Day Seven: No Vacancy in the state of North Dakota

Who the hell would have ever thought it. Please tell me I am not the only person who has not heard about the Oil Boom going on in Western North Dakota?? All these work crews from around the country have taken up to living at all of the hotels...no place for the weary traveler. I feel like I have been living under a rock.

I wake up this morning to 23 degrees, ice on the windshield and no hotel reservation for a second day in a row. I get back on the computer and keeping googling my way West. Finally an opening in Miles City, MT. I book it even though I have no idea where it is. I am not going to let it get me down. I am going to see the World's Largest Buffalo and Lake Sakakawea, an Indian Village or two and a place I used to live. There is a lot to get in before I have to travel to my hotel.

We leave the this morning and cross the interstate to the Frontier Village in Jamestown that houses the World's Largest Buffalo.

They aren't kidding. Louie goes immediately for the right front hoof and pees and the closer I get the more intimidated it all becomes. It really does have a presence of 'I could trample you in a split second'.

Now we are off I94 to Bismark where we will go off roading to see...

...windmill farms...

And Lake Sakakawea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP2thtcrdcg

(Sorry for the images of my front seat.)

Then we happen upon the Knife River Indian Villages. I contemplate asking if this Earth Lodge has any vacancies:

Then, on to...

where I spent the fourth grade.

The church is still there as a church...

...but the school is now a women's correctional/rehab center and since I can't confirm or deny who goes there I didn't take a picture. But the 14 foot, barbed wire  topped fence is new.

Then, I travel to HWY 12 and head to that hotel in Miles City. The sun is setting and the road is such that whenever I hit the top of a hill it feels like a roller coaster ride, where you have no idea what is about to happen next. Then darkness falls and I am alone on the road with my thoughts. The road suddenly becomes a dirt road and I panic. But then 20 miles or so it is is paved again. I try to find something on the radio and the choices are a religious talk radio program or a political one. I push the off button and sit in silence.

It is the first time on the journey I feel lonely.

We finally arrive at Miles City and I let Louie run in the dark while I check in. This hotel only lets pets in smoking rooms...what the hell. I didn't even realize smoking or non-smoking was an option anymore...I suck it up then when Louie and I hit the room we both choke. It is terrible and 1974.

I quickly get on the computer to try to find a place closer back toward my destination for tomorrow, I have to visit Powers Lake before I leave this part of the country. After two hours I have no luck; I even go on the North Dakota Tourism website that I have been communicating with for months about this trip (without ever hearing from them that hotels are booked through December) and tell them what I think about this nonsense. Every town has a Tourism Station and every rest area has a huge book about visiting ND, but there is no place for a tourist to stay in this state. I will say this for the State - it is the complete opposite from every where else in the country. There are Help Wanted and Hiring Now signs every where and there is no room at the inn; booked up with busy, working people.

I am in need of an oil change and and some air freshener and the KIA needs a bath.

Recipes: If a dish burns, you can still salvage the meal.

Roadtrips: A little bit of I94, HWY 83, SR 220,  SR 22, HWY 12...long day in the upper Midwest...

Renovations: I think I need to take a day to reflect on everything I have taken in...maybe after tomorrow's old homestead visit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWzmFEbOXxU