Biggs Cross Country 2017: Day 45 - North Dakota to Bismark

For the first time in our 45 days, we awoke to rain! But as we headed west it cleared up, became a hot, sunny, 95 degree day. Today we drove almost all the way across North Dakota, mostly on secondary roads, and watched the terrain change from flat, flat, and very flat to more rolling (little) hills. A variety of crops including potatoes, sugar beets, beans, canola, and wheat. We didn't start seeing any cows until almost to Bismark. We were disappointed that we didn't see any acres of sunflowers. We were surprised at all the small bodies of water seen all along the way.

About half way across we stopped at Devil's Lake, the largest natural freshwater body in the state. Oddly shaped, it sprawls all over. About 10 miles south, we visited the Sully's Hill Natural reserve. The literature lead us to believe we might see some bison and elk. Not. In fact, the visitor center was closed. There was, however, a Prairie Dog village that was very amusing! A lot of this area is on an Indian Reservation - three bands of Sioux. Brief stop at Fort Totten, a restored cavalry post from the 1860s which later became a school where indian kids went to get "aculturated" (i.e. not indian).

The weather report is warning of possible tornadoes, but we didn't see anything. Chinese across from our Comfort Inn for dinner.