Blank spots on The Map in the Dakotas and Montana always bothered me. It was time to do something about that and see even more of the greatest country ever.
Having already hit all the 'best of' sites and restaurants this trip was filling in some gaps, just seeing more of America and repeating some faves.
Before and After
Saturday, August 8th, 2020
Last time in International Falls, Minnesota I missed this splendid bandshell built by the WPA during the Great Depression.
Typical view for the day.
Kelliher, Minnesota
Pay at pump?
Crossing the Red River from Minnesota into North Dakota.
Sunday, August 9th, 2020
Good morning North Dakota.
This morning was along the northern border of North Dakota moving east to west. Sun was just starting to hit Rolla.
Dunseith
Fantastic building in Mohall.
Remote town, pick-up trucks, like being in someone's house. Good breakfast choice!
The greatness of America is impossible to comprehend.
Second time in Williston along the western border of North Dakota.
And second time at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The great President had a ranch in the area after he fled NYC after the death of his wife and mother in the same house on the same night. It was that rugged living in the late 1880s in the Dakota Territory that mirrored his character and further developed his fortitude.
Starting to drive east through the central part of ND.
Reasonably sure the don't have reclining leather seats, stadium seating, digital sound and a digital picture. BUT, you can fill up next door.
Sunflowers are a HUGE crop in this area.
Fessenden is in the middle of nowhere. Well, all these towns are....
Carrington
From 1966 to 1997 60 feet below this non-descript Air Force building were ten nuclear missiles ready to be launched against the U.S.S.R..
Not getting sick of the views.
Finley
Monday, August 10th, 2020
Happy birthday to my Little Brother. Today was zig-zagging North and South Dakota.
Lisbon, a downtown back in time.
While driving through Forman, a guy in overalls was unlocking his shop and waved. Love small towns.
Havana, all of it.
Oh my, the buildings in Britton, South Dakota were FANTASTIC.
Sand Lake in South Dakota.
While driving through the quaint residential neighborhood in Ellenton, North Dakota, a woman out for a walk waved. Love small towns.
South central ND.
Ashley
Hague, all of it.
Linton
Repeating my tradition of a self-timer picture in front of the capital.
Last time in Bismark I didn't go to the top floor.
Traffic has been crazy.
McLaughlin, SD is on an Indian reservation.
You know the big deal about Lemmon, ND?
That's right, the world's largest petrified wood collection.
Imagine the history.
Tuesday, August 11th, 2020
Good morning Montana.
Remote town+
Small diner+
Pick-ups in parking lot+
Ranchers talking shop inside+
Chicken fried steak made with local beef=
Great breakfast spot
Plentywood. Make your own joke.
Scobey, way up in the NE corner of the state.
Traffic has been ridiculous.
Big sky country.
Opheim, near the Canadian border.
All of downtown Opheim.
Stepping back into time in Glasgow.
Saco
Was I on the right or wrong side of the tracks?
You never know what you'll find on a hill in the middle of nowhere.
Second time in Havre.
Beneath the Streets Museum
Along a desolate highway, possibly the best hotel sign ever.
Shelby was a treasure trove on neon signs.
Mimetic architecture in East Glacier Park Village.
The eastern side of Glacier National Park.
West Glacier Park Village
Wednesday, August 12th, 2020
Second time at Glacier National Park.
Why? Well, look at these pics!
Very windy at Logan Pass.
Off for a hike.
Time to head out.
Neat waterfall.
Love West Glacier Village with its well maintained WPA era buildings and active tourists.
Good choice for breakfast! Fresh salsa, Cotija, fire roasted red peppers, house made guac.
Last time in Kalispell it was night, so wasn't able to marvel at the magnificent buildings.
Bakery and ice cream. 10 Year Birthday Cake- blue buttercream frosting swirled in vanilla with confetti sprinkles and chocolate covered vanilla cake.
Previous trip was driving along the east side of Flathead Lake, this time the west.
It has more bays.
Hot Springs is off the beaten path.
The 'resort' that uses those springs.
Heading south.
Not getting sick of the views. Never.
Wallace, Idaho made it on my favorite towns list.
Nestled in the Bitteroot Mountains, this old mining town preserves its heritage while still being hospitable to today's visitors.
Even its residential areas were inviting.
And how about that sign?!
And the vintage hotel itself?!
Somewhere in NE Idaho.
So many towns hours away from the next. This is St. Maries.
Head swiveling trying to take in the beauty of America.
So many towns hours away from the next. This is St. Kendrick.
The view for the next 140 miles.
Thursday, August 13th, 2020
Second time in Missoula.
Wowzas.
Reeder's Alley is the oldest part of Helena.
In the 1870s, this was where the miners lived.
Helena is built of granite and other stone after several fires leveled the frontier town in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Pedestrian street along Last Chance Gulch.
There was Romanesque, Art Deco, French revival and Chicago School architecture.
1922 soda fountain!
State capital repeat!
Used the wide angle lense to get the full height of the beautiful rotunda.
Supreme Court and House.
Heading east and then north. Townsend.
Few hours, of not much.
So many town hours away from the next. This is White Sulphur Springs
Showdown. 6,800' base, 8,200 peak, 36 runs.
Imagine living hours away from anything?
Coffee Creek, all of it.
How does remote Lewiston have such a tremendous collection of architecture?
The railroad.
From 1910 to 1914 the town quadrupled in size.
Few hours of this.
Can you guess what town this is?
Few hours of this.
And then suddenly what may have been a schoolhouse.
Friday, August 14th, 2020
Good morning from SE Montana.
There is one town in the SE corner of Montana. On the outskirts is Cashway Cafe.
Right off the Interstate at Sturgis, SD is the Saab Heritage Museum.
My first car love were Alfa Romeos. Followed by Volvo and Saab.
1950 92. The first year Saab made a car.
1956 Sonnett Super Sport.
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Last time I was here, it was desolate.
Tents everywhere.
Third time at Mount Rushmore.
And still jumping out of the skin excited.
What a GREAT symbol of a GREAT country of GREAT leaders.
The Sculpture Studio is where the engineering was worked out. The interior used to have examples of the tools they'd use.
Have driven past Crazy Horse twice.
So figured might as well take a closer look.
Custer
Strawberry Rhubarb made it on my best pie list. (Notice the Lamborghini Urus?)
Custer State Park
Needles Highway is a narrow, twisty-turny marvel going through Custer State Park.
It has several tunnels.
And, oh, some decent views.
Sylvan Lake
Hill City
3 Redheads
Lead is an old mining town.
Second time in Deadwood.
A historic town that has got even more touristy since my last visit.
On August 2nd, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok walked into a saloon at this spot (the original burned down) and broke any gunslingers habit by sitting with this back to the door. A disgruntled poker player from the previous night, Jack McCall, walked in and shot the famed lawman in the back of the head.
Mt. Moriah Cemetary is in the hills above Deadwood. Wild Bill Hickok was joined by Calamity Jane. After his death she lied about having a relationship with him which got her buried right next to him.
Sturgis at night.
Saturday, August 15th, 2020
Somewhere in central South Dakota.
Sunflowers have a shorter crop season, don't need a lot of water, are in high demand (lots of products use sunflower oil) and have a high profit margin.
Pierre
Yep, repeating the state capital picture.
The only building occupied downtown was the city hall/police station.
Faulkton. Seeing a Rexall Drug sign is always an indication of an old small town.
Grown Ups is playing at the mini-plex.
Neato.
You never know what will take your breath away on a lone, dusty county road.
Redfield is another wonderful time capsule in the middle of fields.
Second time in De Smet. This town is tied with Laura Ingalls Wilder as one of the many places her nomadic family lived in.
Old Settler's Days was going on.
They even had a car show.
A few blocks off of Main Street is the house Pa built after Laura was married.
Outside of town and down a washboard bumpy gravel road is the Ingalls Homestead.
Pa obtained this land with the Homestead Act of 1862.
I was all, "let's do a duck face selfie!" And he was all, "Nooo, a horsey face!"
The gift shop had all of her books.
Lake Preston. Imagine the history.
