#2: [01-Nov-02]

25-May-2024 -- I have established a tradition going back nearly 20 years of devoting a whole day or multiple days, solely to getting out on the landscape, seeing physical and cultural geography and visiting confluence points. Thus, it was time for the 2024 trip which I have been looking forward to for an entire year. I had landed in Bismarck, North Dakota, the previous day and despite the slow start in a windy, sleety rainstorm en route to 47 North 99 West, I visited two more points that day; and now it was Day 2. Earlier today I visited 46 North 98 West, and from there, headed east on State Highway 11. As the morning advanced, I passed through the absolutely lovely town of Lidgerwood, taking photographs there, and the suspense mounted.

I traveled east and south on the section line roads, all gravel but passable due to the dry conditions today, finally, south along the north-south road passing about 1/2 mile east of this confluence point, named 163rd Avenue SE. I parked near the mailbox at the house on the southeast corner of the section, not wanting to alarm anyone by driving up their driveway. I set off walking up the driveway toward the house, westward, with a minimal amount of supplies.

After knocking, and talking with the friendly landowner, I invited him to accompany me to the point. His dogs joined us a short time later and they had a great and spatial time. We walked north and west through a series of fields, quite muddy due to yesterday's rainfall that my shoe became stuck for a few moments. I should have worn boots, but I had not brought any with me on the airplane yesterday. The total walk time from the house was about 25 minutes; my shoes got heavier and heavier as we traversed along. Fortunately we were not treading on any new seedlings. But rain is always a good thing here… As long as there’s not too much of it.

It had been almost 22 years since the one and only past visit. This confluence lies near a low part of the fields, just south of a large pile of rocks that the landowner had been piling up over the years. Thinking about piling up those rocks made my arms hurt… Again, I have great appreciation for people that care take this land and the indigenous population that traversed and took care of these fields over the centuries as well. It was late morning in late May, about one month before the summer solstice. It was much more pleasant than my snowy-rainy-windy walk the day before to 47 North 99 West. Now, the temperature stood at a pleasant 77 F (25 C) under moderate breezes and clear skies. I saw a few birds but no people besides the landowner; I could not see any dwellings from this location due to the low ground it was in. I took photos and posted this video of 46 North 97 West.

This confluence point is a peaceful place and I did not want to leave; however, I wanted to see if I could visit two points in Minnesota along 48 North and then back into North Dakota before the end of the day for additional point visits along 48 North. Thus, and wanting to respect the landowner's time, we were on site for less than 10 minutes. We walked back due east and then followed the field edge due south back to the house. I am wearing my "I know where it is at!" geography shirt in honor of the occasion.

By now in my 25th year of doing this, I have a very tidy, robust collection of visited confluence points in North Dakota. I have stood on 46° north latitude many times in the past from Washington state on the west to New Brunswick in Canada to the east. I have also stood on 97° west many times from North Dakota here on the north end down to Texas on the south end, spanning a wide array of ecoregions and biomes. This was my 5th confluence of the 15 points I would eventually visit for my current four day trip. The landowner even sprayed off my muddy shoes after we arrived back at his house. After thanking the landowner, I then drove to the north, east, and then north again on gravel roads before heading east again on the state highway, bound for Minnesota.

When the trip was all said and done, here are the final statistics:

-------------------------------------------------
Days set aside to visit points:  4

Confluence points attempted:  15.  

Confluence points successfully visited:  15. 

Points where I met the local landowner = 3 of 15 points. 

Points where I met the local dogs = 3 of 15 points.

Miles = 1588, Kilometers = 2556.
  
Percent of travel on interstate highways:  15%
Percent of travel on US, state, and county roads:  85 % :-)

Campgrounds = 3.  

Windy confluence points:  13 of 15.
Rainy confluence points:  3 of 15.
Snowy confluence points:  1 of 15.

Beautiful confluence points:   15 of 15.

Convenience store stops = 7.  

Points I thought would be

                easier than they turned out to be =           2 
                about the same as I expected them to be =     2 
                more difficult than they turned out to be =  11 
		------------------------------------------------
			                                     15 points.
Points          in wetlands              1
                in woodlands             1
		in non-tilled hills      2
		in agricultural fields  11
		---------------------------
			                15 points.

Points along 	45 North = 1 
		46 North = 3 
		47 North = 3 
		48 North = 8  
		-------------
			   15 points.

Points visited on 	Day 1 = 3 
			Day 2 = 5 
			Day 3 = 5 
			Day 4 = 2
		-------------------
			   	15 points.  

Points visited in the 	morning = 	5 
			afternoon = 	7 
			evening = 	3 
		-------------------------------
			   		15 points

Points visited in 	Minnesota =     2
			North Dakota =  11
			South Dakota =  1 
			Montana =       1
		-------------------------------
			   		15 points 

The most frequently visited longitude line:  99 West:  3 points.

Get out there and explore!