[Frank Miller]

Below I copied the blurb from my facebook page. Checked the water oil and trans level this morning and all is well. Hope to be on the road soon. Will pick up an hour today traveling into Montana.
TJ I will do everything I can to make that show. It is part of my route as I plan to do 2 until the end then get 101 down the coast. Are you guys staying overnight somewhere there? I'll pm you my # you can text to it.

Today found me leaving Grand Rapids MN at around 8:15. There was a major thunderstorm last night but things were pretty dried out this morning in spite of the clouds. The travel weather was sun, clouds and rain. Luckily the rain was not for very long periods.
I ventured off Route 2 a bit to go to Lake Itasca state park and see the head of the Mississippi River. It all starts at this little stream and goes northeast before becoming the behemoth it is as it goes south. I think there's some analogies there but I'll spare you.
I also learned about Mary Gibbs who was the park commissioner or something like that when these loggers tried to dam the lake to more easily float logs down river. She stood down their threats and pulled the lever to the dam, releasing the water to preserve the forests around the lake.
My journey along route 2 continued through Minnesota into North Dakota. I had never been here so it is a new state visited.
North Dakota is pretty flat on the eastern portion and the wind was awful. Driving the car was a chore as I had to keep it steered right to make it go straight as it was being blown left. When the gust stopped you had to readjust. These old car steering systems are not as tight as new ones.
After passing Minot the wind died a little and the plains became rolling hills. I could sense I was gaining elevation due to all the hills I was climbing. I am now approximately 1000 feet higher than I was in Minnesota. Tomorrow should find me close to Glacier National Park in Montana.
I'm going to try and post an album of my driving pics. They're not great and may make the ride look boring but I believe this is what driving across the country looks like. For my friends in the northeast the northern midwest is a completely different place. I hesitate to call it desolate but at time I feel like they built a road just for me and I smile.