Weather on I-29

South of Fargo ND looking south

At the same location, looking north

As we attained cruising speed outside Omaha on I-29 shortly before 7AM today, Tal observed that it looked as though we might drive into some bad weather. The sky just had that look ... One hundred miles later, give or take a few miles -- with me now driving -- his prediction came true. What wind and rain! For about 50 miles. And, the easy driving that followed didn't last forever. At the rest stop where I took these photos we traded drivers. Smart girl ... Things eventually cleared and we arrived in Grand Forks in bright sun accompanied by a stiff, steady breeze.

East Grand Forks (in Minnesota -- on the east side of the Red River) provided the treat of the day, where we finally located new Gortex rain gear for me, replacing the 16-year-old (and now leaky) set at a wonderful store named Cabella's. I guess it'll be classified as my anniversary or birthday present, though I'm not sure which quite yet -- since I now understand that the new spinning reel from the Bass Sportsman's Warehouse in St Charles MO will suffice as the other. I'm not complaining; I'm now prepared to enter the wilderness well equipped.

I-29 by the way has to be one of my favorite stretches of road. Basically straight from Omaha to the US/Canada border, it traverses a landscape which I can only describe as comforting -- long views, rich growing land (corn, soy beans, sugar beets), mile-long trains, farm/home complexes surrounded on three sides by windbreaks of hardwood and evergreen, areas of cattle grazing and feed lots. For tens of miles at a time Tal and I were quiet. I could feel myself relaxing. It has to have something to do with the broadness of it all.

Then there's the speed. Don't laugh. The speed limit is 75MPH and the people don't drive much faster than that -- somewhere between 75 and 80. You're not blown off the road the way you are farther south -- and east! -- when your speed is a "mere" 10 miles over the posted limit. Even in areas of construction today (and SD/ND is totally reconstructing stretches of interstate in 12 mile lengths) the speed limit dropped to 65 in areas with four lanes reduced to two.

It has been a good day; tomorrow we'll be in Canada. And now, supper and a walk in the parks along the Red River. Could it get any better than this?