We're in North Dakota!

As we prepare to leave South Dakota, we're not sure if we want to ever come back. We were here for two days in 2018, and that's when Denisa hurt her ankle so bad that it still aches a year later. Now in 2019 we were only inside the South Dakota state line by 40 miles and we had the worst mechanical problem of our traveling life. This state just hasn't been good to us!

We left Pierre, South Dakota, and our camping spot at the diesel repair shop on a rainy morning. We couldn't find much to peak our interest in the north central part of the state, so we continued north on Highway 83 across the North Dakota line. As the sign says, we're expecting something legendary! This is the first time we have been in North Dakota, so the motor home gains another state to its long list of those visited.

We also didn't find much reason to stop in south central North Dakota, so we are on the road for almost four hours today. The sign that directed travelers to the birthplace of Lawrence Welk tempted us. From the looks of that nearby grain elevator, the director of the Champagne Music Makers grew up with an agricultural background.

Since it's raining today, we made good use of our new windshield wipers. Mark has been trying to replace our very long and odd-sized wipers, but hasn't been able to find them in stock in any of the RV or automotive parts shops. He was going to order some for $45 each, when he read on an RV forum that smaller (and cheaper) ones will wipe all the area of the windshield you really need. They are easy to find, and we saved $70. Good job Mark!

Today's destination is Bismarck, North Dakota, where we are staying at the city-owned General Sibley Campground. We have a site with only electrical hook-ups, but we have lots of room and a forest of trees around us.

We have been traveling along the Missouri River, and our campground is right beside an inlet of that big river. Of course that means that we need to put the kayak in the water while we are here.

We paddled north, deeper into the inlet where the water was so calm it mirrored the trees around it.

Then we turned around to paddle to the less docile waters that flow toward the mighty Missouri River. As we paddled toward the open waters, we also felt the temperature drop around twenty degrees.

The water is noticeably deeper and colder and wider, and the current is remarkably stronger. Just for fun, we tried rowing against the current in the main channel of the Missouri River. But we didn't last long before we turned around to head home.

It was in our calmer inlet river waters that we found this family of Canadian Geese hiding in the tall grass.

Mother Goose took her adolescents for a swim, leading us down the river.

Bismarck also offers another way to get some good exercise, as we went for a bike ride on the trail that runs through the city beside the Missouri River.

The hike-and-bike trail connects city parks named after prominent boats. For example, this is Keel Boat Park, with a full-size replica of the keel boats that Lewis and Clark rode in the "Voyage of Discovery" on the Missouri River.

We also stopped at Steamboat Park, and got a nice picture of the blue skies and clouds that are keeping us at a very comfortable temperature today.

The other thing to watch for are the five different eagle statues spread throughout this chain of parks.

Some eagles were less impressive, and others were needing some refurbishment.

But hunting eagles is a fun way to spend an afternoon on a bike.

At times it almost felt like we were riding in a snow storm as we pedaled through these cottonwood-shaded parks. The cotton was collecting along the bike path so it looked like snow this summer.

We rode for miles along the flat bike paths that criss-cross the city. We found ourselves circling a golf course, an archery range, and this horse arena where a junior competition was going on while we paused our bike ride.

We enjoy the hikes that we get in the national and state parks in this country, but it's also nice to know that we can get some good exercise when visiting cities like Bismarck as well! Welcome to North Dakota!