ND Road Trip, Day 2

 The Day 2 ND Road Trip started in Minot and ended in Grand Forks ten hours later, with an unplanned side trip into Canada. The distance between the two cities is 210 miles or 3 hours and 21 minutes. No, we did not get lost. Here are some of the more interesting things we saw along the way.

created in 1982 the turtle is two stories tall

and the location of a geocache

The head alone on Dunseith's metal turtle weighs over a ton, and is mounted on a pivot so you can bob it up and down if you've been working out.

Dunseith's claim to fame

George Gottbreht welded and painted 2000 tire rims

its backside

While in Dunseith we realized we were 13 miles from The International Peace Garden. We had the time, so we headed north arriving at the IPG without having to enter through the Canadian Port of Entry. The IPG entrance is between the the US Port of Entry and that of our northern neighbor. Good as we did not have our passports, so no problem. Right?

some of the flowers at the entrance

Lake Stormmon on the Canadian side of the IPG

someone is confused

is he in Canada?

while I am in the US?

the 9/11 Memorial in the Peace Gardens

the Bell Tower

There are 14 bells in the tower ranging from 250 pounds to 200 pounds in weight. Two sons had the bells cast in England as a gift to their mother and given to her church in Brandon, Manitoba. When the church no longer wanted the bells they were donated to the IPG, but the church could not afford to move the bells.  North Dakota Veterans organizations raised the money to transfer the bells. The Tower is dedicated to War Veterans.

probably the most photographed item at IPG, the Flower Clock

We drove to the International Peace Gardens in August 1970. I am certain there have been some changes, like the 9/11 Memorial and the Carillon Bell Tower. I do remember the Flower Clock from the first trip. The Conservatory was closed to traffic and it was raining on this trip, so we did not visit that area.

The US Port of Entry officer wondered why we did not have our passports but allowed us back into the US with our drivers license. WHEW!

While Belle Fouche SD is the geographic center of the United States, Rugby ND is the geographic center of North America. 

tower for climbing in Rugby

metal sculpture also at the Prairie Museum in Rugby

and just for fun...

I read this two times before I got it

thankfully finding the geocache was quicker

And finally, this road trip to Gilby was all about finding geocaches in new/more North Dakota counties.

ND after last year's excursion to Gilby

the North Dakota map after this trip

we added 8 counties these two days