#2: [17-Sep-17]

28-May-2002 -- After I departed 47°N 99°W yesterday I drove west to Medina, ND where I spent the night at a hunting lodge. All I wanted to do was to get a shower, eat and get a good night’s rest. I got the shower, but no restaurants or stores were open because of the holiday. I had some MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) a friend had given me, but I was too tired to mess with those so I skipped supper. I sat down in a recliner to take off my boots and that’s where I woke up this morning. I was still dressed and I had one boot on and one boot off. I must have been really tired. I scared myself when I looked in the mirror. I forgot about busting my nose yesterday. I had swelled up during the night and it didn’t look good at all. I decided I had better keep my sunglasses on if I saw someone or I might scare them as well.

This was the last day of this confluence-visiting trip and I hit the road feeling pretty good about the trip so far. I left the paved road and drove 3½ miles along dirt roads dodging cows along the way. When I got as close as the road came to the confluence, I drove another mile across open pastureland that was strewn with large rocks. I came to a barbed wire fence about 0.7 miles from the confluence and parked there. I climbed over the fence and began walking the rest of the way. It was uphill except for the last 50 yards or so where the hill dropped off sharply. As I reached the crest of the hill, a beautiful lake stood below. Two deer were standing next to the lake and I watched them for a little while. I took out the camera to take their picture and they must have seen me move because they looked right up at me. But I was able to snap a couple of shots before they bolted.

I climbed down the hill and located the confluence, which was not far from the water's edge. As I started taking pictures, mosquitoes started swarming all around me. There were so many that they made a loud whirring noise. You can even see them in the south and west photos I took. Although they never bit me, I got out of there as fast as I could. Unfortunately, I dropped my sunglasses on the way back, so I had no camouflage for my busted nose.

I decided to try to find another way out and save some time. Instead I drove around for an hour, unable to find a cattle gate out of the pasture I was in. Fences blocked everywhere I tried to go. I ended up going back out the same way I came in and headed towards the next confluence, 47°N 101°W.

Danny Strickland
www.artgaga.com