Day 212 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways
I failed to mention some interesting sights yesterday, the first being during long waits due to road construction. As we were all waiting for the flagger to wave us on, it was mostly truckers and me, I was debating rolling down VANilla’s window and turning off the engine.
As I glanced toward the driver side mirror, I noticed a trucker, probably mid forties, brown hair, sunglasses, periwinkle blue T-shirt and jean shorts step out of his cab, sidle into the space between his cab and trailer and assume the position necessary to relieve himself. I thought surely this isn’t the case. But as he looked from side to side and turned back toward his cab while zipping his fly, my suspicion was confirmed! Not too much further up the road, as I entered the town of Alexander, I was greeted with a billboard listing the Ten Commandments! Anyway, it was an interesting day.
I’ve survived another night of hellacious thunderstorms. Lightning flashed in the sky like a strobe light in a dance club. Some of the tent campers moved into their cars while the storm passed. Upon leaving the campground, I turned east and continued past countless hay fields, rolling hills, and farmland to Garrison. It wasn’t a numbered stop in my Reader’s Digest Book, The Most Scenic Drives in America, but why not, it was my first time in North Dakota.
Garrison
Besides, the recommended stop in New Town, the “major” city (it’s all relative) on the Indian Reservation seemed uneventful. And frankly it was too hot to spend much time hiking across prairielands on the sunny, somewhat humid day.
Garrison calls itself the Walleye capital of the North and displays a 26-foot fish statue named Wally at the town park. Not far from the town park is another park where I went geocaching. I found a container hidden under an old city horse trough.
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
After visiting Garrison, I took a short drive through Audubon National Wildlife Refuge until the road closure in the park required me to turn around. I got a quick glance of a grouse before it hopped into the bushes, but I think the animals were like me today…not too active in the unseasonably warm weather!
Knife River Indian Villages Historic Site
We moved on the Knife River Indian Villages Historic Site. The earth lodge people of the Knife River were known as the Hidatsa and are believed to have arrived around the 1300’s. The tribe remained in the area for more than 500 years. The tribe survived by farming land, hunting bison, and trading materials. Lewis and Clark encountered the Indian village during the winter of 1804 and they eventually hired Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trader as an interpreter. Along with Charbonneau came his wife, Sakakawea, a Shoshone who was invaluable to expedition’s western travels.
Petey and I walked along the 1.5 mile path past the undulating green field which was basically the remains of the earth lodge village. The area looked more like a perfect golf course fairway. The heat index was so high, that at the end of our short walk Petey, panting heavily, decided he just couldn’t make it to VANilla across the parking lot and plopped down under the shade of a tree to rest. Indian Village was a final touring spot before coming to a rest in Bismarck. ETB
Map of My Road Trip Across the USA
Learn more about my road trip across the USA, or click the link below for the interactive map.
Interactive Map of Road Trip Across the USA
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