Day 40 - Billings, Montana - Dickenson, North Dakota

Last night was a long night as Penny was not feeling well and we made many trips outside!  This started about 2:30 AM and I finally decided to stay up after the 4:30 AM run.........so we stayed at the RV park until we decided Penny was feeling better, and hit the road about 10:30 AM.  Our goal was Glendive, Montana (200 miles from Billings), but Penny did well on the ride so we continued to Dickenson, North Dakota.  As I told my FB friends, it was a good thing we made the decision to get over the mountains before the snow came in, as the forecast on the Weather Channel shows snow in t Missoula and Butte for Tuesday and Wednesday.  Had we stay an extra day like we thought we might, we probably would have been snowed in, or not have been able to travel over the mountain pass. 

The terrain as we traveled today changed regularly.  One minute we were coming out of the mountains, then onto the prairie then into the National Grasslands and back to the prairie again.  Much of what we saw today was similar to what we saw in West Texas as well as New Mexico and Arizona.  You'll see this when you view the pictures below. Certainly gave us the feeling that we had been here before, when in fact we have never been to North Dakota.  There is a lot of history in this area as well.  In North Dakota, you will see cattle pastures, fields growing corn for renewable ethanol, wheat and barley fields and oil pump jacks!  Almost sounds like home!  Almost!

Some interesting/fun facts that I read in a magazine I picked up at the North Dakota Welcome Center are:

1.  ND is the friendliest state in the U.S - according to a Cambridge University Study. (Really?)

2.  ND ranks fourth in the nation in crude oil production (I did not know this)

3.  The Dakota Dinosaur Museum in Dickinson, holds the world's largest triceratops skull.  It weighs 1500 pounds! (My son Jason would be interested in this!)

4. ND population: 672,591

5.  Explorers Lewis and Clark spent more time in what is now North Dakota than any other place on their journey.

6.  State tree:  Elm.  State Flower: Wild Prairie Rose.  State Bird: Western Meadowlark.  State Drink: Milk.  State Fruit:  Chokecherry.

So there you have it - everything you ever wanted to know about North Dakota!  Or maybe not! LOL

Oh, and before I forget, yesterday we saw two other Casitas on the highway!  In Montana!  That was cool!  We were pleasantly surprised!

Enjoy the pictures!

Scenes along the highway!  Quite a difference from yesterday!