Day 22: New Albany, OH to Fargo, ND
Day 22, Monday, August 18, 2008
New Albany, OH to Fargo, ND
We got up at 7 and since the last few times we've been there, Mario and Alex are running late, I figured that I had time to have a quick shower. I guess they were on time today cause when I got out, Daryl informed me that they had had to leave! Oops! We knew we had a long drive ahead of us today so we left very soon after them, by about 8. We had to get gas and then went to Tim Horton's for breakfast. We'd never been there for breakfast and were happily surprised to find that we could get a 'meal' consisting of yogurt and berries for me, an apple fritter for Daryl and orange juice, all for under $4. We want to get to Saskatchewan by Wednesday so we can be in Edmonton for Thursday's football game. When we put Regina into the TomTom as our destination, it told us it would take 30 hours from Mario's. We weren't sure how we were going to break this up as if we stopped tonight in Minnesota, we'd still have a long drive through North Dakota and wouldn't get to Regina until 4 in the afternoon which kind of defeats the purpose of being there so I can get some RoughRider gear. Since this is now the third time we have drive through these States, we've kind of seen them all so we decided that we would drive through the night so that we could get to Regina tomorrow afternoon and have Wednesday to explore. We were kind of excited cause we hadn't done this yet and knew it would be difficult as one of us would have to drive during those wee hours of the morning while the other slept. We decided to stop for a good dinner so we could have a bit of a break. We'd seen a lot of Perkin's Family Restaurants during our trip so we decided to risk it and give it a try. Were we ever impressed! Daryl got a turkey and ham melt with salad and I got a huge salad. Daryl's hilarious - he thinks that he's gained a bunch of weight on this trip so he's trying to healthy (which I think is great!). Anyway, he totally dips his fork in his salad dressing before putting it into the lettuce (a Weight Watchers trick that I use with all my salads - you use way less dressing and still get all the taste). So funny! After dinner, we hit the road again and then saw a sign for a scenic overlook. As soon as we pulled into the rest area, I knew we'd been there before. We were back at the place in Wisconsin where the Black River Falls forest fire burnt a whole bunch of forest (see 2 years ago entries during our first trip across Canada). We needed some exercise so we walked up the trail again. We were following this other couple but when we were just about at the top, they all of a sudden turned around and told us that the trail was closed. Even if it was closed, I was going to go on anyway so we continued along and found that they had seen a sign closing another trail, not the one to the lookout. So we ended up having the view to ourselves. The trees had grown up a lot since last time so we couldn't see much and the sun was coming right at us so our pics aren't that great. We continued along and then saw some huge animal statues at this “travel oasis”. We had to stop and take pictures, of course! Unfortunately it was dusk so they aren't that great. We drove and drove (although I should say Daryl drove and drove - I slept and slept!). It got dark quite quickly and we passed the state line into Minnesota. Daryl took us through St. Paul's and then around midnight, I took over the driving. It was hard cause I was tired so I could only do it for an hour. I pulled over to a rest stop so we could both sleep but Daryl said he was good to drive again so he did. I fell asleep and then next thing I knew, we were in Fargo, North Dakota. Daryl was exhausted at this point (it was 2 am) and so he pulled into a hotel parking lot so we could both sleep.
Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Daryl on the bridge to the lookout.
At the scenic overlook.
Trying to get a pic of the two of us when the sun is behind us.
Me and the moose.
Daryl and the moose.
Me and a pretty fountain.
Daryl with the mouse and the cheese.
"Yum Yum!"
I like cheese too!
New Albany, OH to Fargo, ND
We got up at 7 and since the last few times we've been there, Mario and Alex are running late, I figured that I had time to have a quick shower. I guess they were on time today cause when I got out, Daryl informed me that they had had to leave! Oops! We knew we had a long drive ahead of us today so we left very soon after them, by about 8. We had to get gas and then went to Tim Horton's for breakfast. We'd never been there for breakfast and were happily surprised to find that we could get a 'meal' consisting of yogurt and berries for me, an apple fritter for Daryl and orange juice, all for under $4. We want to get to Saskatchewan by Wednesday so we can be in Edmonton for Thursday's football game. When we put Regina into the TomTom as our destination, it told us it would take 30 hours from Mario's. We weren't sure how we were going to break this up as if we stopped tonight in Minnesota, we'd still have a long drive through North Dakota and wouldn't get to Regina until 4 in the afternoon which kind of defeats the purpose of being there so I can get some RoughRider gear. Since this is now the third time we have drive through these States, we've kind of seen them all so we decided that we would drive through the night so that we could get to Regina tomorrow afternoon and have Wednesday to explore. We were kind of excited cause we hadn't done this yet and knew it would be difficult as one of us would have to drive during those wee hours of the morning while the other slept. We decided to stop for a good dinner so we could have a bit of a break. We'd seen a lot of Perkin's Family Restaurants during our trip so we decided to risk it and give it a try. Were we ever impressed! Daryl got a turkey and ham melt with salad and I got a huge salad. Daryl's hilarious - he thinks that he's gained a bunch of weight on this trip so he's trying to healthy (which I think is great!). Anyway, he totally dips his fork in his salad dressing before putting it into the lettuce (a Weight Watchers trick that I use with all my salads - you use way less dressing and still get all the taste). So funny! After dinner, we hit the road again and then saw a sign for a scenic overlook. As soon as we pulled into the rest area, I knew we'd been there before. We were back at the place in Wisconsin where the Black River Falls forest fire burnt a whole bunch of forest (see 2 years ago entries during our first trip across Canada). We needed some exercise so we walked up the trail again. We were following this other couple but when we were just about at the top, they all of a sudden turned around and told us that the trail was closed. Even if it was closed, I was going to go on anyway so we continued along and found that they had seen a sign closing another trail, not the one to the lookout. So we ended up having the view to ourselves. The trees had grown up a lot since last time so we couldn't see much and the sun was coming right at us so our pics aren't that great. We continued along and then saw some huge animal statues at this “travel oasis”. We had to stop and take pictures, of course! Unfortunately it was dusk so they aren't that great. We drove and drove (although I should say Daryl drove and drove - I slept and slept!). It got dark quite quickly and we passed the state line into Minnesota. Daryl took us through St. Paul's and then around midnight, I took over the driving. It was hard cause I was tired so I could only do it for an hour. I pulled over to a rest stop so we could both sleep but Daryl said he was good to drive again so he did. I fell asleep and then next thing I knew, we were in Fargo, North Dakota. Daryl was exhausted at this point (it was 2 am) and so he pulled into a hotel parking lot so we could both sleep.
Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Daryl on the bridge to the lookout.
At the scenic overlook.
Trying to get a pic of the two of us when the sun is behind us.
Me and the moose.
Daryl and the moose.
Me and a pretty fountain.
Daryl with the mouse and the cheese.
"Yum Yum!"
I like cheese too!