#1: [17-Jun-01]

27-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 had been looking forward to for an entire year. I had flown to Bismarck, North Dakota, three days before, and on Day 1, I visited 3 confluences, Day 2: 5 confluences, Day 3: 5 confluences. Waking up at a campground in Wibaux, Montana, I still had energy left for a few confluence points on my way back to the Bismarck North Dakota airport.

I had a grand time driving near Theodore Roosevelt National Park, one of my favorite places. About 40 minutes later, I left I-94, driving north on 121st Ave SW, midway between Belfield and Dickinson. After a slight curve, I passed 29th St SW and turned into and traveled west on the driveway to what I believed would be the nearest home to the confluence. I am always slightly nervous knocking on the door of people's homes who do not know me, but after doing so, I had a pleasant chat with the occupants. I invited the landowner to walk with me to the point. He did so, and en route we talked amiably of agriculture, climate, weather, and geography. It was a pleasant hike; we hiked west, then south, and after 20 minutes we skirted the lake edge as we neared the spot.

The point was near the shore in the tall grasses but on firm ground. It was late morning in late spring with clear skies and moderate breezes with a temperature about 71 F. I saw a few birds; and the cattle in the field to the north, but otherwise no animals. As I always do at these visits, I thought about the indigenous and other caretakers of these lands over the centuries; I salute them all. It is a tough life but I am sure rewarding to be out on the landscape. The land use in this area is a bit oil and gas, grazing, and farming. The terrain is largely flat but still with some rolling hills, not as much as to the west, but they persist here in western North Dakota even at 103 West. With this point and the one I would visit later this same morning, I have now visited all points in North Dakota along 47 North. Just yesterday finished all of 48 North as well. I have stood on 47 North all the way from Idaho on the west to Minnesota on the east. I have also stood on 103 west from North Dakota on the north end down through South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, and Texas (near the New Mexico border) on the south end. Each is unique in terms of settlement, plants, animals, landforms, and land use. I took photos and posted my video here: 47 North 103 West.

Wanting to respect the landowner's time, I decided I should depart; thus we were on site less than 8 minutes. We walked out the way we came in and chatted amiably along the way. I reported our success to the household, thanked them, and drove out the way I came in: Down the driveway to the east, then south, then east on I-94 again: Next destination: 47 North 102 West!

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 that turned out to be 

                easier than I expected  =           2 
                about the same as I expected  =     2 
                more difficult than I expected =  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!