I slip Andre Thibeault's Old Ethnic One into the tape deck and realize I've never given it the attention it deserves. Turns out to be exactly the right music for the time and place - early morning Montana. Middle Eastern percussion backing Andre's flamenco-influenced guitar and oud. The brash oud rich in plectrum inharmonicity and dissonant harmonics suits the music and the wildness of Montana. I send Andre an appreciative postcard at campsite that night. He never gets it. I find out much later he's broken up with his wife and she won't forward any mail.
The major problem with these habitual solo journeys is becoming clear - the evening campsite. It gets lonely then - and only then for the most part. I've taken to writing letters and postcards to simulate the missing camaraderie of campfire dinners and shared whiskey sunsets.
Except for the remote entry into North Dakota on route 68 - which is
spectacular - the original tall-grass prairie of the Little Missouri Natl Grasslands
- nothing of interest happens in ND.
But I do find the source
of the Kum&Go photo I took on 96 trip in Watford City ND. What
a coincidence - only 2 places in the US that the 96 and 99 routes intersect and I
happened to photograph it.
North Dakota reminds me of Canada - it'll be my
last trip thru it for awhile. South Dakota is much more interesting. In fact
the further south the better at this meridian
- with Kansas and Texas at the top of my list.
I beetle along Hwy 2 again from Minot ND all the way to Minnesota. Its a race against the sun to get out of North Dakota - lose a precious hour leaving mountain time. The scenery looks a lot like the transition from Manitoba to Ontario - hardwood forest on the CDN shield. I pull into Maple Lake County campsite in rapidly fading light after the warden's curfew and cop another free campsite. County and municipal campsites in the US are cheap and have character. I manage not to pay to camp on the entire 99 trip. It becomes a challenge that I'll really be tested on in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho on the return trip.