28-Mar-2023 -- As I was in the state of South Dakota for a series of three college and university visits to support the use of geotechnologies, and as the focus of the degree confluence project was on examining the Earth's physical and cultural systems enabled by GPS and mapping geotechnologies, I considered that a confluence visit was the perfect addition to such a week. Furthermore, my trek from Southeastern Tech College in Sioux Falls to Northern State University in Aberdeen would take me close to 45 North 98 West, and thus I held hope that this being the week after the Vernal Equinox, that the daylight would hold long enough for me to visit.
Even though it was technically the spring season, the temperature stood at 10 F with a steady wind of about 20 mph. Thus, the more important question was not daylight but was the point close enough to a road for me to visit without becoming dangerously cold or frostbitten? Being on the Great Plains when the wind was blowing and the temperature was below freezing was not something to trifle with. As a precautionary measure, I had brought hat and gloves and a raincoat and sweater, but not a heavy coat or boots. I also bought a hot coffee in the town of Clark, South Dakota, for use in thawing out after my planned frozen walk. As I drove north and west toward the point, I could see all around me that the ground lay frozen under drifts from this season's accumulated snowfalls, which looked to be substantial. Fortunately, the roads, which turned to travel as I neared the point, were frozen enough not to be too muddy, even the "minimum maintenance road", 411th Ave, that ran north-south just to the west of where the confluence point would lie. With the sun sinking toward the western horizon, but with enough daylight to spare, I parked in a low spot where there was a break in the fence. I quickly gathered GPS receiver, camera, hat, and gloves, and set out to the northeast.
According to my GPS and phone, I only had a 15 minute walk ahead of me. However, I made great haste due to the weather, crunching through the snow that slid past my ankles in most places but making sure I didn’t lose my footing. Fortunately it was cold enough so that the snow was not slushy, which would have much more quickly froze my feet, which were in my work shoes, rather than boots. Also, I was able to gingerly stand on top of the snow crust in most places rather than sinking into the snow. A small depression led to the northeast away from the road that I followed for part of my journey, that fortunately pointed almost straight at the desired point. Hence I arrived at the point in less than 15 minutes' walk, and without much delay due to open skies was able to zero out the GPS unit. I quickly filmed a video which I’ve posted on my Our Earth video channel here, as well as a set of some really beautiful photographs.
I could see farm houses in the distance from where I stood, though these were limited as the population density is fairly low in this part of South Dakota. The population density was greater about 75 years ago when small farms were dominant. As I stood there I thought about the Native Americans that have dwelled here for hundreds of years, and the European settlers that traversed the land. I have great respect for all who make this part of the world their home: Blazing hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. For that matter, it can be cold even in the spring as it was right now. During my trek, I saw no animals, birds, or people. It was early evening in early spring: Classic Great Plains vistas and vegetation. The field I was on looked like it had not been cultivated for many years. It was bare soil in places with patchy ground cover in others. The landscape was ever so slightly rolling but mostly flat. I had stood on 45° North, halfway to the North Pole, many times over the past decades, from Oregon on the west side of the USA over to New England on the east side. These visits included several points here in South Dakota, to the east of here, and to the west of here. I had also stood on 98° West many times in the past--from North Dakota on the north on down to Texas on the south, including points in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Being on 45° north is definitely an extra special latitude line. However, given the severe weather conditions, I was only on site for 10 minutes.
As a geographer I always love to do a loop when possible. Hence, upon departing the point, I first walked due west along 45 North, filming as I did so until my bare hand froze. I then cut to the south along the fence line to the break in the fence. As I arrived back at the vehicle, I thought that it was amazing that this point had not been visited since 2001, the point's only other visit. Somehow the back window of the vehicle could not roll up, and I spent the next 10 minutes trying to raise it. I took one more sunset picture to mark the occasion. I was listening to Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens on audio, and made it to Aberdeen by about 9:00pm. The following day, I had a wonderful set of visits with deans, faculty, and students, promoting geotechnologies at Northern State University, and even had the honor of meeting the university president and provost. The confluence trek was the perfect way to begin it all.