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Jul 26, 2008 12:48


 I'm in Minot, ND and despite the nervous feeling of being in a world completely different than what I'm used to, I'm glad I'm here.  The road trip to Minot was inspiring, to say the least, and eye opening in every way possible. The trip started by driving in a purposeful manner to Chicago; a good stopping point after a 4hour drive, a way to quench the desire to see a good friend, and a city to provide comfort for the much needed rest I would need to finish the drive the next day.  Chicago, surprisingly, provides familiarity and after an hour of spending time with a friend, relaxing along the waterfront  (my favorite place in Chicago) and eating Persian food, rest seemed necessary.

Day 2: Consisted of driving through Illinois, Wisconsin and part of Minnesota while listening to a book on tape recommended by a good friend who frequently travels.  The book is called "Three Cups of Tea" and is written by Greg Mortenson, director of the CAI and American hero, who proved that anyone possessing the right cocktail of determination, drive, and stamina really can change the world. A feat he successfully completed by building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A feat not accomplished to prove anything however to fullfill a promise and promote peace in one of the most remote and dangerous parts of the world. Anyways..the drive was completely relaxing and at one point noticed that my train of through and thinking patterns were more clear then they had been in a long time

After driving about 10 hours through Illinois and Wisconsin, the Minnesota border was visiable so gladly I stopped at the travelers center in order to plan out my last night stay on the road. Ringo was very excited to get out of the car and hop through the grass while being pestered by adults and kids wanting to pet him or hold him. The lady at the counter was very friendly and had that deep Minnesota accent that most people impersinate by saying "North Dakohhhhta". She had recommended Itasca State Park as a resting place for the evenging however, she cautiously pointed out that camping would be necessary. Giggling, I told her camping was the least of my worries.

Driving to Itasca, located in the Northwestern part of Minnesota, was simply beautiful. The lakes, rolling hills, and forest, passed along the way, were like no other I have ever seen and worth the extra hour of driving time it took to get there. Itasca State Park is where the Mississippi River begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico, a 2, 552 mile journey. The park was tranquil with the sights and sounds of water flowing nearby, birds chirping, and the smell of fresh pine trees standing bold near my campsite. The mosquitos however are terrible and would recommend anyone traveling in this part of the world to carry large amounts of bug spray, something well worth the investment.

Day 3: Waking up in the morning is never a problem when sleeping in a tent. Nothing is more motivational then waking up to the sounds of nature and then being able to participate by taking a bike ride through the park or simply walking around, which is exactly what I did. After washing up in a conviently placed shower faciltiy, Ringo and I headed to the Headwaters of the Mississippi to learn a little more about the park.

Interesting facts:

Itasca means in Latin: "truth" and "head" by linking adjoining syllables: verITAS CAput, meaning "true head."

The turtle is considered the symbol of the park, an Indian proverb, due to the shell meaning the entire world and the legs of the turtle symbolizing direction.

  Headwaters of the Mississippi




 a close up



 Cute ducks



Day 3 (cont)...

After driving for a few more hours finally, the North Dakota border was in sight. Hunger kicked in and so did the desire to have a good meal at a restaurant of familiarity. Therefore, Perkins was the resaurant of choice and to my surprise while getting out of my car, an old Toyota Corolla (much like my old car) drove past a lovely visual of the Canadian and American flag flying side by side.  Three more hours and counting to destination point Minot, North Dakota. Below are some pictures that I took while driving through the eastern part of the state. The drive was long and boring however the beauty of plains and occassional rolling hill kept me hopeful and fed into the butterflies of excitement and nerves of viewing my new home for the first time.

 At Perkins




 Wind Turbine along the way. I've always wondered how noisey wind turbines are after listening to a long broadcast on the BBC about the noise associated with them and the damage they do because of the birds they kill.  I was probably 100 feet or so from the turbine and frankily if my house was right next to it I'd probably forget it was there. The noise was barely noticeable. 



 The Geographical Center of North America. Established in the 19th century as the center of North America. It's funny because it’s located at a small cafe and in the middle of freakin' nowhere :)



Day 3 (the end)

After 3 hours of driving and finishing the last CD of my book, the exit for Minot appeared and sure enough it seemed just like the other towns along interstate 2. Panicking a bit from the phobia of rural America, relaxation took over and the temptation to let first impressions get the best of me was pushed aside. Luckily, my decision to wait on making a final judgement call was a good idea because before I could even get past my thought, a fairly large city very Bloomington-esk was before me. The only difference between Bloomington, IN. and Minto, ND seems to be that Minot has rolling hills, 20,000 more people, and slightly more republican. On billboards, adds for supporting our Troops, the war, and pro-life take precident over all other. Everything seems to be centering around the motto "the magic city" and there is a Scandinavian Heritage Park in the middle of Minot with a full size replica of what at first I thought was a pagoda but ended up being a Stav Church. People seem relaxed here and willing to help with anything needed however with the French Canadians being a substantial portion of the population, one must understand whay they are saying first or get past the thick Dakota accent. The contracting company put me in a lovely apartment that is fully furnished with wood furniture. From the outside my apartment doesn't seem like much however the inside is awesome and my neighbors are extremely friendly and my age or slightly older. Its seeems that everything is arranged now and the unpacking is done so tonight I'm going to the State Fair, biking distance from my apartment, like everything else in the city.  Tommorrow, I'll go for my first run along the river, a sight that is worth mentioning.  Until later.... Amy


 The living room and part of kitchen


 Living room up close


 Part of bedroom


 Kitchen



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