Driving on US Route 2

I found it exciting (?) that US 2 across North Dakota is a four lane divided highway with a speed limit of 70 MPH. Cars and trucks moved a little faster than that, but the occasional farm machine was on the same road going 30 MPH. You come up on them very quickly! Access on and off the road is not controlled and you must merge from dirt roads into the traffic moving at 75-80 MPH. I must say that traffic is a real stretch. The reality is that there is not much activity on the highway. There was even less in Minnesota.

Today's main story line is how can it take the Pondit one hundred and seventy miles to find a golf course to play on in North Dakota? My plan (Why do I make plans?) was to drive across Minnesota in the morning and play golf at an Arnold Palmer course in Grand Forks, North Dakota around noon time. I could not make advanced tee times due to the uncertainty of my drive times. I pull up to the course and there are cars parked everywhere. I talk to the starter and sure enough, they are hosting a golf outing for eighty-eight people. I never imagined there were eighty-eight golfers in all of North Dakota. I quickly used my Garmin to find out what courses were along my route. I decided not to try the Duffers Club in Michigan, ND. About thirty miles west was the Larimore Golf Club. Off I sped and when turning off US 2 to go to the course, It looked nice but was only nine holes and was pretty busy. I decided to push on to the Lakota Rock Creek Course. It sounded more elegant and was another thirty-four miles west. When I pulled up I was not certain there was a course in my field of vision and I swore I saw buffalo grazing near one of the greens. They needed sheep to trim the fairways. I made a quick u-turn and on to Devil's Lake Golf course another thirty-two miles west. Yeah! This was an eighteen hole golf course and I went in to sign in. Oy vey – another golf outing! They woman at the pro shop was kind enough to recommend The Rugby Golf Course which was another forty miles west.

The course bordered US 2 and had a dirt road for an entrance. When I arrived there were very few cars in the parking lot. I went in and got started. The course was only nine holes so I played the blues tees for one loop and the whites for the second round. During the first nine holes there was the Pondit, three middle school boys and when I was on hole number eight another single started on hole 1. The course was OK. Greens were good and the fairways well maintained. It has only a few sand traps which I managed to miss on both loops. I shot 41 from the longer tees and 41 from the shorted tees! My drives hit each of the first three fairways and only one of the next eleven! The temperature was in the mid eighties and was rather pleasant.

Besides eighteen holes of golf, I drove 533 miles today. The highlight of the morning was the time I spent in Bemidji, Minnesota. I had breakfast here and spent some time in the town and visited the campus of the university that finished second in this year's Division 1 NCAA Hockey tournament. Its lake is also part of the Mississippi River very near the source of this mighty river. I have some pictures of this town. Take a good look at the great blue ass.

Here are some of today's pictures:

This was in Minnesota. This is only a small segment of a pile of logs ready to be made in toilet paper. I wonder how many roles this will make.

As far from the ocean as can be. This is one of my heritage photographs.

This is a big blue ass in Bemidji.

Actually it is really Paul Bunyon and Big Blue.

I have to explain that many of my photos were shot from a moving car. Sometimes the timing of the shot leaves something to be desired.

An auto shot in Crookston, MN.

Here is what is showing at the movies in Crookston. Notice the reflection in the car mirror!

On the road to Rugby. Amazing scenery!!!

Is this a classy signage?

The first hole. Notice the reflection of the Pondit.

A week ago I was pulling up to the Weschester Country Club in Harrison. This is the clubhouse at Rugby. Believe me, it does not compare. Is that another ass in the left background?

As you can see the views on the road after Rugby on the way to Minot are much more interesting.