POST 626: 05/11/12: TAYLOR -DICKINSON - SOUTH HEART, NORTH DAKOTA

Today started out tranquil enough. It was destined to become one of the most active and tiring days of my walk.

Leaving SPIA in Taylor, North Dakota, I walked West on Highway 10 for 5.5 hours before returning to SPIA, covering 19 or so miles.

Above image is one of the two blocks of main street (Highway 10) of Taylor, N.D.



SIT-N-BULL BAR, (Ben and Theresa of yesterday's blog update), directly across Highway 10 from where SPIA spent a restful night.



Highway 10, West of Taylor.


Looking back at Taylor, North Dakota...the Sun sometimes gives out spectacular lighting, especially in the early morning hours.


A Community Grain Elevator (Where grain is stored and loaded for shipment to customers the world over.

Each farm/ranch has smaller storage elevators, in which grain is temporarily stored after harvest...then, often transported to the Community Grain Elevator; often, the Community Grain Elevator is part of a CO-OP in which local farmers often share ownership.



A local farm house and out buildings. This enclave is often surrounded by trees which help control drifting snow in the Winter, and protect the buildings from strong Great Plains Winds.


The green growth on the left is wheat. The worked field in the center clearly shows the path taken by the farmers "tilling" equipment to prepare the soil for new plantings.


Please say HELLO to Drew.

Drew, from Michigan, is pedaling his way to Glacier National Park (through which I will be walking in about 3 weeks), where he has a position as Front Desk Reception in a local hotel.

Drew will then pedal on to California to attend Engineering School (forgot which one...sorry).


Another moment...one with a smile.


Highway 10, about where Drew and I met.


Another view of Taylor, North Dakota. On my return walk, things look quite different than on the out-bound walk.


This is a badly weathered historical event sign...about the trail taken by Colonel Custer (Custer's Last Stand at the Big Little Horn River - where I have also visited a time or two)...

Click click and it becomes mostly legible...and interesting for Colonel Custer buffs.


Returning to SPIA, we drove the short distance to the large town of Dickinson, North Dakota, where I stopped for SPIA's fuel and lunch at APPLEBEE's. We then drove to Highway 10 to the South of Dickinson, where we stopped for the night in the small village of South Heart, North Dakota, pictured above.


Home on the bluff overlooking the village of South Heart.


The village of South Heart as I walked my second leg of the day, which turned out to be over 6 hours long. Near the end of the 20 + miles of the second leg, my left leg again acted up by wanting to crumble; we chatted (me and my leg), agreeing to tuff it out the last few miles.

In all, we walked about 39 miles today, taking us well beyond Belfield, North Dakota...the beginning of the Dakota Bad Lands, which we will walk tomorrow.


Another local farm on Highway 10.


...and yes, that is Drew. We met again this afternoon during my second walking leg...he, rushing to reach the town of Medora before dark. Drew intends to tour the 39 scenic route through the Bad Lands...perhaps we will meet again in the next couple days.


I include this photograph to show the white powder-like soil found in this part of North Dakota. It looks similar to the alkaline soils of Eastern Washington State - where we will be walking in about a month from now.


Please say HELLO to Joel (l.) and Matt.

These two gentlemen are part of a crew installing new culvert drainage pipes along Highway 10.



The machine is a "tamper", compacting the soil around the newly installed drain pipe - to be sure it stays in position.


Another up close of Joel...the "Straw Boss" of this crew.


Please say HELLO to Alex.

Alex is the gentlemen riding the Tamper in the previous photograph. Noel says Alex is the third best worker in Southern North Dakota...no, he did not divulge names of the first two.


No update would be complete without a chat with our Bovine Friends.


Another view of Highway 10...this time looking West, as the Sun is beginning to set. I did make it back to South Heart before dark, where quite a surprise was waiting for me.


The I DON'T KNOW BAR, center of fun and activity in South Heart. Owned and Operated by Mike, I was received as a conquering hero after my long afternoon walk...with a scrumptious Rib-Eye Steak with all the trimmings - on the house.

Thank you, again, Mike.





Please say HELLO to Betsy.

* * * * *

(Editor Note on Saturday, May 12, 2012): Last evening and early this morning, I spent over 2 hours trying to coax photographs to upload...to no avail. Later learned that the spot SPIA was parked was notorious for poor signal reception.

Only pic I could get uploaded this morning. Betsy is a reporter for the Dickinson Newspaper, and treated me to an interview. Seems Betsy was clued in yesterday by Theresa (SIT-N-BULL BAR) that I was walking through; and, Betsy said she was on the roads all day trying to find me...with no luck...then, when I returned to Mike's, he telephoned the newspaper and within 30 minutes, Betsy was sitting next to me in Mikes.

Am in the town of South Heart, a bit West of Dickinson, N.D. Was too beat to complete the blog last evening, but this morning, GOOGLE Blogger access is slow as molasses, so will drive on to the town of Medora, N.D. and continue walking...and complete this update later today.

Walked 11 hours in 2 legs yesterday, totaling 39 miles...left leg gave trouble last hour of the day, but this morning seems better.

Will continue this update later today...

OK...am now in the town of Medora, in the heart of the Bad Lands. It is 10:00 am. Am about to begin my first walk of the day - and most likely the ONLY walk of today...

...later...