#1: [21-Oct-01]

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 sleet and rainstorm for 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 then 46 North 97 West. To gain 2 degrees of latitude (that is, go north) and to lose (that is, go east) 1 degree of longitude required the following: From 46 North 97 West, I headed east and north, departing North Dakota at Fargo. The morning turned to afternoon as I entered Minnesota. It turned out that would be in Minnesota for the next 6 hours and would successfully visit two points.

I traveled east and south on state and county roads in northwestern Minnesota, through the wonderful town of Fertile, Minnesota. I also passed a beautiful cemetery in another town with at least 100 full sized flags, for Memorial Day, which was this weekend. I began to notice that all the fields on both sides of me, no matter which roads I traversed, contained vast tracts of standing water. No doubt this was due to the heavy storm that ended yesterday. Yes, it would be a wet walk, no matter what, to reach 48 North 96 West. Still, I pressed on. It had been 23 years since this confluence point was attempted and I wanted to try.

On US 59, southeast of Thief River Falls, I was amazed to find a new traffic circle. Driving east, I found out why: There is a new-ish casino in the countryside there complete with water theme park. I drove further east, then south on some muddy but still passable section line roads, and then parked on 110th St Southeast. There is a small adjustment in the surveying here, so the road is not quite east-west, but rather, a bit tilted northeast-to-southwest a few degrees off due east-west. I parked very close to 96 West. I set off to the south with a minimal amount of supplies.

There was no way to cross the large pond that had settled to the south of the road, so immediately my lower extremities became wet all the way to mid-calf. Thereafter, I did my best to not fall on the grassy knobs and small depressions as I stuck to the fenceline as best I could and not tread on any plants. I should have worn boots, but I had not brought any with me on the airplane yesterday. The total walk time from the vehicle to the south edge of the field was about 25 minutes. It was extremely slow going with the many tripping hazards. I reached the field edge and was within 100 meters of the point already. I could have called it 'good enough' here, but decided to plunge into the trees in the hopes I had enough GPS reception to zero out the unit. Fortunately, I read the previous visitors' account of the moose sighting after my visit was completed; I might not have been so willing to plunge into the trees if I knew moose were about; though, admittedly, that had been in 2001 and in October.

I was successful in reaching the actual point in the trees. It had been almost 23 years since that one and only past visit. The ground much much drier in trees than in the field, though numerous tripping hazards remained. This confluence lies on flat ground, in the trees, southeast of a corner of a tilled field. It was early afternoon in late May, about one month before the summer solstice. It was much nicer than my snowy-rainy-windy walk the day before to 47 North 99 West. Now, the temperature stood at a pleasant 74 F (23 C) under moderate breezes and clear skies. I saw a few birds but no people; I could not see any dwellings from this location due to the trees, but there is a house not far off to the northeast. I took photos and posted this video of 48 North 96 West.

This confluence point is a peaceful place and I did not want to leave; however, I wanted to see if I could visit one more point in Minnesota along 48 North and then back into North Dakota before the end of the day for perhaps one additional point along 48 North before sunset. Thus, I was on site for less than 6 minutes. I walked back north and followed the field edge north to the vehicle once more. I am wearing my "I know where it is at!" geography shirt in honor of the occasion but due to the cool day, it is under my Pepperdine University sweatshirt, a campus I have made GIS work trips to. Go Pepperdine Waves!

After 25 years seeking points, I now have a very tidy collection of visited confluence points in Minnesota, having added 5 points just last year. I have stood on 48° north latitude many times in the past from Washington on the west, here to Minnesota on the east. This is the farthest east I have been along 48 North--not too far east of here, one is in Lake Superior and then in Canada. I have also stood on 96° west many times from Minnesota here on the north end down to Texas on the south end, spanning a wide array of ecoregions and biomes, from forest to field to prairie to cactus-studded semi-desert. This was my 6th confluence of the 15 points I would eventually visit on my current four day trip. I walked out the way I came in, brushing myself to hopefully clear any ticks away while taking care with my footing. After reaching the vehicle, and playing a book on audio, I then drove to the traffic circle, and then west with a singular aim: To visit 48 North 97 West. Would I be successful?

When the trip was all said and done, here are the final statistics, below. This point turned out to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated but it was a beautiful point.

-------------------------------------------------
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!