The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-11-04

| Q long trip or q long stay, but JUS
as though we were going out for 1
ride. We did not realize we were 60
ing away from home until we hai
gone several hundred miles. II was ,
beautiful, warm day when we started
Grain was just coming up around De-
Laos while south of Minot the corr
was knee-high. As we were goinf
south from Mino,t toward Bismarcl
we noticed the great differences in thu
state, along crop lines. We took near
| ly all Of our belongings except goot
luck. Of course we were in no hurry
so we did not mind. But at $3.50 8
rain storm caught US at Ruso, N. D.
so we waited until the roads dried of
bit and did not make it further thar
Turtle Lake as we had some trouble
with our spark plugs. We put the
car in the garage and attended the
Chautauqua which was being held al
Turtle Lake at that time. Then some
more rain Saturday night and Sunday
and so it was the first eight days we
were on the road. We began to think
it would never stop. After spending
day with friends in Bismarck we
went happily on our way over muddy
roads. From there we went by way
of Linton and Strassburg to the South
Dakota line. We were following the
Black Trail. In the southern part Of
North Dakota the roads were newly
graded, it was sticky black dirt and
oh, how the car had to pull when she
did go, but we did not make but a few
miles day, as our car was too heavily
loaded to travel on such roads. Such
roads we never saw in Ward county.
At Selby, South Dakota, we came to
the Yellowstone Trail; this trail goes
from New York City to the Yellow.
stone Park. It is q we'll marked trail,
but as far as the road was concerned
it was horrid indeed. Perhaps you can
get some idea when I tell you tina,
they had had rain almost every day
for three weeks.
After crossing the N. DIS. D. line
we were in a strip of country which
had black loan and then for about 30
miles in width there was some sandy
land. Now, as you all know sandy
land is not hurt very much by rain,
wheat, rye and oats looked wonderful,
until we got to Selby. Here we find
a clay soil which is hard at times, but
at this time it was soft. From there
towards Aberdeen we saw many a
field of corn and grain drowning out.
We are now travelling on the Yellow
stone Trail and meeting cars from
Mont, Ohio, Mich, Wash, and Cal.
At Aberdeen we stopped to rest as we
had been coming over some horrid
roads. They were all cut up and ruts
were hub deep. Our tenders had been
dragged through the mud. After a
rest of four hours or more we went
on again and found some more of such
roads; it really is unbelievable when
l tell you other autos travelled too. But
we were on the road and felt that we
must go on. That evening after drag
ging over some more of those roads,
where it looked impossible to go|
through, and being in rain too, we
had a mishap. This was the 9Th of
July and until eight days later we did
not travel, but stopped in a farmers
yard near Bristol, S. D., as we had to
wait for repairs which had to be or
dered from Toledo, Ohio. We were
driving along through a mud hole and
finally saw that we could 60 no fur
ther, so tried to back up; by so doing,
the rear wheel caught into post
sticking out of the mud, which some
one had used-to pry himself cut, and
broke the fiange and hub caps all to
pieces. Of course you understand, we
could not go on, so had a neighbor pull
US into his yard and here we camped
until repairs came.
On the afternoon of July 10th, we
received our repairs and started on
at AS P. M. That evening we drove
So miles, which took US about IA miles
from Watertown. The roads had dried
up some. On our way to WATERFOWL
the farmers were making clover hay.
On this road to Watertown we saw
lovely farm homes and indeed it SEEM
ed to be progressive country.
Watertown is on the Meridian Trail,
\ pretty place, wide streets and lovely
homes, but not very many folks were
up as it was 4:3O A. NJ. when we
went through. We followed this trail
TO Salem, S. D., seeing many strange
things, rough roads, ripened grain
fields and also some poor country. At
Salem we hear that we cannot 60 on
south by the Meridian Trail as the
roads are impossible, so we changed
our route and went toward Sioux
Falls. Sunday comes and we take q
rest until the afternoon when we drive
= few miles so we can go to church in
the evening. We found a splendid
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