POST 1154; JULY 11, 2O13; WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA

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As suggested in our latest blog update, SAM and ME have walked most of the way to North Dakota - having hitched a ride for the first few miles -.  We are now, at 10:45 pm in a small motel in the town of WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA, having arrived late this afternoon.

On the way ot of BENSON, we passed by the above water tower.

...and the above old house in process of updating.

...a bit outside of Benson, we came across this small river rushing beneath the BNSF Railroad tracks which paralleled Highway all the way to the town of BRECKENRIDGE, on the border with North Dakota...about 90 miles distant.

Please say HELLO to DUANE.  Duane stopped to chat earlier this morning while driving back Highway 9.  A half hour later, Duane again pulled up beside SAM and ME, waving a newspaper.  Seems an article about SAM and ME was written up...and Duane wanted to be sure I got to read it.

Actually, in the recent few weeks, a number of newspaper articles - and one ABC-TV News broadcast - about SAM and ME have appeared.  Regrettable, I have not seen a single one of them...until now.  Thank you, Duane for bringing a copy of the Benson article.

A BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) freight train passed us by with TOOT TOOT TOOT...one of many we have encountered along this highway.

Some native trees found along Route 9.

Often seen being pulled on the highways are the above trailers of Ammonia...a fertilizer used on the local crops.

Another of the many BNSF Bridges

HANCOCK is one of the towns that a new highway has passed it by.  Walking into town, one finds nearly ALL businesses CLOSED.  A single Convenience Store has been recently opened on the corner of one of the town streets leading to Highway 9.

This town is supported by a rather large CONCRETE PLANT, manufacturing many options of cement PIPES.

The Cement / Concrete Manufacturing Plant.

Came upon this group of teenagers...selling Ice Tea to raise $$ for a local project...and their QUAD, on which they bombed around town as SAM and ME walked through.

...another of the BNSF Railway Bridges spanning local creeks.

Residential street of the town of Hancock.

After a long day battling strong head winds, SAM and ME arrive in the rather spread-out town of MORRIS, MINNESOTA.

Please say HELLO to KAYLA...who stopped us on a residential street...

...I have seen you three times in the past two days...what are you up to???

...Walking America...plus another 15 minutes of discussion, Kayla parked and I, standing in the middle of the street as other vehicles squeeze around us.

...one of another of the many trains which passed us today.

Highway 9.  Those small black lines on the pavement are BUMPS in the roadway, causing severe bumping of passing vehicles.  Later on, we encountered places where maintenance crews are attempting to effect repairs.

The blue plates with numbers pictured above...are "street addresses"...making it easy for emergency and commercial vehicles to quickly identify addresses.

The strong winds send these fields of grass swaying to and fro.

Please say HELLO to CARRIE...newspaper reporter for the BRECKENRIDGE paper.

Most interviews are conducted beside the roadways...for, reporters usually find SAM and ME by driving out of town, having been informed by someone driving by and phoning the paper / TV station.

Seem as though SAM and ME may have yet another news article as we pass by.

As Carrie was interviewing me for her newspaper, the local Deputy Sheriff stopped...in response to a 911 phone call from a passing motorist concerned that SAM and ME were walking up the center of the highway.

The Sheriff asked that we try to keep to the edge...

Of, course, officer !

Residential street as SAM and ME pass through on our was to the town of WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA.

A few hours ago, a lovely lady stopper her car opposite SAM and ME...got out...RAN across the highway...handing me a can of ICE COLD Water...and two pieces of deep fried chicken...

...say you earlier today...rushed home to get you something to drink and eat...

...please stop at my business BOOK HAVEN in WAHPETON when you pass through, as I would love to talk to you.

SAM and ME did stop...and enjoyed a lovely afternoon with Amy, her Husband and a few of her friends...on our way to check into the hotel she arranged for SAM and ME for the night.

The Courthouse...

Please say HELLO to AMY...our impromptu care taker and hostess for the afternoon.  I last said Good Bye to Amy as I escorted her to her BAND practice.  She and hubby, Bill, are playing members of a local 30-piece band.

Amy gave me a quick lesson on proper technique of mouth to mouthpiece placement to get proper sounds out of her FLUTE.  I, too, have a flute, but have been fighting it to give me a proper "sound"...think I got it now...we shall see when we return to BELLINGHAM.

Thank you, Amy...another of our growing list of new friends.

AMY and ME.

AMY  and a few of her friends...

Downtown street of Wahpeton, North Dakota.

Local Railroad "Park", which includes the above CABOOSE...for many years, the Caboose was the "tail" of all freight trains...in which the CONDUCTOR rode while the trail moved from place to place.  Modern technology made the Conductor - and his Caboose, non essential...now found only in museums and local parks...

...some, however, have been converted into apartments.

This, I believe, is the RED RIVER...there being no road signs identifying it.

Residential street of Wahpeton, N.D.


Tomorrow morning, plan for SAM and ME to turn North on a small Country Road, which will take us to the outskirts of the city of FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA...then head North West on Highway 52, which will lead us to MINOT, N.D.

...we will then join US Highway 2, which will carry SAM and ME all the way past SPOKANE, WASHINGTON...only 300 miles from BELLINGHAM...home !