stopped and we were the only ones here so they were extremely flexible with us. Fortunately for B&B Mom and I, they have kids who were overjoyed to see our kids arriving! A lot of rules were broken on this account, like their 3 year old boy hanging out in “guest quarters”, digging through Little Man’s suitcase for more pirate dress-up stuff, and Little Man hanging out behind the kitchen in their private house, searching for more Spider-Man dress-up stuff. Also, they’re used to getting Lewis & Clark clientele – mostly older couples or British people – so they were a bit perplexed by our West Coast family ways.
Food is a great example:
At breakfast, B&B Dad had raised eyebrows when I said the kids didn’t put sugar on their cereal. Then he asked if I needed anything particular for lunch and I said, “No, but do you happen to have any apples?” The kids were dying for fruit, which was nowhere to be found. He didn’t, but he had to go to town anyway and didn’t mind bringing some back. Our kids only get Annie’s, but they were thrilled with Kraft Mac’n’Cheese and more sliced apples for lunch!
For dinner, he’d planned steaks, baked potatoes and salad, and when I accidentally paused too long, he begged for my thoughts. I finally said that he didn’t need to get fancy for us. Niece is a vegetarian and our kids are little and don’t eat much. I said, “How about pasta with no sauce, the salad and more apples?” Finally, after I agreed to at least eat his steak, he said, “Well, that’s different. I never heard of just eating noodles and salad for dinner. I know how to make meat and potatoes, but I don’t know how to do fruit.” I must say he and his 15 year old son served up a delicious dinner. My steak and potato were incredible and they served the most amazing spinach with strawberry salad. (I actually have a recipe for this salad at home but his was particularly tasty.) Niece and the kids were thrilled with their fettuccine noodles, apples, rolls, salad and grilled asparagus.
This entire experience made me think of Everything is Illuminated -- a great book and a great movie -- with a hysterical steak and potato scene!
Well, it wasn’t until we drove to the Knife River Indian Festival (our first time driving in the daylight) that I realized just how far B&B Man had had to drive to get us some apples – 22 miles each way!
The second we crossed the North Dakota border, going 90mph was impossible. It seems every few miles there was a sign "Speed Zone Ahead" or "Fines Double in Construction Zones" or "Slow to 45mph". The crazy thing is that there was never any obstruction, or construction, or anything that should deem a slow-down. There weren't even very many cars on the road! In North Dakota they must want to keep people awake and on their toes while on these roads. Good idea. I said to Niece, "Well, we're still making really good time, assuming I don't get pulled over." Jinx!
The whirring of traffic lights to my rear competed with the gorgeous sunset. Pulling over, the next thing I knew there was a tall freckled face boy at my window in a Police Officer costume. He had twinkling eyes and a cheerful disposition. Obviously, he'd read our windows and knew we were out to see all 50 states. "Thousands of people could be reading about this on our blog in a couple of days," I reminded him. We were set free with a verbal warning and immediately the vibe in North Dakota was a positive one for us!
*Are you reading this Mr. Police Man? Thanks a million!
Poor Doodle almost always misses animal sightings. Luckily for her she sees all kinds of crazy animals on her own that we don't! This has been happening since she first started spotting pink bears in Arizona. Well, here's an example of one of her animals -- a big green alligator -- and I actually saw it, too!
A couple of hours later, it was pitch black and we were entering roads that were lit by the stars and lightening only. I called our B&B for directions and they went something like this, "Turn right at Coleharbor, go over the dam (it's lit up so you can't miss it), turn left in 8 miles and then right on a gravel road." We really tried, but when we finally found the Coleharbor sign, there was no turn! We found a bar with a lot of activity in the parking lot so we asked a man in a truck to help us out.
He and his wife had pulled in to see what all the commotion was about (an ambulance pulled in) and there we were in need of them! What a sweetheart couple! They reviewed my directions, filled in all the gaps like, "See that orange light off in the distance? Turn right there." Then they actually offered to let us follow them to our first turn off. When I called the B&B man again, he kept saying things like, "You just don't worry a bit. I'll drive out to the main road to find you if I don't see you coming down the hill soon." We'd entered Central time by surprise so we didn't get in until midnight. Ugh.
One thing we can say with certainty: North Dakota people are warm and gracious.
It takes forever to get out of Montana, and boy oh boy is Highway 2 a long road. It was supposed to take us 14 hours to get to Stanton, ND and there was just no way any of us could handle that. And I was determined to stick with the plan and spend 3 nights at our next stop, so we could have a proper day of rest and slow the trip down. So, GPS-schmeePS. We decided to ignore anything interesting, eat in the car and Little Man promised to try to control his pea-sized bladder. Above all, we intended to speed. The speed limit is 70 in Montana and we went 90 the entire way. The traffic budget must have been cut because the cops simply weren't out there.
Peanut, Little Man and Doodle were remarkable. It was such a peaceful ride with such good (mostly calm) conversation and games. Niece said I'd prepared them well, but I think they're really just getting into the groove again. They all wanted to know if Niece was finished being sick and we assured them that she was okay now.
The North Dakota sign showed up out of nowhere with a brand new terrain behind it! Yellow grasses! Green hills! Little piles of stones here and there and everywhere -- we entertained the idea of crop circles or something, but realized they were likely just piles of stones cleared from the fields for crops. Cows! Cozy looking ranches surrounded by trees with ponds on their property. Long gone were the "NRA Rodeo Today!" signs and miles and miles and miles of uninhabited land.
Forever burned into our minds will be the North Dakota sunset that greeted us. It was an arresting site, lingering and lovely. To our amazement it lasted nearly 2 hours. Breaking the rules, we stopped 3 times for pictures!
Circling through each persons tunes, listening to Horton Hears a Who and Where the Wild Things Are seemed to entertain us plenty. When the sun went down the kids got out their flashlights and made shadow puppets on the roof of the car and got themselves into hysterics. I was overcome with how well they did. They were amazed by the night sky and all the bug guts hitting our windshield. They're so imaginative! I'm continually amazed at their anticipation for the new places we're visiting and how excited they are to tell people about our blog!
We reached our destination at midnight, thrilled to fall into bed after precisely 11 hours in the car.
