We are about 60 miles from the Canadian US border.
Why was today different. For one thing it was the variety of the geology. Western North Dakota, much like eastern and central North Dakota is very rural and corn, soybean and wheat fields abound. That is all you see until you get to the oil fields.
Shale oil is big in ND. You hear about it, but until you see the actual boom in progress in rural ND, its just a news story. There are oil wells everywhere and you only see them because of the pumps and the gas flares that some wells have. Other wise the actual fields they are in are basically untouched (except maybe for a dirt road running perpendicular to the main road. Probably a service road for the well head.
But there are areas, here and there, where there are large temporary living quarters. I mean large. Think 100 acres or more. And in the nearby larger cities, there is a construction boom for stores, motels, hotels, etc.
We saw a long term stay motel which proudly advertised a rate of $799 per week. And while there is increased traffic in the shale oil fields, its not really that bad until you get to bottle necks in small towns where the four lane asphalt road is being replaced with a concrete roadway.
There are areas of ND that have steep hills, very up and down, like large mounds. And then the scenery changes again to the flat plain with some slight rolling hills.
And then Montana. Eastern Montana is not much different from western North Dakota. But there are changes. The crops change to mostly wheat. The plains change to more rolling hills and then there are buttes the jut out of the ground letting you know that you are approaching a different geological area.
We were about 40 miles or so into eastern Montana in a small town when we noted a large sign that said the road ahead (still US 2) was unpaved and motorcyclist should take an alternate route. Well there is no real alternate route to get to Glasgow Montana without going way south and then back north again. So we proceeded.
The road was hard packed gravel over portions of the old asphalt roadway. They were in the process of building a new road. The road was one lane for about four miles. So the traffic took turns going east and west. Luckily for us, we were at the tail end of one of the westward groups. We traveled about 25 MPH, taking care and we make it through with no mishaps. But it was an experience.
This is not the first time we encountered this out west. In 2009 on a trip out of Yellowstone, we had a similar problem but the road was much better.
Tomorrow is a shorter day, mileage wise and we end up at the eastern edge of Glacier National Park and next day we get to ride the Highway to the sun.
Some people might wonder why take a motorcycle on a long road trip like this. The reason, is hard to explain until you experience it. A convertible might provide an experience close to being out in th open like on a motorcycle but it is not the same. The smells, the weather changes, the wind, the bugs, the unbroken view left, right, up and down. Its a little more taxing but its is worth it. When you ride up a steep hill and see a large valley below or when you travel through a flat plain where no matter where you look there is noting but a field of corn or wheat. Its as if you can experience the whole of it. Not just traveling through it but you are out there with the bugs, the birds, the sun.
I will add pictures later tonight
Main Street in Carrington, ND
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