Livingston to Manitoba

Once I printed my driving map at home, I realized I had a 12 hour drive time instead of a 6-hour drive. I don't know why I thought that. I gave Molly a hug and extra treats and left at 8:30 am, heading East on I-90 towards the North Dakota/Canadian border. After passing Billings, there were some amazing rock formations. I felt my artistic nature come out wanting to paint every landscape and rock that I passed. I got pictures, and will surprise you with a painting later.

I know people like pictures in blogs...

As I passed through N. Dakota, I traveled through the Bakken Oil Fields. Barren land which transformed into multiple oil rigs crammed together next to the road, some 3 to an acre, and continued on into the distance. They were everywhere. Mixed in with hay fields, hay rolls and cows. Trailer homes for oil workers lined up one after another called "Man Camps" infilterated the landscape. Asphalt roads were warped from semi's carrying heavy loads of oil or construction equipment. This is the new oil boom. Homes built quickly to absorb the influx of people, and built not to last more than 10 years. As I was driving, I got this dandy pic of an oil rig right by the road. Reminded me of growing up in Oklahoma. They look like huge ants, rocking up and down, with their nose to the ground, sucking life out of the earth.

Alongside of these oil rigs were flames burning the excess fumes. I didn't see it during the day, but as night fell I noticed many flames...like yellow hair blowing in the wind. Each oil rig had it's own torch, like an elevated bonfire in the middle of a pasture. These continued on into the night and scattered across the land as far as you could see. In the dark, I tried to imagine these flames as Native American camps, maybe the ones that Uncle Walter attended. The horizon morphed into the sky and the stars came out, blending the Milky Way with little dots of oil torches.

After crossing the North Dakota border, I entered Saskatchewan, which was a surprise, but lasted briefly as I passed the very SE corner and into Manitoba. 10 miles into Canada, the lamps of the oil rigs ended and were replaced by cozy farmhouse lights along the highway. I drove to a point where I could see no lights at all. I pulled over and got out to stretch my legs. The air was crisp and smelled sweet and fresh. The moon was out. It was lovely.

I drove another 3-1/2 hours in the dark to my hotel in Brandon Manitoba. I look forward to waking and seeing what the territory looks like in daylight. Next stop...Winnipeg, where I will spend 2 nights before flying to Churchill with my group. Tomorrow...only a 200 mile drive.