Thank you for this video. This is very calming and as a Hispanic person, I've always been interested in most of American lives. I love how since not much people are there, you know people around you and more personally. I'm thinking of learning about most of American lives/states.
I love the videos. I’m originally from West Texas, but I lived for 4.5 years in southwest North Dakota (Hettinger) and 3 years in northwest North Dakota (Watford City). I loved North Dakota. The beautiful dirt road drive for miles were enjoyable. Some of the best people I have known in my life were the people of North Dakota.
I was born in Minot, ND in the mid 50's. Moved to California at 4 yrs old. Moved back to ND at 15 yrs old until 26 yrs old, then back to Calif. My best memories are in N.Dakota for those 10 yrs.
I lived in the Minot area about 20 years ago. I remember the Air Force base there was a major thing in Minot. Glad the state left you with fond memories!
@@WaskiSquirrelTHANKS, Yes, my younger brother was in the Air Force there, and I was working on the Burlington Northern RR. To be young in the late 70's, had $$$, cars, motorcycles, cabin at the lake, and friendly girls everywhere. Unbelievable good times. I have lots of pictures.......
Thank you for the footage and commentary. Good 'ole North Dakota. People who talk bad about it don't quite understand art, in my opinion. North Dakota has a "personality," if you will, that's different than its 49 relatives. Winters are incredible there. Working outside in them is as well. As long as heat is nearby and accessible, anyone can do it with the will power, in my opinion. For a North Carolina guy like myself (from a big town), if I wasn't relatively stubborn about being there in Williston for two years, I would've run back home. Oil brought me there. It was an incredible and wild experience that I wouldn't trade for another one. Of course it's not for everybody, but neither is any place on earth. For those who can understand and appreciate beauty in another way that they haven't realized before, it's an amazing place to spend some time in. I certainly wouldn't recommend a big-city person move straight to a small town though. I think the transition to a place like Grand Forks or Fargo from a big city would be much less shocking culturally than Williston or Watford City, for instance., or even Minot, although I really enjoyed visiting Minot. I exclude Bismarck because it is too far from a big city for a big-city person to feel comfortable at first, in my opinion. The town is very cool though too. In Grand Forks or Fargo, which are both in the Top 3 for biggest cities in ND, Minneapolis, MN is only a few hours away east, which big-city people would find comforting, in my opinion. I know I would've. Thanks again for taking me back there via this video. Hope you can explore more of the state. Minot, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck, are all favorites of mine.
Thank you for your detailed comment! So far, my videos have been limited to SW North Dakota and NW South Dakota. But I plan to wander further. I was close to Williston a few weeks ago when I visited the Fairview Lift Bridge. As you say, there is good and bad everywhere. But some are not willing to find the good. A person from a city would find North Dakota quite an adjustment. The scenery is quite striking here, and generally the people are nice. I live in a much smaller town than Watford City or Williston, but it wasn't so much of an adjustment for me since I have always lived in small towns. But your point about Grand Forks or Fargo being an easier adjustment for people is a good one.
I remember the bitter cold winters of 76-78 in the vicinity of Munich, north of Devils Lake. North Dakota teaches hardiness, especially for the wintertime. And all of you who are originally from N.D. will totally understand that. I've been living in Central Oregon for 40 years, now, and I still remember my roots. I was born in Dickinson. The wide open spaces, and the huge farms, too. I totally agree, Nicholas, N.D. does have personality.
Spent 5 years in ND (oilfields). Lived in Froid MT, Williston, Ray, Killdeer, and Dickinson. I loved fishing Camel Hump Lake just outside of Sentinel Butte. My son has a home in Lincoln, just outside of Bismarck. I loved my time in ND. I will retire in ND or maybe MT. Good video. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jason, thank you for sharing this. I notice it was some time ago, but I'm a newbie to your channel. Really interesting to hear your thoughts on small towns and solitude. I thought I'd come from a small town, but yours definitely takes the cake. I mean, where's the traffic? 😂
Kenny Cross I'm glad you enjoy them. As long as I can do them on a road without traffic, I'm sure you'll see some more. I used to do videos of places and events as well, so I may have to start doing those again. I used to use music, so I chose to take most of them down: I've developed a greater appreciation of creative work.
I live in northwest Wisconsin and travel to east central South Dakota to see family a couple times a year. I've never been to North Dakota but hoping to plan a trip sometime within the next year. Loved your video, thank you for sharing!
There is more to see in North Dakota than people realize. We're not as flashy as the Black Hills of South Dakota, but we're so much more than a flat, treeless plain. We have our own forests, our own Badlands, and some amazing river valleys.
this looks amazing. I'm from long island new york and am moving to st cloud minnesota next month for work. I wanted south dakota or north dakota so bad, almost went to rapid city, but am settling for Central minnesota. never been and I know it's not nearly as rural as the dakotas, but at this point anything is more spread out and rural than where I grew up on the long Island/queens border of the south shore of nassau county . I'm on ly going to miss the beach that's it. I'll be a few hours east of fargo so maybe I can visit nd once and while for like a weekend trip or something. looks awesome
St. Cloud is in a good area. There are a lot of lakes and nice places within driving distance. If you miss the city, Minneapolis is just about an hour away. You might find it a good compromise.
***** Nice I know the area well, I grew up in long beach, same brother, I can't wait to get out but I'll always hve a special place for the island, though I'll never live anywhere near it again as long as I live. 30 years is long enough lol I'm off to Minnesota in July, and won't be looking back. I think one of the first things I do when I'm out there is take a ride out to bismark and check out fargo along the way
***** Lol god speed. Yep li is totally landlocked. Only way out is by boat if the city for some god forbid reason was shutdown due to an attack. Minnesota is not my ideal location either, I would have totally preferred the dakotas or states like montana or idaho, but at this point anything better than nassau county. South Carolina isn't bad my dad moved to.myrtle beach after he retired from IBEW. it's dirt cheap, has mild winters , and nice beaches . Plus like you said you don't have to stay there forever if it's not your cup of tea
I live in Fargo, the biggest city in North Dakota. I might be use to it but it still seems pretty quiet if you don't live right next to a huge road. Quiet neighborhoods and nice kind people.
You definitely want to be away from busy streets. I wouldn't want to live on the highway in my little town either. I actually have spent a few weeks in Fargo near the Fargo North High School. Admittedly, I wasn't staying in a house, but I love to walk. So I spent a lot of time walking the neighborhoods. I think that if I redid this video, I would modify my comments to say that the big limitation of American cities is that you don't have everything within walking distance. I think with a well made apartment or house, the noise can be blocked. That's something that could make city life, even on a busy highway, a lot easier: to be away from the noise of other people. And, yes, a neighborhood should be just that, whether in a city or a small town.
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
Loved this prairie for 74 years. Driven to 49 states and most of the Canadian Province’s. Always glad to get back to the prairies. Getting used to the paved roads however! Thanks for the views and conversation.
absolutely loved his vid. I grew up in the country of NW New Jersey back when there was a lot of open farmland and dairy farms out here. Now they farm houses and I pine for a place more like where I grew up. Having been out to the midwest and having married a North Dakotan wife, we have been back many times but never to ND as most of her family have migrated down to Nebraska or Iowa. We are planning a 2wk tour of ND and hope to visit many small towns as much as possible so I can get to talk to people and hear their stories. the landscape is outrageously gorgeous. My wife thinks I will like southwest ND the most. Time will tell. thanks for uploading it.
I'm glad to hear you likes it! My father grew up in New Jersey. He remembers duck hunting in the 1940s and 1950s where he could see the Empire State Building. The state has changed a lot since his time there! SW North Dakota is amazing. We have the badlands. But don't forget the rest of the state. The Pembina Gorge is absolutely gorgeous. And the Turtle Mountains are another beautiful place. But definitely enjoy SW North Dakota! There is a lot here! And feel free to ask me about places to visit!
I have been to north Dakota 100s of times. I do live in rural Pennsylvania in the Appalachian mountain region. or the Pennsylvania wilds. I do like north Dakota but I couldn't give up the trees and mountains. so I'll stay in Pennsylvania. I enjoyed the video.
Sometimes I see pictures from Pennsylvania and wonder why I left. It really is a beautiful state. But, I've been very happy here. I like the wide open spaces.
I, too, love the wide open spaces. You live in beautiful country. Thanks for showing it. It is no wonder the Native Americans fought and died trying to remain on this land. It must have been spectacular before agriculture.
I think it was. Often they lived here in the summer and moved south for the winter. But I think anywhere you live, you'll fight for it when people come to steal it away from you.
They fought and killed eachother for it before Europeans got here...it wasnt even theirs to steal there was no infrastructure or anything at all. And besides why didnt the "natives" welcome us with open arms in the name of diversity like liberals tell us we are supposed to do with mexican immigrants and refugee migrants today?
The Native Americans claimed the land hundreds/thousands of years prior to Europeans arriving. Therefor, it was their land. Sure the various tribes fought each other for each other's land. But that is like Germany invading France. Just because there is no infrastructure does not mean the people originally living on the land don't have a claim to it. And as for if and why the Native Americans didn't embrace the Europeans when they arrived and started stealing land, and killing for it, Europeans look different than Native Americans, acted differently, and spoke very differently. If you were there at the time with no knowledge of different people, would you not be afraid of the incoming? And then when the incoming moved across the continent and started killing for your land, would you not fight back? You bet you would. We are in a different time and have a far greater knowledge of different races of people.
@@janepilecki8083 The "native" people did not just sprout out of the ground you idiot. What about the people before them? There were a few thousand people spread out over vast distances who were constantly at war and killing eachother over land they all wanted. Land that they themselves migrated to! Why cant you consider the Europeans just another tribe? We just won. Why does that make you mad? Is it because they are white? I also DO have far greater knowledge than they did about different races and cultures and that is exactly why I do not want to import an outdated barbaric religious ideology like Islam into our western country. People like you think that is racist though. So why is that worse than the "natives"?
Interesting video. I live in Oslo Norway and like our fortress is from 1290 and the city has in some form been around since 1030. Must be interessting too live in a place with so few old building. Have distant relatives in the dakotas and Minnesota who emigrated in the the 20s, so nice too see what the countryside looks like.
I love old buildings and history. But, one advantage to such a recent history is that it can feel like a fresh start. Yes, there is a long history of Norwegians here! You'll find old hymnals and even school books written in Norwegian for those who came here then. Most of that first generation of immigrants has died off, but I had the chance to know some of them, who still retained the language, the accent, and the memories of the old country. I wish I had appreciated then the living history around me.
I have this wired agoraphobia. If there are no trees around and I’m able to see the horizon all around me, its bothering. But it doesn’t scare the shit out of me, just would rather have trees than fields.
It was strange when I first moved here from the forests of Pennsylvania. But now, when I go home, I actually feel closed in. It's all what you get used to.
Looks like old hwy 30 going towards New Salem. I went to a one room school 1st through 8th grade. That extension on the front of the school was the "mud room" were you hung up your coats and took off your muddy boots. ND is the best place to raise kids...........in my opinion
Born in ND in the 1950's.. Raised my family there, moved away twice, came back twice. Beautiful state and my favorite part was no people! Finally couldn't handle the winter's anymore, so moved away again. I sure miss it though...
This video is interesting to me since there are so many different things people are drawn to with different parts of the world. Like you, I'm from PA, and there are things I like and don't like about different parts of the state. I was born and raised in the suburbs, which I liked because it's private enough but everything you'll ever need is within a 20-minute drive. I also lived in center city Philadelphia for 5 years. I hated the big city; it's so claustrophobic, you feel like you have no peripheral vision and you're never alone. I enjoy living in a suburba-to-rural environment, but I've always told myself I need to live somewhere geographically interesting. I could never see myself living in Rural ND, or any part of the Midwest or Appalachian mountains because that scenery may be "pretty" but it's not "beautiful" to me. I'm a huge fan of much more mountainous terrain. I've travelled all over the North American west; Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming. To me, that's GOD'S COUNTRY. That is true, fierce, natural majestic beauty to me. I recall so many epic sights in that part of the world, just thinking about them brings a tear to my eye. I've even been to the Swiss Alps. Every range in each part of the world has its own distinct look; the Alps are steeper than the Rockies. While it was really cool too see that, Europe is so built up and densely populated, there's barely any wilderness left. I like the Rockies and more northerly ranges in Canada and Alaska because it really feels like the final frontier, so untamed and wild. Not that I want to live in the middle of nowhere or anything. I take comfort in the knowledge of a large population center fairly close by (50,000+ by my standard). It all comes down to personal preference I guess.
I've never lived in a city, except for a few weeks. But I've lived in suburbia. I think small town America is the right compromise for me, much like you found. Interesting about you living somewhere beautiful. I enjoy where I live, but I do have to travel for scenic beauty: the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer National Forest of Montana, or the Badlands here. All close. So maybe I am like you in some ways? Like you, I also enjoy the amount of wide open space here. I won't call it wilderness due to agriculture, but I do enjoy it.
I went to a one room school house. I went from grade 1 to 8. I wouldn't trade the experience for what is taking place in the schools today. You didn't tell where in North Dakota you were driving in. Thank you
Schools are different in all parts of the country. I can't comment on the difference between one-room schools and modern schools, but I will say that North Dakota schools are doing well and most are on a good path for improvement. I was driving in the very Southwest corner of the state, near the city of Rhame, and you'll also see a visit to Fort Dilts.
I was born in N> Dakota in 1954 but moved away when I was 12 years old. I miss it to this day! Correct me if I'm wrong but I saw only 2 vehicles moving in this long video. Can't beat that for privacy, lol. I enjoyed this video but may I suggest that you get a mount for the camera to make it more stable and it will really pop at the viewers.
I now use a dash cam mounted behind my mirror. This was early days when I was figuring out if I wanted to do this type of videos. Lonely gravel roads with no traffic were the perfect place to find out! When I saw a car coming, I'd stop filming just to be safe.
I lived in a RV in Billings County, North Dakota where there's only 900 people. On 8/9/2021 I'm moving to Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska where there's over 100,000 people which is bigger than West Virginia which has over a 1,000,000 people
my dad's family was/is from the Rhame/Marmarth area. 11 of his 13 siblings raised their families there. I grew up N of Dickinson (before the Bakken explosion). Extreme temp climate, one of the most extreme in the lower 48, tho rarity of high dew points make July/Aug in ND far more tolerable than the corn belt or the deep south.
I’ve only been there once for my Dad’s friends wedding in Fargo on the state’s border. All the tourism attractions are in South Dakota which I’ve been to 20+ times since me mom’s side of the family lives there.
I am Argentine and I have always been interested in the United States, especially life in those Great Plains states little known abroad, they remind me of my beautiful Pampas.
Thought why you live in ND was interesting and thanks for sharing about Fort Dilts. My husband & I am love the piece and quite, too except we live in more on the mid to East side and have trees. Maybe you should check it out.
Glad you enjoyed! I should do an updated version of this! Are you saying you live in North Dakota, just further east? I just uploaded a "Pens in Use" video today where I revisited some of the places where I used to live, more in central and northern North Dakota. Definitely more trees there!
Living in India in a city with a population of 10 million and having lived for a few years in the suburbs of LA and SFO, I’ve experienced country life in US ( and India ) only in movies 😞 I’d like to go on a road trip through the less popular states like ND some day even though that’s less likely to happen since I’m back in my home country - India..
I was born, raised, and educated in North Dakota, but have lived most of my adult life in the New York City area. I have experienced a hell of a lot more "live and let live" in NYC than I ever experienced in ND.
Large city life is something I haven't tried yet. I think it would be nice to be able to disappear into the crowd, though. Mostly, I was comparing North Dakota to the rural area where I grew up in Pennsylvania. But, it is true that in a small population people feel like your business is theirs, even when it doesn't affect them in any way.
North Dakota definitely has that quiet life feel with alot of history, compared to a city especially a big city. i tend to like small towns or small city if you wanna call it that, that only has about 50,000 people living in it compared to a bigger city with 200,000 or more. as long as that small town doesn't have alot of crime im good to go.
Quinn, I think you are wrong. I rode my bicycle from Washington to Maine. The folks in west where the nicest. After I got east, easy of Minnesota the niceness of people wanes considerable. People in North Dakota where especially nice. Have you been to North Dakota?
Further down the old abandoned road there were some more buildings, including one that housed four or five large metal tanks. Were these fuel tanks at one time, or perhaps something more sinister.....like toxic mutant waste?
I like peace and quite, but I don't really like small towns just because I always thought it was wierd how everyone knows everything about you and dont really mind their own buisiness. The Pacific Northwest is my favorite area in the country just because it has cities and amazing nature
I moved to Oregon from ND, big mistake! To many people out here, most are assholes! To many cities, to much traffic, to many liberals! Give me a small town with gossip any day in the prairie state!
I absolutely love southwestern ND I would love to live there someday the vastness of the state is quite enticing, but I worry about jobs and cost of living. Great video,
In this corner of the state, the cost of living isn't too bad. But, where there is more oil, housing had gotten pretty ridiculous. There are still jobs to be had, but they're not as plentiful as they were.
WaskiSquirrel I was there in 2006 before the oil boom I fell in love with sw ND I've been following the area since. I guess I've been misinformed on the high cost of living I figured it was all of ND. Thanks for the info I hope you make more videos like this one.
i was playing geoguessr, a game where you have to guess a place in google maps by looking at the street view, and it placed me in north west North Nakota, ive never knew North Dakota was so barren i was going miles and miles and miles away trying to find some sort of clues but ive couldnt it was complete nothingness
I'm in SW North Dakota. The closest city to where this was filmed is Rhame, ND. It really is this wide open and wonderful. I love going out of town and letting my mind expand to fill the country.
Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed your words immensely. Perhaps you don't have a long history there, but there must be traditions of the Native American people going back a couple of thousand years or more as each year they moved across the landscape and hunted. So too of the trials and joys of the earlier settlers. So many stories heard blowing on the wind. Be well.
Well said! There is a long history in this country that stretches back the first European who came here. And many of the tales of those first Europeans are gone as well. I realize this as a number of the people I mentioned in this video have passed away.
this place has always puzzled and interested me so i got a few questions for you: is it windy all the time in there ? what about humidity, is it like Florida and Alabama ? how many months do they have thunderstorms ? are they bike friendly ? like you can ride your bike to the store and what not without getting run over or looking odd.
The wind does go down, but you get a lot more windy days than in other parts of the country. Humidity here is quite low, almost like the desert. The eastern part of the state gets more humidity, but nothing like Florida or Alabama. Thunderstorms are a summer thing. Usually they start in June and last through August, with the occasional oddball in September. Most seem to be in July or August. Your question about biking is a good one: I don't bike much, but I do walk everywhere. Some of it depends on the town. Where I live, bike riding is pretty well accepted. The highways all have high speed limits, so that's a bit nerve-wracking on a bike. People are not unfriendly to bikers, but they don't always know how to deal with them on the highway. Luckily, even on the highways there isn't lots of traffic. I see bikers come through my town all the time in the summer because we're at the crossroads of two scenic highways.
I’m thinking of moving there because my neighbor has son or daughter live in there and sometimes go back to California I rather living outside city limits but when I need stuff I can use a Jeep trackhawk driving to town in the snow
Actually, if you can wait a few days, you could probably get by with a car. The nice thing here is that the deep ditches along the roads are there so that the wind can sweep them clear. It's when they fill up that roads get "interesting." As long as you don't mind a very rural and conservative area, it is a pleasant place to live: very quiet, and I love the wide open spaces.
I haven't been to Manchester, but I've been to enough cities to know that North Dakota is a different world. I'm amazed how many people still watch this old video!
Nice points about the entertainment. It is funny what you get when you think of "normal" entertainment; malls, movies, restaurants. Those are just short distractions from life to prevent "boredom".
I will be driving through North Dakota in July. Do you know if the sunflower fields will be in bloom then? Should I ask locals where to locate them? Thank you.
Sadly, the sunflowers bloom late in summer, mostly in August. But, you would see them along any road at some point. In July, you may be able to see flax in bloom. When I moved to North Dakota, the flax fields looked like lakes with all the little blue flowers rippling in the wind. You may also see canola, a pretty yellow flower. www.ndtourism.com/articles/brighten-your-day-amazing-sunflower
@waskisquirel, are u still in North Dakota? It’s a wonderful state I served as a pastor in southwest North Dakota and the northwest North Dakota for about 10 years. Loved my time I North Dakota and my time in the car driving long distances to visit church people and to denominational meetings.
I would love to see noise pollution be taken more seriously. Running this channel has made me a lot more sensitive to things like lawnmowers, noisy vehicles, and so on.
I've been through Minot a number of times. At one time it was my city. Now that I live out west, I don't get up there very often. I really like the downtown area.
We both are totally opposite . I am from India , and i am into wild life things ..went to alot of remote places in india , what i found that the tribal people are everywhere (basically the people are everywhere) In the dense middle of forest with wild tigers ,you will find tribal people and their fertility rate is also high . They just make makeshift huts and start living , and when their population grow , it becomes a matter of concern for wildlife authority . We have to deal with human rights and animal life at the same time .
What happens if you run out of gas? Don't be like some from the west coast and ignore the gas gauge just because there is a gas station around the corner. My dad never ran out of gas. Because, as he put it, you pay attention to that gas gauge. That's why it's there to begin with. It's not there for looks. It serves a purpose. He was very no nonsense.
I grew up in a rural area. I definitely know better than to drive anywhere without enough gas. I might get in trouble if the car breaks down, however...
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
Got a little story some of you might like to hear. It's about a way of life that we hold mighty dear. It's farming, plain and simple, at least that's how it seems. It's a fondness for your livestock, family, friends, and of course your dreams. Or, it's sitting in the saddle of a good horse, getting ready for your turn at the roping. You see, in the mid-west, we're not too fancy. we just live within our means. So that even our Sunday go-to-meeting clothes is a white shirt and levi's jeans. Or, here's another one. Don't know why I just thought of ol Bill. He was as good a farmer as I ever worked with, like a lot of those ol guys were. They would develop excentricities. Like he would never wear a down coat, even when it was bitter cold. He'd have on 4 or 5 shirts, coat, hat, and long johns. And, when he'd buy a new pair of levi's , he'd just put 'em on and wear them 'til they fell off. Never washed 'em or nothin'. We buried him last week. In his Sunday hat and a new pair of levi's. He sure enuf looked good.
Robert Dubisar Touching, great story, great tell . I replied to waskissquirrel , his vid seemed a little too constantly chatty, but hope to visit u great folks , summer 2019👍
OK! So how about I drive into Minot, ND on 15 Dec 1982! At the time I thought that was to be the coldest day in my life. Wrong! The first bad sign was driving through town and seeing a sign at the Dairy Queen which said, "Closed until Summer." First bad omen! Second one was the sign announcing, "Why choose Minot to live in? 40 degrees below zero keeps the Riff-Raff out!!" But my favorite sign which I would come to hate was, "Why Minot? Because freezin' is the reason!" I love your channel, but man I just had to watch this video! HAD TO! May I tell you that I spent exactly 16 months, and 4 days, and in North Dakota? I used to be remember the hours too! I remember ground freezing and breaking the water pipes in the winter, and then when they thawed they broke again! Again with no water! I remember hunkering down in the kitchen using the gas oven for heat, because the electricity was disabled by freezing ice on the power lines! Can't tell you how many times that happened! I now live on the Gulf Coast and am terrorized by Hurricanes every year, but I will take them hands down over the sub zero temperatures! But God bless you, brother! I couldn't do it again!
Nice story! I used to live north of Minot in a town called Westhope, only 6 miles from Canada. It was a cold place. I'm happy to be in North Dakota's "banana belt" now. Funny you mention the freezing water pipes: the school was closed today due to a burst water main. I also remember a year with serious blackouts due to hoarfrost buildup on the power lines. Some of my rural friends and students went weeks without electricity. The cold is just something you just accept. But there are days I would like to live somewhere a little warmer...
@@WaskiSquirrel , I also lived in Westhope, Antler and Maxbass.. Spend many years there working the oilfields and construction... Hate to say it, but got use to the cold Winters there, hated the winter's too ..😂😂😂😂
A very interesting video, thank you for making it and for your commentary. You talked about history in the video: 'one of the things i miss from the east coast is that long sense of history. A lot of the things here are not that old. 100 years old is pretty old.' I think you mean that it's *white* people's history that's not that old in North Dakota, not history per se. The history of indigenous American people surely stretches back for centuries, if not millennia, even if that history is not in written form. (You did refer to tepee rings later on). So thank you for sharing all these things about your home. A couple of times in the video, little animals could be seen running across the road. I would have liked to know what these were (thanks for stopping to give the view of the antelope). And I was interested in the railroad that came into view during the last 5 minutes: where is that going? Who uses it? I am in Scotland. Here, we have loads of history, archaeology and railroads, no problem with drought, but unfortunately no antelope.
I should have said written history. You are correct about the tepee rings. I don't recall if I mentioned it in the video, but one of my students has a ranch near a cliff. The Native Americans used to run buffalo over the cliff to harvest them. She tells me that there are a lot of bones there at the bottom. That was interesting because I've only heard about it. A lot of times the animals would be sharp tailed grouse, mice, and I think there was one prairie dog. The railroad runs roughly east-west and goes through quite a number of towns and states. It carries freight (no passengers) and has spurs in small towns at the grain elevators.
Nice video. I'm from the midwest and spend a lot of time in NYC and Florida. It's amazing to see terrain like ND, SD, and Montana....where your neighbors may be 10-20miles away, a small town may be 30miles away. We don't know how that is in Indiana, NYC, and Florida. ND may just be what I need...but what would I do for a career ??? lol...good video.
Teaching worked out as a career for me. But, agreed, it can be a challenge to find a job. I enjoy it, though. Thanks for watching one of my early driving videos!
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
Nice 'hanging out' with you on the drive. Curious - what is the name/number of the road? I kinda want to see it on the map and understand it in context, if that makes sense.
Most of the trip was on 162nd AVE SW. But, that's a lot of road. Here is the church where I started my journey on Google Maps. www.google.com/maps/place/Mound+Church/@46.3958419,-103.7174198,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x624959c342048c75!8m2!3d46.3958419!4d-103.7174198
This video is a lot like North Dakota itself. So peaceful and relaxing while there being something special about it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this video. This is very calming and as a Hispanic person, I've always been interested in most of American lives. I love how since not much people are there, you know people around you and more personally. I'm thinking of learning about most of American lives/states.
I'm glad I was able to help. People don't know much about North Dakota!
I love the videos. I’m originally from West Texas, but I lived for 4.5 years in southwest North Dakota (Hettinger) and 3 years in northwest North Dakota (Watford City). I loved North Dakota. The beautiful dirt road drive for miles were enjoyable. Some of the best people I have known in my life were the people of North Dakota.
That is awesome! You definitely know this area if you lived in those towns!
I was born in Minot, ND in the mid 50's. Moved to California at 4 yrs old. Moved back to ND at 15 yrs old until 26 yrs old, then back to Calif. My best memories are in N.Dakota for those 10 yrs.
I lived in the Minot area about 20 years ago. I remember the Air Force base there was a major thing in Minot. Glad the state left you with fond memories!
@@WaskiSquirrelTHANKS, Yes, my younger brother was in the Air Force there, and I was working on the Burlington Northern RR. To be young in the late 70's, had $$$, cars, motorcycles, cabin at the lake, and friendly girls everywhere. Unbelievable good times. I have lots of pictures.......
The prairie is so beautiful & unspoiled! Hope it stays that way for a long time. Thanks for sharing! ❤️
Thank you! It is mostly given over to agriculture, but it's still wide open.
The prairie is 95% gone.
Feeding the planet is such an awful thing! 🙄
Beautiful country! Thanks for sharing this beautiful video!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed.
It's a state 😒😒
Thank you for the footage and commentary. Good 'ole North Dakota. People who talk bad about it don't quite understand art, in my opinion. North Dakota has a "personality," if you will, that's different than its 49 relatives. Winters are incredible there. Working outside in them is as well. As long as heat is nearby and accessible, anyone can do it with the will power, in my opinion. For a North Carolina guy like myself (from a big town), if I wasn't relatively stubborn about being there in Williston for two years, I would've run back home. Oil brought me there. It was an incredible and wild experience that I wouldn't trade for another one.
Of course it's not for everybody, but neither is any place on earth. For those who can understand and appreciate beauty in another way that they haven't realized before, it's an amazing place to spend some time in. I certainly wouldn't recommend a big-city person move straight to a small town though. I think the transition to a place like Grand Forks or Fargo from a big city would be much less shocking culturally than Williston or Watford City, for instance., or even Minot, although I really enjoyed visiting Minot. I exclude Bismarck because it is too far from a big city for a big-city person to feel comfortable at first, in my opinion. The town is very cool though too. In Grand Forks or Fargo, which are both in the Top 3 for biggest cities in ND, Minneapolis, MN is only a few hours away east, which big-city people would find comforting, in my opinion. I know I would've.
Thanks again for taking me back there via this video. Hope you can explore more of the state. Minot, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck, are all favorites of mine.
Thank you for your detailed comment! So far, my videos have been limited to SW North Dakota and NW South Dakota. But I plan to wander further. I was close to Williston a few weeks ago when I visited the Fairview Lift Bridge.
As you say, there is good and bad everywhere. But some are not willing to find the good. A person from a city would find North Dakota quite an adjustment. The scenery is quite striking here, and generally the people are nice.
I live in a much smaller town than Watford City or Williston, but it wasn't so much of an adjustment for me since I have always lived in small towns. But your point about Grand Forks or Fargo being an easier adjustment for people is a good one.
I grew up in Killdeer and lived in Bismarck and Fargo after high school. Your analysis is spot on. I'm glad you enjoyed your time there.
I remember the bitter cold winters of 76-78 in the vicinity of Munich, north of Devils Lake. North Dakota teaches hardiness, especially for the wintertime. And all of you who are originally from N.D. will totally understand that. I've been living in Central Oregon for 40 years, now, and I still remember my roots. I was born in Dickinson. The wide open spaces, and the huge farms, too. I totally agree, Nicholas, N.D. does have personality.
Spent 5 years in ND (oilfields). Lived in Froid MT, Williston, Ray, Killdeer, and Dickinson. I loved fishing Camel Hump Lake just outside of Sentinel Butte. My son has a home in Lincoln, just outside of Bismarck. I loved my time in ND. I will retire in ND or maybe MT. Good video. Thanks for sharing.
I know every one of those places! The only one I've never actually visited is Froid, though I do know a few people from there. Glad you enjoyed!
This is my first time seeing it since I was young it's so beautiful
It doesn't always look like this. Right now it's all covered in snow! But, yes, very beautiful!
Hi Jason, thank you for sharing this. I notice it was some time ago, but I'm a newbie to your channel. Really interesting to hear your thoughts on small towns and solitude. I thought I'd come from a small town, but yours definitely takes the cake. I mean, where's the traffic? 😂
I'm glad you enjoyed. And yes, it's very rural here.
Excellent video and great scenery.
Thank you! It's one of my early attempts at a driving video.
I love these videos so much. Driving and talking. Great scenery, great conversation. I hope you keep doing these.
Have a great rest of the week.
Kenny Cross I'm glad you enjoy them. As long as I can do them on a road without traffic, I'm sure you'll see some more. I used to do videos of places and events as well, so I may have to start doing those again. I used to use music, so I chose to take most of them down: I've developed a greater appreciation of creative work.
I live in northwest Wisconsin and travel to east central South Dakota to see family a couple times a year. I've never been to North Dakota but hoping to plan a trip sometime within the next year. Loved your video, thank you for sharing!
There is more to see in North Dakota than people realize. We're not as flashy as the Black Hills of South Dakota, but we're so much more than a flat, treeless plain. We have our own forests, our own Badlands, and some amazing river valleys.
what happens if you run out of gas?
I've only done that once in my life. I'm careful about my fuel gauge before I go exploring.
Don't run out of gas in the winter.
People get drunk so much just piss in the fuel tank lol
micky richards in nd on the farm your truck either has a gas tank in the bed or you fill up in your yard
Wow it looks so peaceful!
this looks amazing. I'm from long island new york and am moving to st cloud minnesota next month for work. I wanted south dakota or north dakota so bad, almost went to rapid city, but am settling for Central minnesota. never been and I know it's not nearly as rural as the dakotas, but at this point anything is more spread out and rural than where I grew up on the long Island/queens border of the south shore of nassau county . I'm on ly going to miss the beach that's it. I'll be a few hours east of fargo so maybe I can visit nd once and while for like a weekend trip or something. looks awesome
St. Cloud is in a good area. There are a lot of lakes and nice places within driving distance. If you miss the city, Minneapolis is just about an hour away. You might find it a good compromise.
WaskiSquirrel awesome.
***** Nice I know the area well, I grew up in long beach, same brother, I can't wait to get out but I'll always hve a special place for the island, though I'll never live anywhere near it again as long as I live. 30 years is long enough lol I'm off to Minnesota in July, and won't be looking back. I think one of the first things I do when I'm out there is take a ride out to bismark and check out fargo along the way
***** Lol god speed. Yep li is totally landlocked. Only way out is by boat if the city for some god forbid reason was shutdown due to an attack. Minnesota is not my ideal location either, I would have totally preferred the dakotas or states like montana or idaho, but at this point anything better than nassau county. South Carolina isn't bad my dad moved to.myrtle beach after he retired from IBEW. it's dirt cheap, has mild winters , and nice beaches . Plus like you said you don't have to stay there forever if it's not your cup of tea
Mike M. Hi...I live in Northport!
I live in Fargo, the biggest city in North Dakota. I might be use to it but it still seems pretty quiet if you don't live right next to a huge road. Quiet neighborhoods and nice kind people.
You definitely want to be away from busy streets. I wouldn't want to live on the highway in my little town either.
I actually have spent a few weeks in Fargo near the Fargo North High School. Admittedly, I wasn't staying in a house, but I love to walk. So I spent a lot of time walking the neighborhoods. I think that if I redid this video, I would modify my comments to say that the big limitation of American cities is that you don't have everything within walking distance.
I think with a well made apartment or house, the noise can be blocked. That's something that could make city life, even on a busy highway, a lot easier: to be away from the noise of other people.
And, yes, a neighborhood should be just that, whether in a city or a small town.
Also we have many more gun's than people in our state. With very LOW crime.
d ellington, but higher death rates by guns, 11.9/100,000, as opposed to NY (4.4/100,000) and California which is 7.9/100,000 people (CDC statistics).
The crime is low as there's no people, most and foremost. I mean - does one REALLY need a gun up there? I don't think so ...
@@bsxboy Of course we do. Target club shooting and hunting season. So yea we think so,
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
Loved this prairie for 74 years. Driven to 49 states and most of the Canadian Province’s. Always glad to get back to the prairies. Getting used to the paved roads however! Thanks for the views and conversation.
Glad you enjoyed it! It's beautiful, if different from other states.
Hopefully one day you can visit that one last state!
I’m from Valley City thanks for this.
You're welcome!
absolutely loved his vid. I grew up in the country of NW New Jersey back when there was a lot of open farmland and dairy farms out here. Now they farm houses and I pine for a place more like where I grew up. Having been out to the midwest and having married a North Dakotan wife, we have been back many times but never to ND as most of her family have migrated down to Nebraska or Iowa. We are planning a 2wk tour of ND and hope to visit many small towns as much as possible so I can get to talk to people and hear their stories. the landscape is outrageously gorgeous. My wife thinks I will like southwest ND the most. Time will tell. thanks for uploading it.
I'm glad to hear you likes it! My father grew up in New Jersey. He remembers duck hunting in the 1940s and 1950s where he could see the Empire State Building. The state has changed a lot since his time there!
SW North Dakota is amazing. We have the badlands. But don't forget the rest of the state. The Pembina Gorge is absolutely gorgeous. And the Turtle Mountains are another beautiful place.
But definitely enjoy SW North Dakota! There is a lot here! And feel free to ask me about places to visit!
I'm also from southwest North Dakota!
Awesome! TH-cam needs more of us!
Rachael Mayer nice I'm from Emmons county lol
me to
Rachael Mayer I'm from west nd
hello from Sioux Falls South Dakota, im sending a shout out to the people of North Dakota. i liked the video and the wide open feeling of nature.
I have been to north Dakota 100s of times. I do live in rural Pennsylvania in the Appalachian mountain region. or the Pennsylvania wilds. I do like north Dakota but I couldn't give up the trees and mountains. so I'll stay in Pennsylvania. I enjoyed the video.
Sometimes I see pictures from Pennsylvania and wonder why I left. It really is a beautiful state. But, I've been very happy here. I like the wide open spaces.
WaskiSquirrel I understand. north Dakota has been good to me. it's paid lots of bills and put food on my table.
Don’t know why this popped up in my recommendations, but hello fellow North Dakotan!👋🏼 Hope you’re enjoying this early October snowfall
Thank you! No snow yet, but this is the banana belt. It should be coming tomorrow.
I, too, love the wide open spaces. You live in beautiful country. Thanks for showing it. It is no wonder the Native Americans fought and died trying to remain on this land. It must have been spectacular before agriculture.
I think it was. Often they lived here in the summer and moved south for the winter. But I think anywhere you live, you'll fight for it when people come to steal it away from you.
They fought and killed eachother for it before Europeans got here...it wasnt even theirs to steal there was no infrastructure or anything at all. And besides why didnt the "natives" welcome us with open arms in the name of diversity like liberals tell us we are supposed to do with mexican immigrants and refugee migrants today?
The Native Americans claimed the land hundreds/thousands of years prior to Europeans arriving. Therefor, it was their land. Sure the various tribes fought each other for each other's land. But that is like Germany invading France. Just because there is no infrastructure does not mean the people originally living on the land don't have a claim to it. And as for if and why the Native Americans didn't embrace the Europeans when they arrived and started stealing land, and killing for it, Europeans look different than Native Americans, acted differently, and spoke very differently. If you were there at the time with no knowledge of different people, would you not be afraid of the incoming? And then when the incoming moved across the continent and started killing for your land, would you not fight back? You bet you would. We are in a different time and have a far greater knowledge of different races of people.
@@janepilecki8083 The "native" people did not just sprout out of the ground you idiot. What about the people before them? There were a few thousand people spread out over vast distances who were constantly at war and killing eachother over land they all wanted. Land that they themselves migrated to! Why cant you consider the Europeans just another tribe? We just won. Why does that make you mad? Is it because they are white?
I also DO have far greater knowledge than they did about different races and cultures and that is exactly why I do not want to import an outdated barbaric religious ideology like Islam into our western country. People like you think that is racist though. So why is that worse than the "natives"?
@@johnf817 I am not mad. I never said I was. And as for the last part of your comment, I am white. I think we have reached an impasse. .
Interesting video. I live in Oslo Norway and like our fortress is from 1290 and the city has in some form been around since 1030. Must be interessting too live in a place with so few old building. Have distant relatives in the dakotas and Minnesota who emigrated in the the 20s, so nice too see what the countryside looks like.
I love old buildings and history. But, one advantage to such a recent history is that it can feel like a fresh start. Yes, there is a long history of Norwegians here! You'll find old hymnals and even school books written in Norwegian for those who came here then. Most of that first generation of immigrants has died off, but I had the chance to know some of them, who still retained the language, the accent, and the memories of the old country. I wish I had appreciated then the living history around me.
I have this wired agoraphobia. If there are no trees around and I’m able to see the horizon all around me, its bothering. But it doesn’t scare the shit out of me, just would rather have trees than fields.
It was strange when I first moved here from the forests of Pennsylvania. But now, when I go home, I actually feel closed in. It's all what you get used to.
Looks like old hwy 30 going towards New Salem. I went to a one room school 1st through 8th grade. That extension on the front of the school was the "mud room" were you hung up your coats and took off your muddy boots. ND is the best place to raise kids...........in my opinion
I haven't tried highway 30, just highway 10. But I do love this highway. There will be a video about it eventually.
I’m from Montana but my youngest son went to college in Minot, North Dakota. Great state and great people.
I've taken a lot of classes in Minot! I'm glad your son had a good experience.
Me sentí en otro mundo. Me encantó la gente, Bismarck, Selfridge, Fort Yates.
¡Gracias! Vivo en la esquina suroeste de Dakota del Norte. Pero me encantan Fort Yates y Selfridge: dos hermosas comunidades.
There is a nice old schoolhouse at Icelandic state park even old school projects from the 30s to the 50s also a nice old church
I need to visit that place!
I was born in North Dakota but we moved when I was little an never been back but I would love to visit where I was born
I'm an import to the state. I have the same feelings. I need to get home!
Born in ND in the 1950's.. Raised my family there, moved away twice, came back twice.
Beautiful state and my favorite part was no people!
Finally couldn't handle the winter's anymore, so moved away again.
I sure miss it though...
I do love the wide open spaces here! I can see how winters would be a bit questionable....
I think that is so sad cuz it's sooooo beautiful
I don't let the dark underbelly of a place ruin it. I enjoy the good things as they come.
This video is interesting to me since there are so many different things people are drawn to with different parts of the world. Like you, I'm from PA, and there are things I like and don't like about different parts of the state. I was born and raised in the suburbs, which I liked because it's private enough but everything you'll ever need is within a 20-minute drive. I also lived in center city Philadelphia for 5 years. I hated the big city; it's so claustrophobic, you feel like you have no peripheral vision and you're never alone. I enjoy living in a suburba-to-rural environment, but I've always told myself I need to live somewhere geographically interesting.
I could never see myself living in Rural ND, or any part of the Midwest or Appalachian mountains because that scenery may be "pretty" but it's not "beautiful" to me. I'm a huge fan of much more mountainous terrain. I've travelled all over the North American west; Alberta, British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming. To me, that's GOD'S COUNTRY. That is true, fierce, natural majestic beauty to me. I recall so many epic sights in that part of the world, just thinking about them brings a tear to my eye. I've even been to the Swiss Alps. Every range in each part of the world has its own distinct look; the Alps are steeper than the Rockies. While it was really cool too see that, Europe is so built up and densely populated, there's barely any wilderness left. I like the Rockies and more northerly ranges in Canada and Alaska because it really feels like the final frontier, so untamed and wild. Not that I want to live in the middle of nowhere or anything. I take comfort in the knowledge of a large population center fairly close by (50,000+ by my standard). It all comes down to personal preference I guess.
I've never lived in a city, except for a few weeks. But I've lived in suburbia. I think small town America is the right compromise for me, much like you found.
Interesting about you living somewhere beautiful. I enjoy where I live, but I do have to travel for scenic beauty: the Black Hills of South Dakota, Custer National Forest of Montana, or the Badlands here. All close. So maybe I am like you in some ways? Like you, I also enjoy the amount of wide open space here. I won't call it wilderness due to agriculture, but I do enjoy it.
I went to a one room school house. I went from grade 1 to 8. I wouldn't trade the experience for what is taking place in the schools today. You didn't tell where in North Dakota you were driving in. Thank you
Schools are different in all parts of the country. I can't comment on the difference between one-room schools and modern schools, but I will say that North Dakota schools are doing well and most are on a good path for improvement.
I was driving in the very Southwest corner of the state, near the city of Rhame, and you'll also see a visit to Fort Dilts.
Not enough Chinese food for me.
I'm very happy living next to Chinatown in San Francisco. I'm addicted to both the food and the weather.
I would love to be able to eat more authentic Chinese food! And San Francisco really does have good weather.
My family ones a one room school house in richardton ND
They're a nice slice of life as it once was.
I was born in N> Dakota in 1954 but moved away when I was 12 years old. I miss it to this day! Correct me if I'm wrong but I saw only 2 vehicles moving in this long video. Can't beat that for privacy, lol. I enjoyed this video but may I suggest that you get a mount for the camera to make it more stable and it will really pop at the viewers.
I now use a dash cam mounted behind my mirror. This was early days when I was figuring out if I wanted to do this type of videos. Lonely gravel roads with no traffic were the perfect place to find out! When I saw a car coming, I'd stop filming just to be safe.
I lived in a RV in Billings County, North Dakota where there's only 900 people. On 8/9/2021 I'm moving to Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska where there's over 100,000 people which is bigger than West Virginia which has over a 1,000,000 people
I know Billings County quite well: I live to the south. Good luck in Alaska. That sounds like a great adventure!
North Dakota Rancher here... I like your videos
Glad to hear that!
I visited ND near Minot. It’s definitely a different kind of living. Nice in some ways
Totally agree! I used to live in a small town north of Minot.
my dad's family was/is from the Rhame/Marmarth area. 11 of his 13 siblings raised their families there. I grew up N of Dickinson (before the Bakken explosion). Extreme temp climate, one of the most extreme in the lower 48, tho rarity of high dew points make July/Aug in ND far more tolerable than the corn belt or the deep south.
I've probably taught a lot of your relatives! And, yes the dry weather does make the heat of summer more comfortable.
What a lovely place! Thinking about moving there myself.
There is a lot of beauty in the Dakotas. But it is a lot emptier than many places too.
“We’re in the middle of nowhere!” My portrayal of North Dakota in my United States Portrayed by SpongeBob video.
Not many people ever visit here!
I’ve only been there once for my Dad’s friends wedding in Fargo on the state’s border. All the tourism attractions are in South Dakota which I’ve been to 20+ times since me mom’s side of the family lives there.
well not everywhere the corner stores are nice tho in bismarck
All that grass...I love it. Grassland for days....
Glad you enjoyed!
I do enjoy it. I could get lost in that beautiful grass for hours...
Very beautiful and peaceful
It really is!
I am Argentine and I have always been interested in the United States, especially life in those Great Plains states little known abroad, they remind me of my beautiful Pampas.
The Pampas are a very similar area! One thing we share is that our areas do not attract the attention other areas get.
Thought why you live in ND was interesting and thanks for sharing about Fort Dilts. My husband & I am love the piece and quite, too except we live in more on the mid to East side and have trees. Maybe you should check it out.
Glad you enjoyed! I should do an updated version of this!
Are you saying you live in North Dakota, just further east? I just uploaded a "Pens in Use" video today where I revisited some of the places where I used to live, more in central and northern North Dakota. Definitely more trees there!
Living in India in a city with a population of 10 million and having lived for a few years in the suburbs of LA and SFO, I’ve experienced country life in US ( and India ) only in movies 😞
I’d like to go on a road trip through the less popular states like ND some day even though that’s less likely to happen since I’m back in my home country - India..
It's a very different world from somewhere like LA or SFO!
I was born, raised, and educated in North Dakota, but have lived most of my adult life in the New York City area. I have experienced a hell of a lot more "live and let live" in NYC than I ever experienced in ND.
Large city life is something I haven't tried yet. I think it would be nice to be able to disappear into the crowd, though. Mostly, I was comparing North Dakota to the rural area where I grew up in Pennsylvania. But, it is true that in a small population people feel like your business is theirs, even when it doesn't affect them in any way.
That is one of the most uninformed, broad sweeping, unjustified elitist opinions of North Dakota that I have seen in awhile.
You said it all perfectly. And nasty.
North Dakota definitely has that quiet life feel with alot of history, compared to a city especially a big city. i tend to like small towns or small city if you wanna call it that, that only has about 50,000 people living in it compared to a bigger city with 200,000 or more. as long as that small town doesn't have alot of crime im good to go.
Quinn, I think you are wrong. I rode my bicycle from Washington to Maine. The folks in west where the nicest. After I got east, easy of Minnesota the niceness of people wanes considerable. People in North Dakota where especially nice.
Have you been to North Dakota?
To isolation I'm from London different background would you live in New York emigration must be high
I don't know if I could handle New York! Emigration is a reality here, but the population has been holding steady the last few years.
Further down the old abandoned road there were some more buildings, including one that housed four or five large metal tanks. Were these fuel tanks at one time, or perhaps something more sinister.....like toxic mutant waste?
I couldn't figure out where in the video it was. But, at a guess, they may be grain bins, especially if there are that many of them.
@@WaskiSquirrel ok
I like peace and quite, but I don't really like small towns just because I always thought it was wierd how everyone knows everything about you and dont really mind their own buisiness. The Pacific Northwest is my favorite area in the country just because it has cities and amazing nature
What they don't know in small towns, they make up! I would love to visit the Pacific Northwest. It looks very beautiful.
I moved to Oregon from ND, big mistake! To many people out here, most are assholes!
To many cities, to much traffic, to many liberals!
Give me a small town with gossip any day in the prairie state!
I absolutely love southwestern ND I would love to live there someday the vastness of the state is quite enticing, but I worry about jobs and cost of living. Great video,
In this corner of the state, the cost of living isn't too bad. But, where there is more oil, housing had gotten pretty ridiculous. There are still jobs to be had, but they're not as plentiful as they were.
WaskiSquirrel I was there in 2006 before the oil boom I fell in love with sw ND I've been following the area since. I guess I've been misinformed on the high cost of living I figured it was all of ND. Thanks for the info I hope you make more videos like this one.
i was playing geoguessr, a game where you have to guess a place in google maps by looking at the street view, and it placed me in north west North Nakota, ive never knew North Dakota was so barren i was going miles and miles and miles away trying to find some sort of clues but ive couldnt it was complete nothingness
I'm in SW North Dakota. The closest city to where this was filmed is Rhame, ND. It really is this wide open and wonderful. I love going out of town and letting my mind expand to fill the country.
Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed your words immensely. Perhaps you don't have a long history there, but there must be traditions of the Native American people going back a couple of thousand years or more as each year they moved across the landscape and hunted. So too of the trials and joys of the earlier settlers.
So many stories heard blowing on the wind.
Be well.
Well said! There is a long history in this country that stretches back the first European who came here. And many of the tales of those first Europeans are gone as well. I realize this as a number of the people I mentioned in this video have passed away.
I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina and I love North Dakota!!! I'm planning to visit this adorable state next year! ND, wild and free :)
It's a little less adorable right now with all the snow! But, yes, it's a nice place with lots of open space.
WaskiSquirrel it better be so! I'll have to make a very long trip from Argentina. This is my dream land since I was a kid
@@pizzakid8344 lo hiciste? como te fue?
this place has always puzzled and interested me so i got a few questions for you:
is it windy all the time in there ?
what about humidity, is it like Florida and Alabama ?
how many months do they have thunderstorms ?
are they bike friendly ? like you can ride your bike to the store and what not without getting run over or looking odd.
The wind does go down, but you get a lot more windy days than in other parts of the country. Humidity here is quite low, almost like the desert. The eastern part of the state gets more humidity, but nothing like Florida or Alabama. Thunderstorms are a summer thing. Usually they start in June and last through August, with the occasional oddball in September. Most seem to be in July or August.
Your question about biking is a good one: I don't bike much, but I do walk everywhere. Some of it depends on the town. Where I live, bike riding is pretty well accepted. The highways all have high speed limits, so that's a bit nerve-wracking on a bike. People are not unfriendly to bikers, but they don't always know how to deal with them on the highway. Luckily, even on the highways there isn't lots of traffic. I see bikers come through my town all the time in the summer because we're at the crossroads of two scenic highways.
I’m thinking of moving there because my neighbor has son or daughter live in there and sometimes go back to California I rather living outside city limits but when I need stuff I can use a Jeep trackhawk driving to town in the snow
Actually, if you can wait a few days, you could probably get by with a car. The nice thing here is that the deep ditches along the roads are there so that the wind can sweep them clear. It's when they fill up that roads get "interesting."
As long as you don't mind a very rural and conservative area, it is a pleasant place to live: very quiet, and I love the wide open spaces.
It was good to see the wide open spaces, a little different than Manchester, UK, to say the least.
I haven't been to Manchester, but I've been to enough cities to know that North Dakota is a different world. I'm amazed how many people still watch this old video!
Nice video. Love the open sky. Constellations at night must be mind blowing. It interesting thoughts about small versus large town living.
You definitely get some good night skies when you're out of town!
A guy who lives in San Francisco clueless how and why I’m watching this but very interesting good video keep it up 👍
Thanks for watching! I always enjoy videos of places different from where I live.
Nice points about the entertainment. It is funny what you get when you think of "normal" entertainment; malls, movies, restaurants. Those are just short distractions from life to prevent "boredom".
I agree. You need something deeper than distractions.
north dakota doesn't seem as bad when I hear these valid points. really well made video!
Thank you! When I moved here, the plan was a year or two adventure. But, I'm still here.
there is a old sod house some were around killdeer
Sod actually isn't such a bad building material. There is a sod house at the museum where I live. And it survives surprisingly well.
I just moved to North Dakota from North Carolina. Best decision I ever made.
I'm glad you're enjoying it! Are you in one of the cities or in a smaller town?
@@WaskiSquirrel I'm in Dickinson.
@@bobdigio It's a fun city with a new Used Bookstore! I'm in the same corner of the state, but I'm down in Bowman.
We don’t have that down here in FL
Every state has its own charms.
I will be driving through North Dakota in July. Do you know if the sunflower fields will be in bloom then? Should I ask locals where to locate them? Thank you.
Sadly, the sunflowers bloom late in summer, mostly in August. But, you would see them along any road at some point. In July, you may be able to see flax in bloom. When I moved to North Dakota, the flax fields looked like lakes with all the little blue flowers rippling in the wind. You may also see canola, a pretty yellow flower.
www.ndtourism.com/articles/brighten-your-day-amazing-sunflower
@@WaskiSquirrel oh wow thanks. I will be sure to find those blue fields
from indonesia, southeast asian, nice video..............
Thanks! Our world is full of all kinds of beautiful places.
come to indonesia, another heaven in this world
Nani Handoyo I've been to Indonesia 4 times and it's a very nice country. Saya kangen Indonesia haha.
Hello, love your video, thank you for sharing. Why did they tear down the school? cheer's from Western Australia
The specific school in this video was torn down because it had been vacant for 30 years and the new owners of the property didn't want the building.
@waskisquirel, are u still in North Dakota? It’s a wonderful state I served as a pastor in southwest North Dakota and the northwest North Dakota for about 10 years. Loved my time I North Dakota and my time in the car driving long distances to visit church people and to denominational meetings.
I am still here, down in the southwest. And your memory is right: it's always driving long distances to get to anything!
everytime i looked outside at north Dakota is snow XD
You missed those couple of days we call summer.
There's nowhere (almost) where only nature sounds are heard. Check out the noise map of the US. Southern CA. noise is a bane. But we have a beach.
I would love to see noise pollution be taken more seriously. Running this channel has made me a lot more sensitive to things like lawnmowers, noisy vehicles, and so on.
I live in minot
I've been through Minot a number of times. At one time it was my city. Now that I live out west, I don't get up there very often. I really like the downtown area.
i live in minto nd kind of by grand forks
I've never been to Minto, but I've heard of it. I need to head over that way some time.
TonesBaseball that is your problem
Curruntly in bismarck but from beulah area/ sakakawea
Major routes are,
Interstate 94
Interstate 29
US Highway 2
I was about an hour south of Interstate 94 in this.
Thanks for making this video :) my girlfriend lives in Bismarck and I love North Dakota
Glad you enjoyed it! There is a lot in this state that people don't appreciate.
We both are totally opposite .
I am from India , and i am into wild life things ..went to alot of remote places in india , what i found that the tribal people are everywhere (basically the people are everywhere)
In the dense middle of forest with wild tigers ,you will find tribal people and their fertility rate is also high .
They just make makeshift huts and start living , and when their population grow , it becomes a matter of concern for wildlife authority .
We have to deal with human rights and animal life at the same time .
Definitely no dense forest here! Tribal communities are more settled in place here.
Western North Dakota 💓 hidden gem for sure!
Thank you! I've been happy living here.
@@WaskiSquirrel me too!
I want to go there. I’m from Georgia.
It's nice here...although winters are a little colder and longer than Georgia's winters.
WaskiSquirrel
Good. I love winter!
Norwegian farmers don’t protest and block streets much too often.
They may also have a lot more control in this area.
THANKS FOR SHARING NICE VIDEO
Glad you liked it!
What happens if you run out of gas? Don't be like some from the west coast and ignore the gas gauge just because there is a gas station around the corner. My dad never ran out of gas. Because, as he put it, you pay attention to that gas gauge. That's why it's there to begin with. It's not there for looks. It serves a purpose. He was very no nonsense.
I grew up in a rural area. I definitely know better than to drive anywhere without enough gas. I might get in trouble if the car breaks down, however...
It looks so beautiful omg
I enjoy getting out there.
Enjoyed the ride.
Thanks!
There is so much grassland everywhere
That describes North Dakota!
I just got here and we moved from washington to ND and rn I live in whapeton I live it here and to all of the people who were so excepting my family
The people here are very welcoming!
By Washington, you mean D.C. or the "Evergreen state"?
Nice place sir, i wish i could live there
You might feel differently in the winter...
WaskiSquirrel i would still love it 😊
It’s so beautiful.
Thank you!
this was actually quite interesting! well Done!
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
Lol yeah food sucked in Watford back then. Now more diverse with better choices 👍🏼
Watford has changed a lot in the last few years! It has almost become a small city!
Got a little story some of you might like to hear. It's about a way of life that we hold mighty dear. It's farming, plain and simple, at least that's how it seems. It's a fondness for your livestock, family, friends, and of course your dreams. Or, it's sitting in the saddle of a good horse, getting ready for your turn at the roping. You see, in the mid-west, we're not too fancy. we just live within our means. So that even our Sunday go-to-meeting clothes is a white shirt and levi's jeans. Or, here's another one. Don't know why I just thought of ol Bill. He was as good a farmer as I ever worked with, like a lot of those ol guys were. They would develop excentricities. Like he would never wear a down coat, even when it was bitter cold. He'd have on 4 or 5 shirts, coat, hat, and long johns. And, when he'd buy a new pair of levi's , he'd just put 'em on and wear them 'til they fell off. Never washed 'em or nothin'. We buried him last week. In his Sunday hat and a new pair of levi's. He sure enuf looked good.
I never saw much reason to buy a lot of clothes. I replace them when they wear out, and that's about it.
Robert Dubisar
Touching, great story, great tell . I replied to waskissquirrel , his vid seemed a little too constantly chatty, but hope to visit u great folks , summer 2019👍
thanks for this . i live in ireland ad this enabled me to get a good idea of N D
It's one small corner of North Dakota. But I'm glad it helped!
OK! So how about I drive into Minot, ND on 15 Dec 1982! At the time I thought that was to be the coldest day in my life. Wrong! The first bad sign was driving through town and seeing a sign at the Dairy Queen which said, "Closed until Summer." First bad omen! Second one was the sign announcing, "Why choose Minot to live in? 40 degrees below zero keeps the Riff-Raff out!!" But my favorite sign which I would come to hate was, "Why Minot? Because freezin' is the reason!" I love your channel, but man I just had to watch this video! HAD TO! May I tell you that I spent exactly 16 months, and 4 days, and in North Dakota? I used to be remember the hours too! I remember ground freezing and breaking the water pipes in the winter, and then when they thawed they broke again! Again with no water! I remember hunkering down in the kitchen using the gas oven for heat, because the electricity was disabled by freezing ice on the power lines! Can't tell you how many times that happened! I now live on the Gulf Coast and am terrorized by Hurricanes every year, but I will take them hands down over the sub zero temperatures! But God bless you, brother! I couldn't do it again!
Nice story! I used to live north of Minot in a town called Westhope, only 6 miles from Canada. It was a cold place. I'm happy to be in North Dakota's "banana belt" now. Funny you mention the freezing water pipes: the school was closed today due to a burst water main. I also remember a year with serious blackouts due to hoarfrost buildup on the power lines. Some of my rural friends and students went weeks without electricity.
The cold is just something you just accept. But there are days I would like to live somewhere a little warmer...
@@WaskiSquirrel , I also lived in Westhope, Antler and Maxbass..
Spend many years there working the oilfields and construction...
Hate to say it, but got use to the cold Winters there, hated the winter's too ..😂😂😂😂
CreamintheCoffee, were you stationed at the Minot Airbase in the Air Force? 😂😂😁😁
@@michaelvandyke6715 Really, you do get used to the winters or the hot summers.
@@michaelvandyke6715 Well, of course! Why else would I be in the Coldest, most God forsaken place in America ?
Excellent.
Thank you! Cheers!
This video is 5 years old. Are you still in ND?
I am! I've lived in the state for 20 years.
A very interesting video, thank you for making it and for your commentary. You talked about history in the video: 'one of the things i miss from the east coast is that long sense of history. A lot of the things here are not that old. 100 years old is pretty old.' I think you mean that it's *white* people's history that's not that old in North Dakota, not history per se. The history of indigenous American people surely stretches back for centuries, if not millennia, even if that history is not in written form. (You did refer to tepee rings later on). So thank you for sharing all these things about your home. A couple of times in the video, little animals could be seen running across the road. I would have liked to know what these were (thanks for stopping to give the view of the antelope). And I was interested in the railroad that came into view during the last 5 minutes: where is that going? Who uses it? I am in Scotland. Here, we have loads of history, archaeology and railroads, no problem with drought, but unfortunately no antelope.
I should have said written history. You are correct about the tepee rings. I don't recall if I mentioned it in the video, but one of my students has a ranch near a cliff. The Native Americans used to run buffalo over the cliff to harvest them. She tells me that there are a lot of bones there at the bottom. That was interesting because I've only heard about it.
A lot of times the animals would be sharp tailed grouse, mice, and I think there was one prairie dog.
The railroad runs roughly east-west and goes through quite a number of towns and states. It carries freight (no passengers) and has spurs in small towns at the grain elevators.
Thank you so much for answering my questions.
Nice video. I'm from the midwest and spend a lot of time in NYC and Florida. It's amazing to see terrain like ND, SD, and Montana....where your neighbors may be 10-20miles away, a small town may be 30miles away. We don't know how that is in Indiana, NYC, and Florida.
ND may just be what I need...but what would I do for a career ??? lol...good video.
Teaching worked out as a career for me. But, agreed, it can be a challenge to find a job. I enjoy it, though. Thanks for watching one of my early driving videos!
Healthcare? That's what I'm doing
12:31 Hank's mailbox
I want to thank you for your comment. I am clearing out all my comments older than a few months with this generic comment, but I want you to know that I did read your comment, even if I missed it when it was originally posted.
And I think I've met Hank!
Nice 'hanging out' with you on the drive. Curious - what is the name/number of the road? I kinda want to see it on the map and understand it in context, if that makes sense.
Most of the trip was on 162nd AVE SW. But, that's a lot of road. Here is the church where I started my journey on Google Maps.
www.google.com/maps/place/Mound+Church/@46.3958419,-103.7174198,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x624959c342048c75!8m2!3d46.3958419!4d-103.7174198
I use to live in Bowman.
I'm a fairly recent arrival: I moved there in 2006.