#1: [04-May-02]

#2: [30-Apr-02]

24-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 afford entire year. The main challenge for this point would be: Would I have enough daylight? I had flown to North Dakota today and visited 2 points already; one was a bone-chilling hike in the sleet, and the other was a windy but warmer trek, both along 99 West, two degrees and one degree north of here, respectively. On the other hand, it was only one month before the summer solstice, and there would be a long sunset and twilight in these northern latitudes, and a long day, which worked in my favor.

As I mentioned in my narrative, a few hours before approaching 45/99, I drove ON the North Dakota - South Dakota boundary, which was a great thrill for me as a geographer. But to make better time I got off the gravel section line roads and took State Highway 45 from Leola to Craven, then on a county road that was paved to Cresbard. For some reason, this 45/99 confluence point has been elusive; I have visited many points around it but it remained a hole in my confluence map and I wanted to visit it this evening.

Anticipation mounted as I neared the vicinity of the point on State Highway 45 to the west of the point. Suddenly, my map directions directed me east, down a rutted trail; again, beware of these "roads" on digital maps that are not really roads. However, the soil had been drying for hours after the rainstorms of the previous morning and days, and I emerged on the north-south gravel road just west of the confluence point with a bit of daylight to spare. I parked a bit north of 45 North and walked south along the gravel road. All confluence energies must have been with me as well as I neared the point in the field, because lo and behold, a vehicle had previously driven on and thus matted down the prairie leading to a place just 60 m south of the confluence point!

I walked east along this matted section, and then due north along 99 West to the confluence point, keeping an eye out for snakes in the knee-high prairie grasses there. Livestock had grazed this field in the past. The confluence lies on almost flat ground; the flattest ground I had seen today. I saw a few birds, no animals, and no people. I could barely see a few farmhouses in the distance. The temperature was the highest it had been all day - about 58 F, with the storms now far off to the northeast. Due to the setting sun, and my wish to be in Aberdeen at a campground for tonight, I was on site for less than 10 minutes. I walked back the way I came in after taking photos and this 45 North 99 West video. Underneath my outer shirt and raincoat, I am wearing my "Lost?" geography shirt. I am wearing layers because my feet were still wet from my two earlier hikes of the day.

It is always extra special to be on 45 North, halfway to the North Pole from the Equator. Just one degree east of here, I stood in the frozen crusty snow last year en route to visit Northern State University in Aberdeen. How different the weather was then, in late March. I now have a very tidy collection of visited confluence points in North and South Dakota; only missing a few in each state.

I have stood on 45° north latitude many times in the past from Oregon on the west to Maine on the east. I have also stood on 99° west many times from North Dakota on the north end down to Texas on the south end. This was my third confluence of the 15 points for this on my current four day trip. This is a beautiful spot and a beautiful time of day. I thought about the Indigenous people, the settlers, and others who have traversed this land over the centuries and those who take care of the fields that were all around me. Just as I walked back to the vehicle, the sun dipped below the horizon. It was literally a golden moment. Third point of the day! I then set out for a lovely campground in Aberdeen South Dakota. I arrived there just before 10:30pm.

When the trip was all said and done, here are the final statistics:

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