Day Five NORTH DAKOTA (1)

 I'M IN NORTH DAKOTA!!!!! It exists!! 

Today was mostly a driving day. I drove about 150 miles through the rest of Minnesota to get to Fargo ND. I may have squealed. 

In a random mall in Fargo ND is the Roger Maris museum. It's actually not all that random, it turns out. I was unaware that Maris had grown up in Fargo. And by "museum" they mean basically display cases on one wall. But it was pretty cool. And I was okay with it being a quick stop. Some highlights below:

It explains that Maris was all for the museum and wanted it to be free. 

A flag for each of the 61 HRs in '61. (61 is one of my fave baseball movies)

a golden glove award

I had no idea what to expect from the Buffalo museum so I wanted to give myself plenty of time. Turns out I had plenty of time. There wasn't much to it but it was infromative. Frontier Village was next door and it was pretty cool too.  Bison (buffalo) aren't very exciting as an attraction since we had them in FW and Slugger and I saw them often. But I learned a lot about the history of them here in the Midwest. 

World's Largest Buffalo

It was a very pretty day in ND

Me and a buffalo (statue)

Church in Frontier Village

The schoolhouse

If you can't read it, it says that the teacher was paid $315/mth in 1957

It was quite yummy!

World's Largest Buffalo up close

Real buffalo

I left behind the bison and made my way to Bismarck, about 90 minutes. I wanted to check in to my hotel and change before my riverboat cruise. Oh and eat. I even had time to relax a little it turned out. I just realized I forgot to take a picture of the diner where I ate dinner - Krolls. I had a breakfast skillet as my buddy in ND said they were pretty good - he was right. I then went to Kohls to buy a discounted warmer sweater or something. It was about 65* already and I figured the boat would be chilly. Got a nice Eddie Bauer sherpa for 80% off - $14. And I was glad I had it  - and I never went to the open air second deck!! 

There was a large group, including teens and toddlers on the boat with me. Luckily they mostly stayed upstairs. I stayed downstairs, inside, where it wasn't cold and windy. We cruised for about 90 minutes, up the Missouri River and back. Not overly exciting but it was cool and now I can say I did it. 

From where I sat

My only venture outside 

The captain is up there

A hone on the river

Railroad bridge

Now it's very late and I'm exhausted. But tomorrow is kinda low-key - couple state parks and historical sites. And dinner with my buddy.  This is the only hotel I'm staying 2 nights. Not sorry to not have to repack everything right now!