Did you see the size of that.......??

I’m on the road again now and don’t know when I will get access to the tinterweb next – so I will be updating stuff on the blog as and when I can  - starting with this post from today...

We left Winnipeg on the bus with the choir just before 7.30am on Tuesday morning. It was an early morning and we were tired - even more so due to some mad woman from next door, shouting and crying very loudly just after midnight. It was so loud and went on so long I actually went out into the alley to see if someone was being murdered or needed help. It was only then we realised it was coming from inside an apartment and shortly afterwards the noise stopped.

The bus ride was fun – The choir are all very excited at so early in the morning and as we boarded the bus and said goodbye to friends, family and Pancakes the dog (really!) they got even more excited. Within minutes the bus had been decorated with a Hawaiian theme at the back, right next to the microwave that was making breakfast rolls from the local 7/11.

Waiting for the bus

Pancakes!

Decorations

Frisbee on the border

An hour later and the border crossing was really easy. I still had my paperwork from the previous trip down to the States which is valid until September, so the border guard asked just a couple of questions before letting me through. Then, once the choir had all been checked she asked them to sing. So the choir got together and gave their first performance of the tour, in the border crossing hall, in front of all the workers who appeared out of their offices to see what the noise was – plus a couple of confused tourists.

We had a quick toilet stop, which ended up being a game of Frisbee around the border monument, before climbing back aboard and getting some well deserved sleep on the way to Fargo. Once there I headed off to get my hire car and got back to the bus just as the choir was loading up and getting ready to leave, so I waved my goodbyes to them and then headed off on my own – going east along the I94 Interstate highway.

Today was always planned to be a weird day and it ended up being just that – There are many strange and wonderful things to be found next to American Highways and the I94 through North Dakota is one of the weirdest!

My first stop was in a small place called Jamestown, which is home to a cool little Frontier Village that I looked at while I made my way to see The world’s Largest Buffalo! A 26foot tall and 46 foot long concrete Buffalo stood proudly atop a hill overlooking the highway – It’s named Dakota Thunder and was certainly worth the stop!

After a quick stop to see The world’s largest Crane (Bird type, not lifting machine) I continued until I reached New Salem. Home to Salem Sue – The world’s largest Holstein Cow! She is also perched overlooking the highway and at 38feet high and 50 feet long is even larger than the Buffalo.

It seems that the towns here do this, in order to get passersby off the freeway, into the towns and to spend some money – so I had a spot of lunch before I left. 

Frontier town

Dakota Thunder

Jumped

An hour or so down the road and I pulled off again – but this time to see not one sculpture – but lots of them along the 32 mile road known as ‘The Enchanted Highway’. A dull road that leads from Regent to Gladstone – two towns you would never visit if they hadn’t built the world’s largest Tin Family, or a massive flock of pheasants, a whole river full of fish or my favourite  ‘Grasshoppers in a field’. These sculptures line the road a few miles apart and can be seen for miles. They are huge – the tin family for example stand 45 feet tall!! You can read more about it here:-

www.enchantedhighway.net

Salem sue looking down onto the highway

Big!

Jumped!

Finally, I found my way back to the Highway and drove the final leg of the afternoon, reaching Miles City just after 8pm. It’s been a 450 mile drive this afternoon, but I have enjoyed it immensely. 

Huge grasshopper

The tin family

Pheasants

Fish

The view over Sue

I’m now all settled in a cool little cabin in a campsite. It’s got a double bed, aircon and a fridge – all for half the price of a motel! It’s cool. I found a couple of geocaches when I arrived and also had a look at the swimming pool, but it was getting dark, so I am now enjoying the refreshing coolness of the aircon and getting out of the stifling heat outside. Tomorrow, I carry on westwards to see what other strange things I can find!! 

A tiny little geocache

My car and home for the night!

Inside! Neat!