R2AK: Scenes From the Northern Lands

They call it the “Enchanted Highway”. It’s a 32-mile stretch of highway connecting with Route 94, in North Dakota, decorated with what’s billed as the largest collection of scrap-metal sculptures in the world.

Despite spending 30 years crisscrossing the United States as a long-haul trucker, Vlad doesn’t recall having been on route 94. So 2/3 of the Trimorons decided to take the Northern Route to Port Townsend. They didn’t take the Enchanted Highway, but came close enough to have a look at one of its most famous sculptures, “Geese in Flight”.

Farther along, they passed by the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a section of the North Dakota badlands:

It turns out that when you’re hauling a collapsible trimaran, you end up with more than just reduced mileage and a fair amount of wind drag. You get bugs. Lots of bugs. Whose short lives, sadly, become still shorter upon contact with the amas…

As our intrepid heroes drove into Montana, they encountered something they hadn’t expected…

It turns out that Montana, land of 3,227 lakes, is fiercely protective of its waters. Any boats entering the state must be inspected for the presence of invasive species, which includes mussels, plants, and ummmmm… barnacles!

Apparently, the boat was launched in “high risk” waters. Fortunately for all involved, it had been thoroughly cleaned, dried, and painted since it last touched water. I feel a lot better about having spent a Saturday morning last month scrubbing barnacles off the bottom!

Of course, Vlad also thoroughly cleaned, scrubbed, and painted the boat afterward! In any event, our hard work did the trick, and the Trimorons were rewarded with this:

Onward!

Trimorons inform me they’re planning to stop for the night and rest up before tackling the mountains tomorrow.