North Dakota Hazards- Day 215

  Things sometimes don't work the way you expect. We went to bed with a "promise" of almost a half inch of rain. We slept in, enjoying the casual morning of a day off. It rained in the night a little, but when I finally crawled out of the trailer, it was a beautiful, clear day. But by then, I would have gotten a late start to hike. I decided to take the day off anyway.

I have rested and enjoyed the day, but I also got a bunch of computer work almost caught up. It was a good mix of relaxation and productivity.

Om and I went to the store and bought salad stuff for lunch (fresh salad is a treat). We scoped out the laundromat, and Om did the wash while I did more computer stuff.

Tomorrow, I'll be back to finish Lonetree WMA, but meanwhile, here are some thoughts on hiking out here at the western end of the NCT.

There are a few trail hazards that you might encounter in any state, but I think more so in North Dakota.

The first one I'll mention is the sun. See what I'm wearing? I hate hats, but even I am willing to wear one in North Dakota. I don't sunburn, so I don't need sunscreen, but most people do. Marie, and especially Mathilda, with very fair skin, had to wear long sleeves all the time. Serious sun. Drink lots of water!

Another thing you need to watch for is critter holes. Probably woodchuck in this size. Could be anywhere. They will even make burrows in dirt roads. You can seriously turn an ankle.

Then there is the gravel. You think I'm kidding? When I talked to an employee of Sheridan County, he said they have 26 miles of pavement and over 1000 of gravel. Gravel roads are the standard, and not just along the canals. Gravel is really hard on my feet. The stones roll and shift as I walk so that I'm constantly correcting my balance. And it hurts. It's just plain murder to walk on for miles and miles. Make sure you wear shoes with good cushioning.

Cowpies! This one is nice and dry, but you'll probably encounter a few soft ones. And probably the cows.

We can also mention ticks. Of the hundreds I've picked off, can you believe I haven't taken a single picture? These are mostly the larger dog ticks. I haven't seen a deer tick here yet. The bigger ones are easy to wipe off, easier to kill, etc. I haven't had any attached long enough to matter. Long pants with the cuffs restricted help, and some people have good luck with various repellants.

There is also the issue of thunderstorms. These can be serious out here in the wide open. No pictures of those yet, either.

But North Dakota is beautiful. Don't stay away because of the hazards, just understand them.

Our previous "home" was at McClusky City Park. Sunny was the lone occupant.

Most of the villages here have at least a small campsite at reasonable rates.

Tomorrow I walk again. My leg seems all better.

See Canal Miscellany