Saturday, March 29, 2014

Down Wisconsin Way

It was a cold morning again, but no snow when we left the little town of Harvey. Highway 52 running all the way from Minot to I-94, is like an old friend to me. I know every bend and every turn-off. When we lived in Alberta, I drove down here quite a few times.  The road was still pretty empty – almost like years ago.
Once we hit the Interstate there was the old interstate blues. Rolling, rolling, rolling – from one gas station to another, from one rest area to another. Molly was sleeping in her little nest behind the driver’s seat. She is the most adapted car-driving dog we have ever known.
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We stopped at Carrington and pulled into a GM-dealership. One of our front turn lights was out. You know it when you hear the frantic sounding tickitick. A mechanic pulled out the light fixture and put a new bulb in. A quick push and the thing was fixed. Didn’t take 10 minutes – great small town service. Would never have received that service in a city like Calgary. They are too busy there.
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We ran through North Dakota, and then we ran through Minnesota. But before that we ha dto cross Minneapolis/St.Paul. I-94 runs straight through the middle, so we decided to take the outer ring I-494 which makes a dive south before it turns north again from where one can connect with the I-94 again. We hadn’t made half of it when traffic became tight, tighter and finally stalled – for a while. We toughed it out and were glad to finally hit the I-94 East again.
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                                    MINNESOTA:  Ice fishing and farms

Minnesota is still under a cover of snow. There is not the slightest sign of spring out here. The spread-out farms are ducking down under the snow between surrounding trees. It looks rather peaceful – almost like a Christmas card – as we go by. European roots are obvious in the small villages we pass. The church sits in the middle of a cluster of houses – just the way we know it from Europe. Fields are bordered with wind breakers, the same way I know it from my home state Schleswig Holstein.
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Wisconsin was greeting us with another winter landscape – snow on spruce trees – frozen lakes and small creeks. It was getting late – from Minnesota border we had to adjust to Central Time.

Menomonie, another small town USA, was tempting with several possibilities of accommodations and restaurants. We left the big highway and went looking into town. We pulled up to a modern Motel 6 and ate at a Perkin’s Restaurant, before we retired to our room. Not a bad choice. We got 2 beds again and Molly has her little nest between the beds. Everybody is happy – and so am I.
Tomorrow is another day.

5 comments:

  1. You are making good time, and heading into snow country too.

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  2. Stay safe. Sure not the kinda driving I like to do anymore.

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  3. Looks so cold even though it is beautiful.

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  4. It sure looks a lot different then the Hot Springs. But winter can be very beautiful.

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  5. Very nice but a little cold for me. You're moving right along there.

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