As usual, the US 2 out of Minot was through immense fields of corn, cattle feed, and grass.
This is not called a freeway, because there are numerous small roads, driveways, and the like that just bail off the side, and there is traffic crossing from either side through the center median, but the condition of the highway and the distance between the divided sections would qualify as a major traffic artery in any state that I've been in. Except for the expected summer construction sections, it is equal in every respect to I94 to the south. And the traffic is almost nonexistent!
The small towns that we passed through were a bit fewer and farther apart today. Granville and Towner led us to Rugby, which is the geographical center of North America (by most accounts, anyway).
Due to perspective, the American Flag looks very small, but it's a bit of a distance away, and this monument is some 70 odd feet tall. The town of Rugby has capitalized on this "honor" and has earned a place of honor along with Lebanon, Kansas (the geographical center of the US). Right next to the monument is the North Plains Pioneer Museum. We sketched a quick tour, but couldn't do it justice in the time we had. The museum has recreated life in the early 1800's when this area was first populated by easterners, complete with buildings, tools, clothing and kitchenware appropriate to the time. It would take several hours, if not the entire day, to tour all the exhibits. Maybe next time!
After Rugby, we blew through Devils Lake and Lakota on our way to Larimore, where we're spending the night at a Grand Forks county park called the Larimore Dam Recreation Area. Back in the 70's an earthen dam was constructed to provide water to the surrounding areas. During construction, large tracts of land were smoothed and contoured to provide large grassy areas for camping, picnicking, fishing, and non-motorized boating.
There are 144 full hookup rv sites, 40' wide and 100' long, with grass throughout and shade trees surrounding most sites. Our site, 122, does not have much in the way of shade, but that's ok, because there's plenty of room for Nessie, and that's more important! The girl needs her own space!
We took a short drive after we set up, and spotted a sign that said "corn" pointing to a nice midwestern home with a huge lawn and big shade trees. We got to talking to a young man who was selling Zucchini, corn, onions, and potatoes from his garden. We bought some of each, of course. Donna wanted a couple more Zucchini's, so he jumped on his quad, zoomed off to the garden, and came back with just about the freshest squash we've ever had. All the while, his cashbox was being guarded by his beautiful Golden Lab! She was a sweetheart! Oh, to have more of that midwestern trust in our lives.... The young fellow was a member of the local high school football team, the Polar Bears (can you say football in North Dakota?), and he was telling us that their first day of practice for the upcoming season is Wednesday. They're starting practice at 12:01am, technically the earliest that they can. The team has been undefeated in their league for a number of years. Go Polar Bears! Well, it doesn't just roll off the tongue, but he was a nice young man, nevertheless.
We drove on into Larimore to check out the town.
There isn't much to see or do in Larimore, it seems to me, but there are 15 or 20 blocks of sedate older homes, some of which appear to be 100 year old (or more) farmhouses in the Laura Ingalls style. Across the street from the high school, this old barn sat, quietly passing time as an upholstery. antique, and restoration shop.
On the way back to camp, we noticed some ominous clouds in the distance,
but nothing came of them, and the sky was clear by the time we got "home". In addition to full hookups at each rv site, a fire ring is provided, so we lit up our first campfire of the trip, roasted some hot dogs and had dogs and fresh corn for dinner. Ah, life is indeed good!
The small towns that we passed through were a bit fewer and farther apart today. Granville and Towner led us to Rugby, which is the geographical center of North America (by most accounts, anyway).
Due to perspective, the American Flag looks very small, but it's a bit of a distance away, and this monument is some 70 odd feet tall. The town of Rugby has capitalized on this "honor" and has earned a place of honor along with Lebanon, Kansas (the geographical center of the US). Right next to the monument is the North Plains Pioneer Museum. We sketched a quick tour, but couldn't do it justice in the time we had. The museum has recreated life in the early 1800's when this area was first populated by easterners, complete with buildings, tools, clothing and kitchenware appropriate to the time. It would take several hours, if not the entire day, to tour all the exhibits. Maybe next time!
After Rugby, we blew through Devils Lake and Lakota on our way to Larimore, where we're spending the night at a Grand Forks county park called the Larimore Dam Recreation Area. Back in the 70's an earthen dam was constructed to provide water to the surrounding areas. During construction, large tracts of land were smoothed and contoured to provide large grassy areas for camping, picnicking, fishing, and non-motorized boating.
There are 144 full hookup rv sites, 40' wide and 100' long, with grass throughout and shade trees surrounding most sites. Our site, 122, does not have much in the way of shade, but that's ok, because there's plenty of room for Nessie, and that's more important! The girl needs her own space!
We took a short drive after we set up, and spotted a sign that said "corn" pointing to a nice midwestern home with a huge lawn and big shade trees. We got to talking to a young man who was selling Zucchini, corn, onions, and potatoes from his garden. We bought some of each, of course. Donna wanted a couple more Zucchini's, so he jumped on his quad, zoomed off to the garden, and came back with just about the freshest squash we've ever had. All the while, his cashbox was being guarded by his beautiful Golden Lab! She was a sweetheart! Oh, to have more of that midwestern trust in our lives.... The young fellow was a member of the local high school football team, the Polar Bears (can you say football in North Dakota?), and he was telling us that their first day of practice for the upcoming season is Wednesday. They're starting practice at 12:01am, technically the earliest that they can. The team has been undefeated in their league for a number of years. Go Polar Bears! Well, it doesn't just roll off the tongue, but he was a nice young man, nevertheless.
We drove on into Larimore to check out the town.
There isn't much to see or do in Larimore, it seems to me, but there are 15 or 20 blocks of sedate older homes, some of which appear to be 100 year old (or more) farmhouses in the Laura Ingalls style. Across the street from the high school, this old barn sat, quietly passing time as an upholstery. antique, and restoration shop.
On the way back to camp, we noticed some ominous clouds in the distance,
but nothing came of them, and the sky was clear by the time we got "home". In addition to full hookups at each rv site, a fire ring is provided, so we lit up our first campfire of the trip, roasted some hot dogs and had dogs and fresh corn for dinner. Ah, life is indeed good!
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