11- 13 August 2022
11 August 2022, Thursday
We pack up quickly this morning and drive down to the Picnic Pavilion. After a simple breakfast we are in the van and on the road. Soon we are in North Dakota. We stop briefly at Theodore Roosevelt National Park to switch drivers and let Lucy stretch her legs. Then we leave the badlands and head across Dakota plains. It is still quite windy, and we are buffeted at times by a headwind and at times by a crosswind. Today is not a good mileage day! We finally arrive at Fort Ransom around 4:40 pm. We crossed into Central Time today and lost another hour. This campground is very nice, with large sites and lots of trees. Our site, #22, is right on the Sheyenne River. There is a wire fence along the edge of the bank and a sign warns, “Caution, Eroding Bank.” O cooks supper while I set up our tent. And then – after eating – it’s time for our long awaited showers! Ahhhhh! Another walk around the campground for Lucy and time for bed.
12 August 2022, Friday
It actually rained during the night – and again early morning. O and I sleep in, waiting for the rain to stop. (Weather Underground predicts sunshine around 8 am.) Precisely at 8 the rain stops and the sun is shining. O and I squeegee off the picnic table. The rest of the moisture dries quickly in the breeze. We cook up breakfast, after which I chat a bit with my sister. Next, we decide what to do with the day. We will begin with an explore of the Sheyene River valley by car. We drive up to an overlook with a wonderful view and interesting interpretive panels. The Sheyenne River Valley was carved out by glacial melt running from one glacial lake into another. At the peak of melting the entire river valley, up to 330 feet deep and a mile wide, per the interpretive panel, was filled by the river! Scattered on hillsides one can see glacial erratics which were deposited by the flow.
After admiring the view we walk a short distance along a trail on the hilltop. We stop to watch a family of Eastern Kingbirds on the hunt for insects. Back in the van, we drive part of the scenic byway along the Sheyenne River and then return to camp.
We have a little time for a walk along the North Country Trail. This trail is currently more than 4600 miles long and stretches across seven northern states – from Vermont to North Dakota – where it will eventually link up with the Lewis and Clark Trail. The trail is not complete, but it’s quite a project!
Despite the fact that it is Friday night and almost all of the campsites are occupied, the campground is quite peaceful this evening. As we drift off to sleep we can hear a great barred owl in the distance, “Who cooks for you?”
13 August 2022, Saturday
It’s a cool, cloudy morning. O and I enjoy the luxury of another orange chocolate chunk cake for breakfast. While breakfast bakes we watch a beaver swimming in the river below. It’s also a great time to watch more eastern kingbirds going about their fly-catching duties. On the way to and from the restroom each of us is dive-bombed by an anxious swallow whose nest is tucked next to the downspout of the restroom building. We can see hungry little beaks poking out of the nest as we walk by.
Today a hike is in order. By the time we finish breakfast and pack up most of our tent contents, the sun is beginning to break through the clouds. We have chosen the Little Twig Trail which hooks up with the Nelson 80, Fire Break, and Pederson Hills Trails to form a 4-5 mile loop. The first and last thirds of the trail wind through oak woods and are nicely shaded. The middle portion is along prairie hilltops. The views are nice, but it’s pretty hot in the sun. We pause twice to let Lucy cool down. Along our route we pass a fawn: pretty large, but still spotted.
We are also buzzed by a hummingbird at one of our rest stops. Near the end of our walk we finally solve the mystery of what critter has peppered the grassy area between our campsite and the showers with holes. Lucy spies a grayish multi-striped animal that looks a bit like a chipmunk. . . but it’s not. I discover later that it is a thirteen-lined ground squirrel. At camp I have caught only brief views – they are quick to dive into their numerous burrows. The one we see as we are finishing our hike freezes when we walk by with Lucy, so we are able to get a good look. The stripes on its back are broken up by spots, making for excellent camouflage.
After our hike we relax at camp. Lucy snoozes in the shade of the picnic table while O and I watch flycatchers and beavers in the cool of the evening.
