And its 1 July, Canada day, same as our 4 July but with less BS. Looking east at 0430hrs the sun was just about to make its appearance and the sunrise was going to be spectacular but Mother Nature cancelled the sunrise with a solid layer of fog until 0800hrs.
I continue working west along route 17 with Lake Superior on the horizon caching as I go, Thunder Bay is still another day off but who is counting. It was another great day for weather, can this really be happening, but we will find out believe me.
I am now in central time zone moving west from Thunder Bay and summer is here with today's temps in the 30's C. All of my winter gear is being boosted up to the cargo carrier; this will allow me to store more of that fine cold beer down below for emergencies. Tonight I stop in a provincial park, the humidity is neigh high, and the twits have fires going……..is there something wrong with this picture? But fear not, Mother Nature took care of this problem with thunderstorms, lightning, wind, and rain (2.5 inches /60mm). Now they are all locked in the caravan with the kids, grand parents, and the dog. This morn was wet, things were put away wet, and for my first cuppa, the woman was explaining to me that the reason the tent sites were burning wood when both the heat and humidity was over the scale "was to dry out the air".
Any way with that bit of information, the first Geocache was in the middle of a downpour. Thinking that it should be a quickie, wrong, soaked to the gills with a no find. Next one was again in the wet; me thinking at this time, screw it I am wet and I really don't need to add any more water to the clothes. Head for Safeway in Fort Williams were Starbucks is with access to Wi-Fi. Wrong again so over the border at the International Falls, Minnesota and a fill up at the gas station for half the price. Now I am heading west on route 11 when we have a detour, this detour cost me in mileage just about 100 miles and counting. Fortunately I found a local lad who put me on the county road system but still it was 100 miles plus by the time I got to Pine Island State Park. Most national and state parks like to put you in the quite, green environment. Well this also leads to a great abundance of black flies and mosquito's and finding that this was going to be
a major problem and not wanting to be part of the food chain, I was out of there.
The area that I've been passing through in Ontario for the last days is in total un-employment shut down. The last wood mill had shut down and unemployment went up by 10,000 souls. There is nothing on the horizon either except some gold and platinum companies who are making exploratory drilling. But for anything substantial, it is still years away.
And should I remind everyone that mosquitoes do not exist in Minnesota, no it's the bloody state bird. Geocaching has exposed me to the worst of worst of mosquito's bites. I do not care how much you spray yourself with DEET; the bloody suckers will find an opening somewhere.
Last night here I was at a small picnic area, next we find ourselves inundated with people from farms on both sides of the area. Just a fantastic group and meeting a coupler that was with the first group of Peace Corp flower children volunteers to go forth in the early 60's. There are a few of them left, one in particular hiding on a remote pacific atoll. Geocaching all day long brings me to Lake Branson where the breeze is doable and the bugs are a big part of the scene. If you do check into a state park make sure and I mean make sure you get a campsite at the windiest part of the park or you will be a blood bank provider for the mosquitos. Another thought of caution when traveling; check out the bathroom facilities before committing yourself to a campsite. You will be surprised at the number of places that charge you to the max and the bathrooms would not qualify for a loo in Calcutta.
North Dakota and its radio station 105.1 for country. Did I mention that upper Minnesota is flat, the roads are straight, well North Dakota is nothing but an extension of the same. The highest thing seen to date is the McDonalds Arch……..
After a very serious conversation with one of the farmers in ND, he informed me that as an export crop they grow mosquitoes especially in wheat fields where I just so happen to be looking for me small container. A little known factoid; ND has a positive cash flow and the reason is oil, you know that stuff that's running $80.00 a barrel, has been discovered in western ND. With a population of 650,000, no worries on expenditures either.
Oil in western North Dakota is both a blessing and a curse. The sudden wealth to the farmer who by most standards was poorer then a bloody church mouse now are the SUV groupie. The impact on the infrastructure is another story all together. All of the roads either gravel or sealed were structured for the farming community. Now add trucks, a lot of trucks carrying tons and tons of equipment to support the oil fields, the road system starts to break down. And did I mention people and housing; non-existent and probably won't be corrected for a number of years. If you are single and want to make a lot of money, west North Dakota and east Montana are the place to be.
The ratio of men to women in the oil fields is 50 to 1. So ladies, if you can breath, cook an apple pie and cut a cord of wood during the winter months, the possibilities are there for that perfect match of a lifetime.
My last night stay in North Dakota is at the National Forest Buffalo Gap Camp on route 94. Most National Forest sites are primitive, water and loo, but for $3.00 a night how can you go wrong. So in the morn it's over the border into the Big Sky country of Montana. Five hours later I am standing at the Billings, Montana Costco store and its good to be back.
North to the Lewis and Clark National Forest it is and is it big country. Impressed I was with North Dakota; Montana with its mountains and vast open spaces will be worth every mosquito and deer fly bite. Did I mention ticks, no, well let me tell you those little suckers are alive and well. My total to date is 6 and hopefully there is no Lyme disease among the group.
We get ourselves through Missoula into the worst traffic while in Montana, route 93 south. They are widening the road and it's just a miserable trip for 40 miles south. Lake Como, National Forest, and another $4.00 night with Idaho on the horizon.
Aloha,
Norm
The Greynomad
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