Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 3

Due to the mid-shift / overnight nature of my job this week, I was still working when the clock read 0001.  To keep myself going, I drank a rare cup of coffee and stayed on my feet as much as possible.  By 0100, the testing had officially begun and I worked very hard for the next few hours.  Thankfully, all of our tests were successful and we were able to wrap up Phase 2 of our visit (and all paperwork) by 0330.  However, I stayed on site until 0345 to make sure that everyone else was able to leave too.  After that, I drove back (mostly on I-215) back to the Staybridge Suites (West Valley City).  It was cool enough (high 40s) that I needed the defrost feature to be able to see clearly through my windshield.  I'm thinking the cold weather is coming soon... After arriving at 0405, I checked on some work stuff before heading to bed (0430).  Not wanting to miss the delicious breakfast buffet, I got up at 0900 and headed down to the lobby of the hotel.  It felt to get some substantial food in me after the strange hours I'd been working.  When I was finished with the meal, I returned to my room to read and catch up on some telework.  However, I didn't attend any of the usual meetings for a Wednesday because most were canceled or I'd chosen to skip them.  Starting at 1200, I took a three hour nap (successful this time!).  When I was awake again, I did some more reading but ended up never leaving my room during the middle of the day, even though it was warm and sunny outside.  I tried to rationalize this loss of opportunity for exercise or adventure by telling myself that I needed the sleep (probably true).  At 1745, I went to the lobby of the hotel for the "Dinner / Happy Hour".  This time, they had "loaded potatoes" and broccoli.  Like last night, I didn't have alcohol, just soda.  Afterwards, I walked a full circuit of the Springhill Suites and Holiday Inn Express complex and got my birding observation for the day.  When I checked on my car, I saw that the spiderweb crack on my windshield had grown to almost a full circle near the lower middle part of my window - dang...  In my room again, I worked on some responses for the eBird volunteers who had contacted me about birding observations I'd made during my recent trip to North Dakota.  In the end, I made several corrections but was able to stand my ground on others.  At 1925, I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.2 miles).  Back in my again (1950), I got ready to depart for my all night job shift.  Even though the meet-up time wasn't until 2130, I still departed the hotel at 2045 and drove (mostly via I-215) to the work site.  After arriving (2105), I settled down at a desk where I could work until the technicians finished up their work.  The the rest of the team got started with Phase 3 of our work project by 2200 and were very busy for the next few hours.  Unlike the previous evening, they were ready for me to join them in the testing exercises before midnight.  Optimistically, I got going through the checklists and felt the growing excitement of being able to report back (to Headquarters in DC) that we'd wrapped up our work.  When the clock struck Midnight, I hadn't turned into a pumpkin and was still on track.  Crossing fingers!

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 2

With an overnight installation activity in the works, I really didn't want to wake up early.  Sadly, my body got me up (no alarm) at 0515.  Since my day was mostly going to connect to the Tech Refresh activities at the FAA site, I didn't immediately begin teleworking like I normally do.  Instead, I spent time reading, doing puzzles and worked on Duolingo exercises.  By 0545, however, I was teleworking.  At 0755, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Staybridge Suites (Salt Lake City) and got my fill of food.  Back in my room, I began teleworking (working off and on) until I'd logged about four hours.  With hours to go until I had to report for my first overnight shift, I tried to think about things I could do to generate exhaustion and/or give me a good reason for an afternoon nap.  It suddenly occurred to me that a visit to nearby Timpaganos Cave National Monument might be a good idea.  After some difficulty, I managed to buy a ticket (for a cave tour) online.  By 1015, I was on my way to the National Park Service Unit (a new one for me).  Outside, it was sunny and temps were in the low 60s - what another great day!  I really liked seeing the views of the Wasatch Range to the east - those mountains were obscured when I arrived yesterday.  I made my way to I-215 and took it east until I reached I-15.  It was great that there wasn't much traffic because there was plenty of construction and confusing lane changes to keep me busy...  By 1035, I was in the town of Lehi (Utah County) and got on UT-92.  This road took me to the east and into a gorge with very high cliffs.  Signs soon told me that I was in the Uinta National Forest and a fee building indicated that people were supposed to pay to cross a popular pass there (I didn't stop because I had a National Park Pass).  I arrived at Timpagonos NM at 1055 and went inside the Visitor Center to learn more about my visit to the caves.  By 1005, I was standing in front of a Ranger Kiosk (outside) for my safety brief - there were all kinds of warnings about the elevation and rockslides.  I started my walk at 1110 and was immediately treated to a steep climb (1092 feet gain in 1.5 miles) of the deep canyon (American Fork gorge).  The steep ravine had no guard rails in most places and I soon learned that the chance of rock slides had not been exaggerated; the main danger areas were denoted by yellow-red striped lines.  There were lots of switchbacks but the paved trail mainly headed west along the side of Mount Timpanogos.  At times, I encountered people resting on benches and stopped myself to check my pulse (there were warnings about overexertion).  At a fork in the trail, I followed signs that pointed the way towards the "muster area."  Along the way, I found a bathroom built into the rocks - it was quite precarious but I tried it out anyway...  The ticket I'd bought had lots of notes about how I had 1.5 hours to reach the top of the climb and join my tour group; in other words, my 1115 ticket was actually for a 1245 tour time.  For me, this ended up being too much extra time - I arrived at the entrance to the cave by 1200 and found a large group waiting.  However, most were there for the 1230 tour (I don't think anyone else was there yet for my tour time).  While I was waiting, a rock fell from a higher point on the cliff and it was hard to watch people trying to warn the climbers below - there was a lot of "Rock!" and "there is a rock coming" and "I said 'rock!'"  Hopefully, no one was hurt...  When a Ranger arrived at 1220 to check everyone's tickets, I waited until she had counted everyone before asking if I could join the earlier group.  She didn't immediately agree but, when it was time to depart, I was allowed to join the 1100 ticket holders for the 1230 tour (15 minutes earlier than I'd reserved).  A different Ranger (named Kim) was our guide and was full of funny anecdotes and interesting information.  Inside the first cave, it was 45 F and I was glad to have brought a light jacket (which I put on).  We found some interesting formations in Hansen Cave but it wasn't very big.  However, it only took a walk through a short (man made) tunnel before we were inside Middle Cave.  There we found an area called the "Coral Gardens" that had all kinds of stalagmites and stalactites.  As we made our way through the cave system, we ended up inside another (longer) tunnel which connected to the largest and most interesting of all of the caverns: Timpanogas Cave.  Immediately, we got to see something called "The Heart", learned about helictites and were shown (with a flashlight) the color that nickel made on the formations.  We later got to take a side trail into an area called the "Chimes Chamber" - there were lots of soda straws and formations colored by other minerals in that room.  Ranger Kim told us we had dipped down to 500 feet underground at this point!  Leaving this interesting area, we started climbing a stairway uphill until we were inside the "Imagination Room", which had rocks in the shape of "cave bacon", a unicorn, a camel,  a sea turtle and some "orange falls" (iron).  By this point, we'd seen a lot of amazing formations, colors and geology - the tour was great.  So it was a rather bittersweet moment when were exited the cave at 1325.  After so long in the limited light and cool temperatures, it took a bit of time to reacclimate.  Since we'd walked about half a mile underground, we ended up a considerable distance way from where we'd entered the caves and on a different trail.  However, this ended up being a good thing - nearby, someone in the group saw a flock of bighorn sheep!  After getting a look at them (wish I'd brought my binoculars), I headed towards the bottom of the gorge - after more than three miles of walking for the day, I was at the trailhead again (1405).  What a nice visit!  The only downside was that I had developed a rather large blister (due to a "hot spot" in my hiking boot).  Since I'd had such a good time and hadn't yet dealt with any city traffic, I decided to backtrack to my hotel as soon as possible; using reverse directions from the morning, I arrived there at 1445.  Before going to my room, I spent some time searching my car for items I wanted to have during my overnight work.  Fortunately, I found some but it was clear that I may have shed some needed/desired equipment when I was last at my storage unit...  By 1515, I was back online, checking to see if anything had changed with the plan (nothing had).  Deciding against making food for a late lunch, I did some reading and then tried to take a nap (from 1615).  Sadly, this plan didn’t work and, by 1730, I'd given up and went to “dinner” (minus the happy hour) in the lobby of the hotel.  By 1820, I went back to my car to do some more searching (still never found my missing thermos).  Next (1905), I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.5 miles).  By 1930, I was back to my room and started to get cleaned up and ready for my work day/night. Hoping to meet up with my FAA counterpart (Nicole, working the day shift), I departed from the hotel at 2040 and drove (mostly via I-215) to the Salt Lake City Airport.  When I arrived at the work site, I was able to get inside the gate just fine and then found a place to park (2100).  Since I'd never been there before, I was surprised that I somehow made a lucky decision on choosing the door to enter.  Within about 10 minutes (and with some help from the local staff), I was able to locate some of the other folks I was going to work with for the rest of the week.  However, my counterpart lead (Nicole) didn't show up until about 2125.  When I told her I was already inside, she said she would return to her hotel, meaning that I never saw her once (and probably wouldn't at all) for the week.  This situation caused some questions among my other colleagues but I just moved on the next task.  Our project started in earnest at 2150 but I had to wait for the technicians to complete their work before my own role began.  Since this was my first "solo" install for this kind of facility, I spent time asking technical questions and getting into the swing of the testing work I needed to be doing.  Since I'd prepared (at the hotel), there was coffee, cocoa and lollipops to pass the time.  Because of the complexity of the effort, I was still working at midnight.  It looked to be a long night...

Salt Lake City Work Trip - Day 1

I made it to my next work trip!  Over the last 10 days or so, I've been making my way towards Salt Lake City so I could join up with the rest of my project team so we can do some more Technology Refreshment on site at another FAA facility.  When I arrived in Evanston (Utah / Wyoming border) last night, I was quite relieved to be in striking distance of my hotel for the week - forecasted rain today would have made a longer drive very unpleasant...  This morning, I was up at 0630 (with alarm clock) and set up my work computer so I could monitor activities of the rest of the team on site.  Before I even went to breakfast, I got a call from Mollie, who wasn't feeling well and wanted some support.  I happily gave it to her (glad that I was in cell range and had the free time).  After we hung up, I had time for reading and puzzles.  At 0800, I finally went to eat my morning meal in the lobby of Days Inn (Evanston).  Immediately after that, I worked out in the Fitness Center on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.8 miles).  Back in my room again at 0900, I spent some time packing and then worked on catching up on my travel blog - within an hour, I was up to date through last night (whew).  Beyond that, I reviewed some documentation I knew I'd need for my job during the week.  About the only surprise of the day ended up being hearing from my FAA counterpart (Nicole) that she wanted me to work the mid-shifts (i.e., overnight).  This was much different from what I'd seen in Minneapolis (with a different FAA colleague).  Since I'm a Contractor/Consultant, I didn't argue.  Instead, I tried to put a positive spin on the development: I wasn't needed in person yet and I didn't have to do more work than traveling for the whole day.  Still, it was weird...  Meanwhile, outside, it was raining steadily, with temps in the low 50s.  Since I'd asked for a late checkout, I didn't leave my room until 1145 - by then, the rain had turned to a lighter drizzle.  Before departing from Evanston, I drove a short distance to get gas at Flying J - the price for their 85 octane was higher than I wanted to pay but the Utah prices looked much, much worse...  I spent a lot of time cleaning up the car, trying to get ahead of the bugs and felt good about my recent progress in this task.  Unfortunately, though, the crack that first appeared on my windshield last night had already gotten very long.   Dang...  With fuel and a cleaner car, I got on I-80 and headed west - I entered Utah at 1210.  Since I knew generally where I was going, I didn't initially use a map app.  This allowed me to continue listening to my audiobook.  The roads were wet and I was about as high in elevation (6800ish) as I've been in many months.  This meant that the trucks were much more dependent on momentum and the open road.  At one point, I got a bit startled by a large truck that was bearing down on me (while I was passing another 18-wheeler) above the speed (80 mph) that I was driving.  His flashing lights only made the image more disconcerting and I carefully maneuvered out of his way.  Whew!  When I arrived at the junction of I-80 and I-84 (1230), I was pleasantly surprised to see so many birds in the Echo Reservoir.  Hopefully, there will be some good birding this week.  Next, I reached I-15 and switched to UT-201.  This took me to I-215 and I used this road to reach my hotel, the Staybridge Suites in West Valley.  When I arrived (1330), I noted that my final odometer of the trip from Minneapolis to Salt Lake City was 106640, which was about 2200 miles beyond the reading I took when I was leaving my hotel in Minnesota.  What a 10 day trip).  I was pretty early but the desk clerk let me check into my room immediately and I used the extra time to unload my car.  After getting settled in my nice room (kitchen!), I went to the Business Center for print outs.  Between 1500 and 1700, I did laundry and (while it was cleaning) explored the hotel.  I soon discovered that there were actually two, attached hotels - the other one, a Holiday Inn Express, was located on the other side of the courtyard but was connected by corridors in a few places.  Each door in the "no mans land" area required a separate key (depending on which hotel a person was staying at).  There was also a huge water park available for guests - it included lots of slides and other water games for kids.  Along the way, I checked out the Fitness Center and found it to be very well equipped.  Beyond the parking lot, I noticed that there was a trolley/train system - I decided that I needed to investigate that fully.  Before my laundry was done, I had time for reading and organizing of my room.  Perhaps more important, though, I worked on Thanksgiving stuff and exchanged texts with friends and work colleagues (they'd wrapped up their visit to the work site already).  At 1730, I went down to the lobby for the evening meal / "happy hour".  This was one of the reasons I'd chosen the hotel and I was pleased to find that they had really good pizza.  While gorging myself (I'd missed lunch), I also got to try some local wine and National label beers (I took one can back to my room).  At 1830, I was able to have a nice phone call with Brenna - she had a lot of news about her new school and the new Fall term.  We talked for over an hour and, after we hung up, I watched movies.  Before bed, I did some Duolingo exercises and caught up on my reading.  Needless to day, I was very tired when it was finally bed time (2230) and I gladly turned out my lights.  This will be my last "normal" bed time for several days, though - bring on the "all night" installation!

Nomad Life - Day 337

At my friend's (Jeff F's) hunting campsite on the high plains of Wyoming, I slept alright - however, I did get up once during the night and was amazed by the brightness of the full moon.  When my night finally ended (0630), I exited the fifth wheel camper (parked near Prior Flat Campground in Carbon County) to find a cool (50s) and breezy morning (just the beginning of the sunrise).  What an amazing place!  Back inside the camper, I sat down with Jeff and Jamie to breakfast: elk sausage & cheese sandwiches (prepared by Jamie).  The food was good but we all seemed to be suffering from allergies.  Jeff hinted that it might be the sage that was growing all around but I'm still pretty certain that it's the ragweed I've been reacting to since I entered Michigan...  Before I wrapped up my visit, I asked Jeff and Jamie some questions about their hunting camp; along the way, I learned more about how they selected their site, how easy it was (at times) to get a "speed goat" and what they did with the meat afterwards.  It all sounded very interesting and they invited me to return some day to participate.  We'll see...  At 0910 (temperature was 59 F), I said goodbye to my friends and got back on (gravel) CR-102 so I could head west.  My drive began with some sprinkles but I really wasn't affected by any water during this tough drive on the narrow gravel track over the Seminoe Mountain range.  I used CR-291 and CR-351 to finally reach pavement again (I believe I was on Seminoe Road for the rest of this drive).  Along the way, I passed by the North Platte River Miracle Mile and made my way through some steep passes as the road climbed the mountain.  At times, I had to contend with "washboard" gravel but my Subaru Outback did alright.  I passed lots of amazing rocks and was a bit sad, actually, when I reached the highest point of the pass.  After that, the road was a very steep downhill route and I had to be cautious about my brakes.  My Google Maps app (which had functioned well since finding a cell tower) led me through the Morgan Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area (WHMA) and I was treated to an encounter with some bighorn sheep that were crossing the road.  Just when I thought the descent was over, I had to climb up and over another pass.  During the descent from this height, I stopped at an overlook spot for the Seminoe Dam & Reservoir (1005).  Beyond that, I found the Seminoe State Park (North & South Redhills, Sunshine Beach) and rediscovered some pavement.  In the distance, I saw the lake and several large sand dunes.  At 1025, I found a place with lots of cell service and stopped to use the internet - I was moving again by 1105.  This time, I started up an audiobook to pass the time as my drive continued across a flat prairie to the north of I-80. I found the North Platte River again as I approached the town of Sinclair but didn't tarry.  Instead, I got on I-80 (1130) and headed west.  I'd been planning to hike a bit on the Continental Divide Trail, though, so wasn't on the Interstate very long.  Instead, I exited at the town of Rawlins and stopped for lunch at a Taco Bell where I'd eaten when I was in the area back in January.  The food took a long time to arrive and I ate it in the restaurant before I was finished (1215).  Next, I drove north on the US-287 bypass until I could get on US-287.  My destination was the parking lot for the CDT where I'd stopped my "on road drive" of the trail when I'd been here before.  By 1225, I was hiking (northbound) from the parking lot.  I had to open a cattle gate on the way but was soon passing through a dusty prairie.  The day was sunny (with some clouds) and the temps were in the mid 60s - this meant that I didn't need a coat.  There were very few blazes - this made navigation difficult because the trail was very curvy. In fact, I needed the internet map to follow the CDT and lost my bearings several time.  Despite the challenges, I walked all the way to Cherokee Road before deciding to exit the trail.  Later, I figured out that I'd walked 2.6 miles of the CDT.  To reach my car again, I hiked east on the dirt road to US-287 - beyond that, I found myself walking south on an old trail near the fence line.  My (nearly five mile) hike was over at 1405.  Very glad I got out of my car for some long distance trail miles!  Before starting up my car again, I made a reservation for a hotel in the town of Evanston (near the Utah border).  Eventually (1415), though, I left the trailhead, drove through Rawlins and returned to I-80.  Unfortunately, my difficulties were just beginning...  At first, I had to travel through 10 miles of construction.  Just when I thought I was clear, though, everyone around me came to a complete stop.  This delay wasn't too bad and I was soon up to speed again.  I passed over one Continental Divide (7000 feet) just before a large (sharp?) stone made a deep star on my windshield - that is going to hurt...  At stations I passed along the way, I noticed REALLY high gas prices (yikes).  I soon passed signs for another Continental Divide (6620 feet) and thought I was in the clear as far as delays went.  But then I had to think quickly to avoid an abrupt lane ending.  Just after I got back up to speed again, I was blocked at another closure of some kind - we were completely stopped more than 30 minutes!  With no news from WYDOT, I turned my car completely off for most of the delay.  We finally got moving (one lane) and I noticed that a car in the passing lane had lost a wheel.  In the end, I didn't ever find out why I'd been stuck for so long and the long construction zone after that (slow single lane) continued for almost 20 miles (grrrr), with another full stop in the middle.  By the time we cleared this zone, I was very distrustful of the good speeds I found to the west.  Fortunately, I never got stopped again.  In the meantime, the gas prices kept getting worse...  To distract myself, I listened to NFL football scores on SiriusXM.  At 1715, I stopped at Little America (a place I'd once visited with Mollie) but was only there for five minutes.  Beyond that, I had to deal with intermittent rain and almost got run over by a truck that didn't seem to be able to stop during a steep descent.  Needless to say, I was quite relieved to arrive in Evanston and find my hotel (Days Inn) at 1815...  With most of the drive to Salt Lake City completed (by Day 9 since I left Minneapolis), I felt like I could relax a bit.  I took my first bath in a few days, worked on some Duolingo exercises, did some reading, caught up on my travel blog and made some eBird entries.  Beyond that, I did some planning (work stuff) for the next day.  When I went to bed at 2300, I felt like I'd been truly productive.  It's time to join my work colleagues in Salt Lake tomorrow! Continental Divide Trail Today = 2.6 miles / Grand Total CDT = 44.0 miles (corrections made for hikes in 2011 and 2017)

Nomad Life - Day 336

Still trying (unsuccessfully) to adjust to the Mountain Time Zone, I woke up at 0445 this morning and couldn't immediately go back to sleep.  During this window, I did some reading and puzzles and, by 0530, I felt ready to try sleeping again.  Fortunately, I managed to reach 0700 before feeling ready to get up for real.  Since it was a weekend day, I did some Duolingo exercises before heading down to breakfast in the lobby of the SureStay by Best Western (Miles City) at 0735.  Outside it was cool (low 60s) and sunny.  After my morning meal, I spent time working on my travel blog.  At 1030, I loaded up my car and departed the hotel.  Before departing Miles City, I drove to the Downtown area (nice); after that, I got on US-12 (headed east) and rejoined MT-59 (where my hotel was located).  From that point, I was mostly headed due south.  As I'd done yesterday, I tried to be careful with my speed, hoping to keep my gas mileage near 30 mpg.  This effort was assisted nicely by the fact that the terrain was mostly flat - there were a few hills but only sporadically.  Along the way, I passed Longhorns grazing and saw lots of pronghorns wherever I looked.   Strangely, there were no other cars headed in my direction and this allowed me to stay under the posted speed limit.  At 1130, I entered Powder River County and, soon after, got on US-212 (east), the "Warrior Trail."  At around this time, I started seeing signs for Wall Drug...  When I reached the town of Broadus, I turned south again and crossed the Powder River.  Shortly after that, I rejoined MT-59 and encountered a bit more traffic.  For the rest of the morning, I let people pass me from time to time while maintaining my 60 or 65 mph rate of travel.  At 1240, I reached the border with Wyoming (Campbell County, the road changed to WY-59) and noticed a steep decline in road quality.  The day had gotten warmer by this point (70 F) and the sky was cloudless.  I passed by a very lonely looking school on the prairie but, otherwise, I only saw lots of cows (mostly brown and white).  Another stark image of Wyoming appeared on the horizon soon after that: I watched a lone horseman (standing still) looking wistfully towards the open prairie.  When I entered the Thunder Basin National Grassland, the road quality improved.  I passed the time by listening to College Football scores on SiriusXM.  Along the way, I passed lots of BLM horse trailheads, dried up ponds and low water-level rivers.  North of Gillette, I passed through a newer-looking industrial area and found that the roads seemed to be designed to avoid the buildings (i.e., only east and west travel allowed).  Soon after that, I started driving east on US-14/16 - very close to that point, I passed a huge RV park (it appeared to be only 25% full).  Next, I got on BL-90 in Gillette before stopping for lunch at McDonalds (1350).  While I had a good cell signal, I coordinated with my Navy squadron mate, Jeff F, about meeting up at his hunting camp south west of Casper.  Once that was all arranged (1400), I departed Gillette on WY-50 (to the south).  I ate lunch on the way and started thinking about attending the Vigil Mass at a church in Casper - I'd already researched the locations so changed my Google Maps app destination accordingly.  Outside of Gillette, I started seeing snow fences and much longer views in all directions. Before long, I passed town a town that was located at 5000 feet elevation.  Noting that I might be late for church, I greatly accelerated my speeds at this point (though still watching my mileage).  The day was warming up gradually (near 80 F by this point).  Soon after I turned west on WY-387, I crossed the Bozeman Trail.  At 1505, I entered Johnson County; by 1515, I was in Natrona County.  After that, I started to see many more buttes and canyons.  I turned on to WY-259 ("Black Gold Byway") and left behind most of the traffic again (no other cars in my direction) until I arrived at the junction of I-25.  By this point, I knew I'd make Mass in time but didn't slow down.  At 1550, I reached Casper and exited the Interstate on to WY-220.  I was surprised to find the North Platte River in the area - I guess I'd always thought of it flowing farther north...  There was some significant construction in the city but I made it in time to attend Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church (1600).  The service was quite crowded and the Homily was very intense and thorough.  People were very friendly - always a nice thing when I find a random church during my Nomad Life.  In the end, I was glad that I'd made the effort to attend.  My next mission was to stop for some beer (to add to the party at Jeff's hunting camp).  I stopped at a nearby Albertsons and bought a 12 pack of Shiner Taproom (assortment) at 1700.  Like I'd seen in Montana, there was no tax on the beer in Wyoming.  However, I was surprised to find that alcohol could only be bought in a special part of the grocery store (separate register).  Next (1710), I stopped at Exxon to fill up my tank.  As I've been seeing for many days, fuel prices are getting pricier but this station was still in the ballpark for what I'd consider "fair".  With all errands completed in Casper, I departed on WY-200 to the southwest.  Shortly after that, I was surprised to see a large prairie dog standing on the shoulder of the highway.  I passed lots of California Trail / Oregon Trail signs and enjoyed the views of the shining water on the North Platte River - the highway was following it through a pretty valley defined by lots of interesting rocks, buttes and little canyons.  I soon turned on to WY-487 (east initially but the road later turned south).  This road, which appeared to be called the "Sand Creek Massacre Trail" passed by lots of  pretty ranches.  I was able to listen to most of a Notre Dame (versus Purdue) football games on SiriusXM along the way.  Before long, I was on WY-77 and entered Carbon County at 1755.  The drive was soon crossing through an area with signs about "Open Range" and dotted with pronghorns.  As I'd seen to the north, the road surface was not good.  Following directions from Jeff (thankfully, I'd written them down before I lost cell signal), I drove west on CR-102 (Leo Shirley Basin Road, gravel), dodging hunters on four wheelers.  By 1820, I arrived at Jeff’s campsite, located near the Prior Flat Campground.  There were other campsites visible in the distance in several directions but, otherwise, this was a very remote location.  The mountains to the west made the whole area seem farther from civilization that I actually was.  It was quintessential Wyoming!  For the first time in nearly 25 years, I got to hang out with my friend - I also met his brother Jamie (retired US Navy Chief) & Simon (Apache pilot).  They had set up their fifth-wheel and it was big enough for a relaxing time.  After visiting for a while, we ate dinner that Jeff had prepared: beef stew, salad and boiled potatoes.  There was lots of time for reminiscing and, after Simon left, watching movies (on DVD) from the 1980s.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the beer but we old me were ready for bed by 2230.  My rack was the upper bunk in the spacious camper and I slept pretty well up there.  Who would have guessed my lodging tonight would be out on the high plains of Wyoming?

Nomad Life - Day 335

After yesterday's mix-up with my alarm, I made sure to get up at 0500 (Mountain Time) when it rang (I'd remembered to set it).  Hoping to reduce the amount of time I'd need to work after checking out of my hotel (the Microtel in Sidney), I started teleworking immediately.  I took one short break and went to breakfast in the lobby of the hotel; otherwise, I continued teleworking (uninterrupted except for making a new hotel reservation for Miles City) until 1145.  After that, I loaded up my car, checked out of the hotel and departed.  The day started out sunny and warm (mid 70s) - I'm so lucky!  Before departing from town, I stopped for fuel at the local Loaf & Jug - this was the cheapest gas in Sidney and, I suspect, for quite a while.  Once ready for my drive, I headed southwest on MT-200.  When I reached my first roundabout of the day, I turned on to MT-16 and started following the Yellowstone River.  My friends, Lewis and Clark, were featured on road signs all along the route.  The terrain was mostly flat, initially and I started to get really good gas mileage (30+ mpg).  Sadly, the good times didn't last and I got stuck for nearly 20 minutes (long delay for pilot car) in a construction zone.  Beyond that, I entered a deep cut river valley and the terrain transitioned to rolling hills.  I passed the time with an audiobook.  At 1235, I entered Dawson County and got a nice view of the Yellowstone when the road edged very close to it.  Most of the time, though, the river was not visible (even though I could see it on my Map App).  The temperatures began to rise and it was soon very warm (almost 80 F).  When I reached the outskirts of the town of West Glendive (1300), I stopped to see Glendisaueus (dinosaur statue) and drove around a small lake nearby.  After that, I drove a little bit south and got on I-94.  Almost immediately, I started seeing signs for local parks and recreation so I got off the Interstate at the next exit and made my way (via MT-200S and Business Loop 94) into West Glendive.  After I crossed the Yellowstone River and entered Glendive, I parked in a gravel lot near the Bell Street Bridge (pedestrian only) so I could get a short walk and do some birding.  It was a bit windy but I enjoyed the exercise and views.  There was a park on the west side of the river and, when I got there (1320), I found some interesting species.  During this time, I thought I was hearing a parade and it turned out to be just that - someone told me it was the Homecoming parade for the local high school.  I was done walking at 1335 and (using almost the same route I had to get to Glendive before) backtracked to I-94.  On the (very high speed) Interstate, I started passing through vast ranch lands - the land was very flat and dusty.  Hoping to save gas, I stayed well under the speed limit - in this effort, I was assisted by several construction zones.  I entered Prairie County at 1400 and started using the frontage road (off & on the Interstate) so I could keep my cruise control at 60 mph.  This decision ended up giving me an interesting experience that otherwise wouldn't have happened: at one point (about 25-30 miles northeast of Miles City), I saw a handmade sign that said something about Sitting Bull.  Later, I learned later that this sign could be connected with local (Lakota) legends that Sitting Bull was born at the "Many Caches" site in the area (near the mouth of the Powder River); this area was also, apparently, connected with an unsuccessful peace effort by Father DeSmet and Sitting Bull in 1868.  Soon after seeing this sign, I entered Custer County (1430).  A bit later (1450), I stopped at the Matthews Recreation Area (a BLM site (or camping and boating), located right on the Yellowstone River.  Hoping to get a bit more exercise, I went walking on some trails there and watched the river for birds.  I was very successful in my efforts and, as I backtracked into the camping area, I found many more (including my first Greater-Sage Grouse).  From a sign in the park, I learned that the Steamer “Yellowstone” wrecked near this location.  I finished my visit at 1515 and used the same road to reach Miles City.  As I'd feared, I saw much higher gas prices than I wanted - dang...  There were also, like I'd seen in Sidney, casinos everywhere.  At 1530, I arrived at my hotel, the SureStay by Best Western (Miles City).  This was my first time using this brand and it was good.  The desk clerk lady was very nice and gave me a recommendation for a wonderful restaurant within walking distance.  Once in my room, I logged back on to check my work computer and took care of some work items until about 1600.  Finally finished with my work week, I redirected my attention to my travel blog, travel planning and some Thanksgiving items.  At 1730, I walked (south from my hotel) to the Black Iron Grill.  It was a very nice place and the staff were energetic and friendly.  I tried some local beers and, for my dinner, I ordered a plate with all of the meats they featured (wow).  The meal also included a loaded baked potato and Caesar salad so I took my time eating.  Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t finish.  One of the fun things to do while I was eating was to watch the bartenders: their mixed drinks included one (apparently very popular) that was made with Coors Light and tomato just (the result, the “Clamato” was a reddish beer) and another (a cocktail) that featured a bacon strip along with celery and carrots.  When I went to pay for my meal, I figured out that the State of Montana has NO taxes on any of the food or drink!  The hostesses acted surprised that anyone should have to pay tax for those things...  I wrapped up my visit to the restaurant at 1920 and walked back to my hotel.  Along the way, I reached two miles for the day).  For the rest of the evening, I spent time watching a new episode on one of my streaming service and, later, some movies and YouTube videos.  Wrapping up my day, I did some Duolingo and some reading.  Feeling quite tired, went to bed at 2215.  Montana is turning out to be a really interesting place!

Nomad Life - Day 334

For the first time in many months, I forgot to set my alarm last night and I slept right on through to 0730!  When I realized what I'd done, I frantically started teleworking.  The time zone changes (and reentering the Central Time Zone last night) finally caught up with me, I guess...  I took a break at 0810 to go to breakfast in the bobby of the Little Missouri Inn & Suites (Watford City) and then workout on the stationary (recumbent) bike in the Fitness Center (20 minutes, 4.4 miles).  After that, I returned to teleworking.  Meanwhile, outside, it was very foggy.  Since I needed to be out of my room by noon, I wrapped up my telework at 1150 and went downstairs to checked out of the hotel.  Unfortunately, there was an issue with receipt which, ultimately, was never resolved.  I guess I should be glad that the problem only involved $10 for the cost of the second night - I'll need to be more careful in the future, though...  I was in my car, driving north, at 1200 and was pleased to see that the day had turned sunny and warm (low 70s).  While I hadn't seen the sign the day before, I was not surprised that the Lewis & Clark NHT passed right through Downtown Watford City - they have been nearly everywhere I've gone since I left Minnesota.  I sopped for gas at Circle K at 1205 (prices creeping up) and had to work very hard to clear off my car - there were so many bugs!  After that, I made my way west to US-85 and got on a wide, luxurious four lane highway.  Before long, I switched to ND-200 and started to see lots of evidence for oil fields along the highway.  A bit later, I crossed the Yellowstone River (the first time on this trip) and got on ND-58.  Almost immediately, I crossed the Missouri River and realized I was entering an area where the two rivers joined.  Next, I turned on to ND-1804 and drove west until I entered the State of Montana (the road became MT-327).  This was my 42nd state since departing on the Nomad Life!  Perhaps you are wondering why I was even in this area - I should have mentioned that my goal today was to visit Fort Union National Historical Site.  For some reason, this park is only accessible by car from the Montana side (although it straddles the border with North Dakota).  As a result, I entered the parking lot there and soon (1310) found myself back in Williams County, North Dakota - that's where the Fort was.  There was one older couple leaving the park when I arrived but, otherwise, I was the only guest.  In fact, there were many more Park Rangers than I ever dreamed of seeing in such a place - they outnumbered me nearly 10 to 1!  With all the solitude on the visitor side, I went exploring through the fort and learned a lot about the function and history of the fort.  Like many other places in the area, the park had a connection with Lewis and Clark.  But it was also connected to the management of Native Americans as they were gradually displaced from their land.  Once I finished visiting the fort and a small Native camp nearby, I went walking on the trails nearby.  For some reason, there were a lot of mosquitos - they pestered me all the way to the Missouri River.  I'd brought my binoculars and spotted a pelican on sandbar in the river.  Otherwise, there was very little bird activity.  Back at the parking lot, I was able to walk west to the border of Montana (Roosevelt County).  The birding was a little better there and I found a few historical markers.  All told, I spent almost an hour in the National Park unit before returning to my car.  By this point, it was 1410 (Central Time) but my phone was very confused...  I backtracked to ND-58 and got back on ND-200, which became MT-200 when I drove back into Montana (1330 Mountain Time).  My destination at this point was the town of Sidney and I arrived there at 1345 MT.  Before heading to my hotel, I stopped for lunch at Burger King (ate inside the restaurant).  When I was done with my mid-day meal (1400), I was surprised to return to my car and find it was VERY warm inside.  The temps had only reached the low 70s, the sun seemed blazing hot.  Maybe this sensation is related to how the weather had been so pleasant during the previous week...  I only had to drive a few miles south before I reached my hotel, the Microtel.  The nice desk clerk allowed me to check into my room at the (new, Mountain Time) 1420 and I quickly resumed teleworking.  During this time, Mollie called but I only talked with her briefly.  Otherwise, I stayed online for my job until 1900.  After that, I worked on my travel blog and took care of some finance stuff, including writing to the hotel in Watford City about the hotel cost discrepancy.  (Note that this strategy failed miserably over the next week and I had to give up on trying to recoup the extra costs).  There was time for Thanksgiving stuff - I got so wrapped up in this that I skipped dinner.  However, I didn't want to finish the day in my room.  Instead, at 1930, I left the hotel and drove about a mile into Downtown Sidney.  In addition to evidence of the oil business, ranching and other Western pursuits, there were LOTS of casinos.  I stopped at Meadowlark Brewing Company and bought a flight of (6) beers - all were very good.  Along the way, I met some nice local guys (they call their Thursday Happy Hour "The Liars Club") and I learned a lot about life in eastern Montana.  The tales they told were very enlightening...  With the last of my tasters, I hit 1000 unique beers on my Untapped App!  Even though the sign at the entrance of the bar said they would stay open until 2200, the staff was clearly wanting to close hours before that.  So, after my new friends departed, I hurried through my drinks as fast as I dared.  As I wrapped up my visit, the staff were all ready to close (2015).  With not much else to do, I walked around in the downtown area to get the rest of my steps for the day (I only reached 5K or two miles).  After that, I drove back to my hotel (arrived at 2045).  For the rest of the evening, I worked on more Thanksgiving stuff, revised some more blog entries and did some Duolingo exercises.  Bed time was at 2255 MT.  Today should be my last day in the Central Time Zone for a while...

Nomad Life - Day 333

Eating those loaded fries last night did me in - the spicy food woke me up at 0450 and I never went back to bed.  Instead, I read and then started teleworking at 0525 (Central Time).  At 0730, I went to breakfast in the lobby of Little Missouri Inn & Suites and then returned to teleworking (lots of meetings).  Since I didn't want to take another break from my job, I ate lunch (snacks).  Meanwhile, outside, it was sprinkling steadily and I got pretty wet when I retrieved something from my car at 1215.  Sadly, I noticed that my allergies had returned - I really wish I knew what was causing them....  At 1445, I decided that I should depart from the hotel and try to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) before the forecasted heavier rain arrived.  While getting ready, I realized that the temps were in the low 60s and that I might actually need a jacket for the first time in many months.  By 1450, I was driving south (on ND-23) out of Watford City.  The day was overcast and breezy as I made my way to US-85, from there, it was a 12 mile drive to the park entrance.  Along the way (1510), I passed a chain up area - I guess snow is a real factor here...  I was also watching my gas gauge because I had calculated that I had barely enough fuel to complete this excursion; fortunately, my calculations proved correct.  Once inside the park (used my Lifetime Pass again), I stopped at the Visitor Center (sort of a temporary building) and then started driving the 14 mile road through the park.  Along the way, I stopped to learn about the "cannonballs" (strange geological formations) and went walking at a spectacular viewpoint called the River Bend Overlook.  Personally, I believe this place was nearly as awesome as anything I'd seen at the Grand Canyon or the parks near Moab (Utah).  The Little Missouri meandered through colorful cottonwoods in a deep valley surrounded by buttes, high cliffs and interesting rocks.  The day was misty but I still got some amazing views and photos.  Beyond this stop, I passed by lone bison, calmly eating grass.  I didn't stop any other times, though, and soon reached the end of road.  In that area, I explored the Oxbow Overlook (more pretty views) and took a short hike on some of the trails that crisscrossed the road through the park.  There was plenty of evidence of buffalo and it occurred to me that I might meet one.  Backtracking to my car, I made my way back to the east (towards the park entrance).  I stopped at the Caprock and took another walk among the interesting terrain.   This time, I did encounter a bison unexpectedly - fortunately, he was located across a gully from me.  Still, he watched me and I figured that it was best to depart in the direction from which I'd come.  Next, I drove to the campground and found a place to walk called the Little Mo Nature Trail (1650).  The Accessible trail system was paved and took me to the edge of the Little Missouri River.  The only noise in that area was the sound of the leaves of quaking aspens and a cricket...  I learned more about the biology and geology of the park (a nice brochure was provided at the trailhead).  At around that time, the rain started up again so I decided to depart (1730).  After driving back to Watford City (reverse route from my outbound leg), I parked in front of Outlaws Bar & Grill (1755).  I'd hoped to have beer and dinner there but immediately learned that all their taps were inoperative (dang).  Instead, I was convinced to get a Whistle Pig (Vermont) Old Fashioned.  Since they were also offering a "Wednesday Only" special for dinner, I ordered the Snow Crab Legs, Supreme Pizza (soup of the day) and the Signature Mac & Cheese.  All of this food was very extravagant but delicious.  On the wall, I noticed a sign that listed the WTI and Brent oil prices.  The bartender was from Wisconsin so we talked a bit about the trip I'd just done through her state.  The bar never really got busy and the clientele was certainly different than what I'd seen the evening before.  I finished my meal at 1855 and then walked across the street - speaking of JL Beers...  I ordered one beer and sat at the bar while listening to the ranchers/roughnecks (and their ladies) talk through the troubles of the day.  Finished at 1930, I drove around for a little while in Watford City and got to see the beginning of a beautiful sunset.  Back at my hotel again (2000), I checked on my work computer (nothing had happened); after that, I called it a work day and watched some YouTube videos.  At 2040, I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) cycle (20 minutes, 4.2 miles).  Afterwards, I returned to my room and documented all of the exercise, blog entries and eBird recordings for the day.  There was time for Duolingo and a bit of reading - I then watched movies until bed time at 2245.  Very glad that I got to see so much of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park while I was in North Dakota but I hope I can return again someday soon...

Nomad Life - Day 332

With the relentless search for the North Country Trail complete for now, my trip to Salt Lake City seemed to be on the brink of getting much more relaxed.  However, I had a chance today to stop at a brand new Presidential Library for Theodore Roosevelt!  As a result, I decided to take the day off (mostly) from my job.  Since I still wasn't fully adjusted to the Mountain Timezone, I woke up at the (new) 0515 and started teleworking.  After about two hours online, I closed up my work laptop and shifted to personal pursuits (e.g., travel blog catch-up).  There was no breakfast provided at the Red Roof (Dickinson) so I didn't leave my room until I was ready to check out (0955).  Once my car was loaded and I'd returned my key, I made my way towards the Interstate.  At around this time, I thought about getting food but realized that most of the available restaurants were fast food.  Craving a "real meal", I decided to wait a bit longer in hopes of finding a "sit down" place that offered lunch.  The weather was good: sunny, 56 F but very windy.  After getting on I-94, I drove west across the high prairie of western North Dakota.  I passed countless oil wells on the mostly flat terrain.  At 1020, I entered Billings County and drove through the Little Missouri National Grassland.  Just beyond that point, I encountered a major accident (a burned out 18 wheeler trailer) and the highway shifted down to one lane.  Of course, I slowed down - still, a local cop got annoyed at me for some reason...  Right after that (1025), I stopped for information at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center (part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  For about 10 minutes, I collected brochures and walked on a trail along the rim of the canyon (very pretty).  After that, I got back on I-94 and continued west.  The terrain suddenly changed from flat to canyons and hills - what a difference!  After exiting the Interstate to the south, I located the town of Medora at 1045.  With time before my reserved entry to the Presidential Library, I explored the “Wild West” town - it had a "high end" vibe and seemed to be catering to a more affluent set (e.g., like OBX, older, Boomer).  Frankly, the whole thing stressed me out after several days of solitude in the dusty ranch towns and remote public lands...  I soon found the entrance to the National Park (South Unit) on the western edge of town.  At 1055, I stopped at L’Amour Bistro and took a seat inside just before they swapped the menu from breakfast to lunch; I ended up ordering a sandwich and it turned out to be very healthy and delicious.  I was done eating at 1120 and walked around in the town nearby.  There was a huge butte to the north (very impressive) but I liked the life-sized Theodore Roosevelt statue that I found.  Selfies with (yet another) President completed, I checked out more of the tourist shops before returning to my car.  The Presidential Library was located on a huge hill on the west side of the Little Missouri River and I stopped at the summit (where the town's cemetery is located) to get photos of the valley below.  When I arrived at the library itself (1140), I found the parking lot was completely full.  It took a bit of patience, then, before I could park.  After that, it was a pretty good walk to the main entrance, where I encountered a long queue (I learned it was for security).  Signs everywhere said that the library was sold out for the day and I was very relieved to have made an online reservation...  I was inside the building by 1155 and, since my timed entry was for noon, was allowed into the main exhibit hall about five minutes later.  Like many modern museums I've visited, the designers had set everything up chronologically - this meant that everyone was walking in a line as they snaked through the exhibits.  And there were LOTS of people who'd arrived before I did.  Almost immediately, though, I was impressed by the quality of the displays, the plethora of interactive activities that tied to a wrist band (with RFID) that recorded my travels and the things I was doing.  Later, I discovered some kiosks (in the area with resting couches in the main hall) where I could evaluate my progress through the museum - I ended up using that to find places I'd missed.  Along the way, I got to try out my shooting skills, try to herd (virtual cattle), answer trivia, observe a nearly 4D digital simulation of the Battle of San Juan Hill, participate in a Campaign Whistle Stop event, pull the lever for candidates in the 1912 Election and wander through many rows of interesting displays of TR's personal items.  The Badlands of North Dakota were heavily featured and there were times when the museum had large windows that showed the spectacular terrain outside.  Perhaps my favorite thing about the place, though, was that the Library had worked with Google Gemini to take a photograph of me and insert it into black and white photos (I believe most were TR's own photographs).  The period clothing images showed me as a member of the Rough Riders, a President signing bills (complete with my Fisher Cats ballcap), a contemplative rancher sitting on the prairie and retiree (complete with cane) reading the paper in a restaurant.  There was a dramatic reading of "Man in the Arena" that was very moving and I heard the voice of Nick Offerman throughout the day (he did a lot of narrating).  In the end, I saw all of the exhibits except the room about the Amazon (there was a movie but a huge line of people was waiting to enter); I also only watched part of the Presidential address that was taking place with a virtual TR in a mockup of a White House office.  Overall, this was a wonderful museum and I only reluctantly exited the building (tired of walking through the crowds) at 1345.  The day was still quite nice and I spent nearly 30 more minutes walking on a boardwalk trail that circled the top of the plateau where the Museum/Library was located.  Along the way, I noticed that some people were walking on the rooftop of the budling but I ended up skipping that activity.  Instead, I completed my visit to the "Campus" at 1410 (by then, my pedometer said I'd walked two miles already!) and returned to my car.  Next, I made my way back into Medora and the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit).  I was surprised to find that it cost a significant amount of money - however, this may be one of those instances where the National Park Service knows they have a reliable cash cow...  After passing through the gate (used my Lifetime Pass) at 1415, I started north on the access road.  In the process, I crossed I-94 and headed into the steep terrain on the north side of the park.  I'd hoped to drive the loop road that was in the park.  At about mile three, though, I got stopped for some bison that were crossing the road.  This, in itself, was kind of exciting and I didn't mind.  However, I soon reached a point where the cars were really backed up at a kind of chokepoint and it became clear that the bison would not move.  I waited about 20 minutes at this location but soon gave up and turned around.  After backtracking to the entrance to the South Unit, I stopped at the Visitor Center and got to see TR's 1883 cabin (it had been moved about seven miles to it's current location).  There were also examples of petrified wood in the little museum there - this made me want to visit that area of the park.  However, another landmark caught my eye: the Elkhorn Ranch Unit!  While learning about it, I soon decided that it was the place where I most wanted to go to learn about Theodore Roosevelt's North Dakota experience.  After departing the South Unit at 1450 I drove west on the I-94 Business Loop and got back on the Interstate, heading west.  At 1455, I entered Golden Valley County and was startled to see lots of cattle on the steep cliffs to the north of the highway - yikes!  I turned north at Exit 12 and used a series of gravel Roads to reach the Elkhorn Ranch.  Along the way, I skipped the side roads that would have led me to the petrified forest and, instead, marveled at the Badlands terrain I was passing as I loosely followed the Little Missouri River towards the north.  There were beehive-like mounds, canyons, steep bluffs and all kinds of other geology to make for wonderful photos. There were not, however, many other people using the roads I followed.  Fortunately, I had a paper map with good directions (including the names of these roads) and I arrived at the NPS Unit at 1550.  I laced up my hiking boots and got ready to depart for a nice hike to the ranch site. In the parking lot, there was only one other car and the whole valley was eerily quiet.  That silence was shattered when, suddenly, I heard the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake!  He was right below where my foot would have stepped and I was VERY fortunate to have stopped in time.  We watched each other cautiously before I started to edge around the trail area in an attempt to pass him.  Of course, I had to worry about finding other rattlesnakes in the grasses there so it wasn't easy.  Just then, the person (a guy) who owned the other car arrived and gave me a bit of comfort - we commiserated about the situation (and other times he'd seen rattlers).  Until he appeared, I'll admit that I was wondering what I'd do if I'd been bitten...  The man saw my "Prouty" and asked about the name - he told me he'd just bought land from a Prouty family who had lived in North Dakota!  After saying goodbye to him, I walked about 0.75 miles to the old ranch site on the Little Missouri - so pretty...  There was some good birding in the area and I had my first sighting of a Townsend Solitaire.  The leaves on the cottonwood trees were bright yellow and I would have stayed for a while if it wasn't so late in the day.  Just then, though, a woman appeared from the direction of the parking lot and shattered my "quiet time".  She wasn't very friendly, either, so I quickly departed and headed back to my car (reached four miles of walking for the day).  By 1630, I was driving back out of  the NPS Unit.  Along the way, I passed through an area with an interesting long distance trail - I passed the Elkhorn Trailhead for the Maah Daah Hey Trail and later learned this is a 144 mile hiking route.  Wish I'd had time to walk on it!  Before long, though, I was back on the "main" gravel road and making my north and west.  It was getting cloudy by this point and I worried that the weather might turn nasty.  Fortunately, though, things stayed mostly the same while I was driving.  Before I reached pavement again, I passed a coyote (he ran across the road in front of me), had to dodge a huge road grader, saw lines of cows waiting for food (they looked forlornly at me since I didn't stop) and had to get around a huge truck with very little idea if the road was clear ahead (due to the rolling hills).  There really wasn't much traffic, though, so I shouldn't have worried...  By 1650, I was on ND-16 (paved) and driving north - I was in McKenzie County within 10 minutes.  For the first time in days, I noticed clues that the otherwise ubiquitous North Dakota "grid road pattern" seemed to gone.  Another surprise: the time zone changed back to Central without my knowledge.  It turns out that only a few counties in the southwest corner of the state use Mountain Time.  Next, I turned on to ND-68 and, later, CR-30.  At one point, I turned north into a construction zone but didn’t realize it - it turned out that I needed to follow an escort car.  Fortunately, the lady who was driving that vehicle was understanding and, after asking me to stop until she returned, helped me get back to the pavement.  Actually, most of the rest of the drive was on CR-30 - it wasn't until I reached the outskirts of Watford City (1905) that I turned north on US-85 to the north.  After locating my hotel, the Little Missouri Inn & Suites, I was unable to check into my room (even though I had a reservation), because the desk clerk was helping an older couple and was manually entering their information (plus, there was another person waiting).  With the line making me feel just like I did while waiting for the bison in the National Park, I gave up and drove further into town so I could have dinner.  I stopped at a place called JL Beers (1915) and had a pint of their house pilsner, a burger and some loaded fries (which had jalapenos - oh no).  The vibe was definitely more rancher/roughneck than I'd been seeing during the previous few days but I guess I fit in OK.  I was done with my my meal at 1950 and went back to the hotel.  This time, I was able to check into my room easily - I even extended my stay for a second night in Watford City (they said it would be the same rate).  In my room, I found out that my friend (George L) had died.  He was the first sailor from the Atlanta squadron that I met (during training) back in 2002 and I always liked him.  We'd even talked about me visiting his farm in Georgia sometime in 2027.  Dang...  This was a very sad day and I exchanged texts with my daughters (they were very supportive).  After a little while, I spent time catching up on finances, travel blog, Duolingo and reading.  Also, I checked on my work computer (nothing really significant happened during my leave day) and updated some fitness records.  At 2145, I went to the Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike (20 minutes, 4.1 miles).  I even got to weigh myself on a scale for the first time in a while - not too bad but I wish I could do better with my Nomad Life diet... Back in my room (2210), I did some reading before turning my lights out (2245).  What an unforgettable day in the Badlands of North Dakota!

Nomad Life - Day 331

With Salt Lake City still on my mind (I need to arrive there on September 28 for work), I had plans today to continue driving west across North Dakota.  I was up at 0600 (this required an alarm) and began teleworking immediately.  At 0645, I took a break and went to breakfast in the lobby of my hotel, the Days Inn (Bismarck).  They had a great spread (and made to order eggs)!  After I ate my morning meal  I went to the hotel Fitness Center and worked out on the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4.3 miles).  Finished at 0720, I went back to teleworking.  My last Meeting ended at 1135 and I then checked out of my room.  By agreement with my company and client, my work day was completed (comp time for last week) - score!  By 1145, I was rolling out of Bismarck on I-94.  The day was pleasant again (58 F with a high overcast) - I've been so lucky!  A short time later, I crossed the Missouri River for the first time in North Dakota and arrived in the town of Mandan (Morton County).  Hoping to take advantage of lower (than Bismarck) gas prices, I filled up at the Marathon (1155) and had to struggle to clean the bugs off my windshield - wow!  Driving a short distance towards the west, I ordered lunch at Taco John’s (1200) and ate in the restaurant.  By 1210, I'd finished eating and was back in the car.  Before leaving Mandan, I decided to check out Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, which was located a few miles to the south.  It took a bit of work to get around detours (this added extra distance to my day) but I arrived there by 1230.  For the first time, I was faced with a scenario where I couldn't get a park pass for the day - there was no staff at the kiosk, they didn't have a credit card machine and the only other method for paying was internet with a QR code.  Since my cell service was pretty poor at that point, it meant I was out of luck.  I guess this is where our society is headed - use the internet or you are out of luck...  Despite the frustrating situation, I entered the park anyway but vowed to minimize my time there.  It was only later that I learned about the significance of the park: it was the headquarters for the soldiers who fought in the wars against the Sioux in the 1870s and was, until his death, commanded by Lt. Colonel George A. Custer.  His wife, Libby, was apparently living there when she heard about the terrible result of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.  I went walking at a few places in the park: to the campground, to the Custer House (restored to look like when the famous man lived there) and to a picnic area located on a bluff above the Missouri River (probably logged about 0.5 miles on foot).  There were historical markers and I learned a bit more about life on the prairie here during the Nineteenth Century.  With lots of other things left to see and do, I departed from the State Park at 1245 and drove back into Mandan.  Once I was on Business Loop 94, which took me west of town, I passed a building with a huge banner on it - I believe it was some kind of "National Day" (calendar) notice but I didn't stop to find out more.  Instead, I continued until the BL turned into ND-25.  By 1315, I found myself in Oliver County, which featured rolling hills, smokestacks and signs for the Lewis & Clark Trail.  As I have been doing for the last several days, I was seeking driving sections of the North Country Trail and I made my first turn in that direction when I reached 28th Avenue.  Before long, however, I encountered unexplained traffic going east with me.  I got tired of the delay so passed the line of trucks - this showed me (finally) that another truck was painting lines on the road and I wondered if any of the spray caught my car while I was passing...  Soon after that, I reached ND-200 (alternate) and followed that road until it took me across a large bridge over the Missouri River.  On the other side, I entered the town of Washburn and stopped briefly at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center (1340).  It was operated by a State Agency and charged a fee so I skipped the museum inside and made my way instead to nearby Fort Mandan (McLean County).  For that, I thought it would be worth money to pay to enter (1400) - imagine my surprise when the lady there told me that I could have had two museums for the price of one (they were teamed with the first location)...  Regardless, I explored the reconstructed fort, walked through a camp of teepees and walked along the Missouri River (another 0.5 miles of walking).  I thought the whole setup was very well done and am very glad I stopped.  At 1415, I departed and started following gravel roads to the north.  Before long, I found myself on a high bluff above the Missouri River Valley.  At times, I had to contend with free range cows.  When I reached CR-18, I had an easy time of getting on US-83 (four lane) moments later.  A sign said I was only 60 miles from Minot.  While driving in this area, I passed a huge coal mine and was surrounded (nearly at all times) by large trucks.  By 1450, though, I'd arrived at my first planned stop for the day: the Audubon National Wildlife Refuge.  Not for the first time (and not for the last), I learned more about the famous naturalists visits to North Dakota and then took a walk around the property on a combination of paved trails and mowed grass tracks.  The birding was only so-so but I did find where the NCT crossed through the area and followed it for as long as I could.  By the end of the visit (1535), I'd walked for 1.6 total miles and added 1.0 miles of new distance to my NCT tracker.  From the NWR, I tried to connect with a driving section.  In this, I was marginally successful - in a few places, the trail followed nearly impassable roads while there were perfectly good ones very close.  My route was supposed to take me on 33rd Avenue (to the south from Audubon), east on 10th Street (horrible road), south on 32nd Avenue, west on 9th Street (crossed US-83) and into the Wolf Creek Wildlife Management Area.  At this point, I was in a place without any roads on the Google Maps but I kept driving forward and was eventually on what appeared to be 35th Avenue, a horrible farm road.  At one point, I encountered and ATV going the other way and the occupants looked at me strongly.  Next, I drove west on 8th Street and south on 37th Avenue until I reached pavement at ND-200.  Only then did I figure out that I'd missed a turn (the drive would probably not have been possible) to get two more NCT miles - I never saw the turn west on 7th Street or the later turn south on 38th Street.  Still, I managed to log about 8 miles of legitimate NCT driving mileage.  Hoping to figure out what I did wrong, I took Missouri drive and then turned north on 38th Street - this took me to the Riverdale Golf Course and I found the trailhead near their "clubhouse".  There were some amazing views of Lake Sakakawea and interesting geological formations there but I kept on exploring as soon as it became clear I couldn't get any more NCT miles without hiking away from the car.  Instead, I followed Missouri Drive into Riverdale and got on Lawson Street.  Next (1625), I explored the Government Bay Recreation Area (Lake Sakakawea) and found the NCT again - there were actually blazes.  In one place, I found a trailhead on the east side of the parking lot that went east through a ravine and uphill on the other side (probably 10th Street?).  With all of this work, I was not getting any new miles so I decided to reposition to where I knew I could hike.  I followed Missouri Drive again and passed through a bunch of Army Corps of Engineers buildings in Riverdale before arriving back at CR-200.  Later, I figured out that I'd actually been driving on the NCT (1.3 miles).  Turning west, I started driving across the Garrison Dam.  Once again, I found the NCT (it traveled through the spillway overlook loop, logged 0.3 miles of new NCT).  While crossing the dam, I got another 1.0 miles of NCT (driving) and entered Mercer County (1640).  On the western end of the dam, I saw NCT signs again and realized that the map I'd seen online had hinted about roads at the south base of the dam - I was able to track a bit of these and get another 0.7 miles of driving the NCT but the trail apparently went deep into a Fish Hatchery there and I lost it.  By that point, I was itching to hike in Lake Sakakawea State Park, where the western terminus of the entire trail is located, and crossed the dam again (from east to west).  Just before I arrived at the park entrance, I saw a truck parked near what looked to be a giant wooden gate.  Intrigued, I exited the highway there and figured out it was a (paraphrased) "welcome to the final miles of the NCT" sign (with a "good luck on your way to Vermont" sign in the opposite direction).  Wow!  Starting at 1650, I left my car and started walking towards the dam (connecting the walking and driving sections).  Satisfied, I backtracked towards the northwest, crossed under the gate and headed into the State Park on foot.  During the next (roughly) 90 minutes, I walked on well marked trails, got good views of the lake, entered and exited small canyons with spectacularly colored trees and encountered several kinds of birds (including my first sighting of Gray Partridges.  At one point, I found the only other humans I'd see during my entire four miles of walking - a young family (mom, son and daughter) and ended up talking to them for a while.  They were happy to be outside (the kids were even barefoot) and asked me lots of questions about life outside of North Dakota.  It was fun to chat with them and they wished me well when I walked away to the northwest.  At the end of nearly 1.8 miles of walking (north of my car), I reached the Western Terminus sign (1750) - what a moment!  Having hiked, walked, etc. nearly 500 miles of the trail (and having been at Maine Junction in Vermont, the Eastern Terminus), I felt very good about all the decisions that led me to this moment.  There were no people nearby and the day was quiet - the weather was very nice too.  There might have been more to see if I kept on walking but, by then, I was ready to return to my car.  The backtrack was uneventful and I detoured off the NCT when I reached the gravel road where my car was parked.  Overall, then, I walked about four total miles by the time I reached my car (1825).  So, I guess, my relentless search for NCT miles may be over for 2026...  Turning my attention to other goals, I got back on ND-200 and drove west to Pick City - on the way, I stopped at the State Park entrance but found no brochures.  Continuing west, I followed ND-200 util I could turn east on 1st Street (CR-37).  This latter road took me to the entrance for the Knife River Indian Villages NHS (arrived at 1850).  The park was closed but I still was able to take a walk through the grounds, see a large mud-lodge and learn more about the historical Native American settlements that once stood there when Lewis and Clark visited the area.  A highlight was watching the quiet Missouri River passing below a high bluff - I felt like I was the only human on the planet at that moment.  For some reason, I encountered LOTS of Ring necked pheasants; I also got to witness a beautiful sunset.  When I got back to my car (1940), I figured out that I'd walked about 1.8 miles in the park.  It was starting to get dark so I quickly got back on CR-37 and made my way to ND-3.  Later, I got back on ND-200 and headed in the direction of Dickinson, where my hotel was located.  Fortunately, it was still light well after sunset.  Like yesterday, I accidentally skipped dinner.  The next segment of the drive involved passing through Dodge Dunn County (2025), dealing with lots of huge trucks and experiencing a time change.  Once I got on ND-8, I got to see a bit more of the nighttime "glow" of the prairie.  I passed the time with an audiobook.  At (the new) 1940, I entered Starke County.  When I reached the town of Richardson, I took CR-10 to the west and then 94th Avenue when I reached Taylor.  Before long, I was on I-94 and headed west at higher speeds. At 2025, I arrived in Dickinson and found my hotel, the Red Roof Inn.  I had to wait for a huge group of construction workers before I could check into my room but, after that, things went smoothly.  Before bed, I checked on work computer, got my leave period started and then worked on my travel blog, made eBird entries, did some Duolingo exercises, updated trackers and wrapped up some finances.  In the end, I stayed up until (the new) 2245.  What an amazing trip across North Dakota on the trail of the NCT this week - but now it's time to turn to other pursuits.  Medora tomorrow!  North Country Trail Today = 14.1 miles / Grand Total NCT = 466.2 miles