A note concerning tangents: (IX)

Current Location: Terry, MT (pop.~600)
(N46°47.556', W105°18.714', elev: 2267 feet)
Distance traveled on leg 9: 508.4 miles
Total Distance Traveled: 2,956.3 miles
Expedition Outlook: Bamboozled.
Number of Photos Taken Thus Far: 919

Alas, patient readers, it would seem our wild lifestyle has finally caught up to us. No sooner did we get to our lodging then we were unconscious like a pair of poleaxed hippos. I would like to think it's because we were tired, but based on the demeanor of this place, it would not come as a surprise to learn that knockout gas was pumped into our room so that despicable things could be done to our vulnerable, unconscious bodies. Everything seems in order, so I'm going to go with the former, if for no other reason than to protect what shreds of sanity I still possess.

Dragons are good for keeping away evil spirits...
And the old gods you have just forsaken.

In the AM we returned to Moorhead, MN to visit the Hjemkost Center, a site devoted to maintaining the ties and roots of Scandinavian heritage in the region. The facility focuses around a replica Stave Church (a type of wooden church built by the vikings after their conversion to Catholicism) and the Hjemkost, a 75 foot Viking longship built by native Minnesotan Robert Asp in the 80's and sailed by his children across the Atlantic to Norway and back. The Hjemkost was built as a working replica of a preserved vessel found within a burial mound in Norway. Both the church and the ship were amazing pieces of craftsmanship, and the fact the Hjemkost was not only seaworthy, but capable of making a transatlantic voyage was nothing short of inspiring.

There was a lot of this.

After leaving Moorhead we drove across the entire width of North Dakota. Whatever money they saved on not buying hills they spent on purchasing excess amounts of sky. The landscape was picturesque and we could see for miles in every direction. We made a few stops along the way: Bismark to refuel, and New Salem and Regent to collect photographic evidence of big people. Of note is Sue, the 25' holstein cow perched atop the only hill in miles. We discovered sue as we were driving west on 94 and I turned to Edison and asked "Is that a giant Ox on top of the hill or just a building or a sign?" We were about 2 miles away at this point.

Ladies and gentlemen: Sue.

We quickly determined that it was in fact a cow and immediately altered our course to go visit her. Beyond Sue we discovered the so called Enchanted Highway, a stretch of road running perpendicular to 94 whose sole purpose appears to be farm access and a means of getting to Regent. Built along the course of this road are absurdly tall metal sculptures including grasshoppers as diners and a massive Teddy Roosevelt riding horseback. It would appear that building large statues of a ridiculous nature is a something of a North Dakotan pastime. 

Our last sight in ND before losing daylight entirely and crossing into MT were the Painted Canyons of the Badlands. Regrettably, the sun had already dipped below the horizon and the canyons themselves were muted. The land itself was pretty breathtaking, even if we did miss out on the color portion of the festivities. 

We pushed on through to the relative metropolis of Glendive, MT where we were rebuked from our lodging of choice and referred to another hotel 40 miles away in Terry. The inn in Glendive was a nice, pleasant looking modern facility. The place we were referred to was not in fact an affiliate. It is likely a registered historic structure. It is the expedition's belief that we have been had by the young ladies at the hotel in Glendive. No matter, we are at least 40 miles further along. 

Edison, anything to add?

[Notes from Edison: Zzzzzzzzzz]

No big surprise there, folks. In fact, I too fell asleep in the midst of drafting this broadcast and am just now finishing it on the morning after. It is time once again to commune with the road. Thank you for your patience, America, and have a good day. This is the Nickness, signing off:

A fitting icon to the spirit of journey, we feel.

Thanks for tuning in! On our next episode: Big Sky, Big Fun?; Punctuality, Can We Find It?; Will Hannibal Finally Beat His Dry Spell?; In Search Of Local Delicacies