Just got back from an epic two day road trip. (Two and a half day, technically…I had to pull over and rest just 200 miles from the end).

1700 miles, 5 states – including one that I can now cross off my “states to visit” list, leaving only 6 more US states to go, wildly varying terrain, and an endless supply of fun! Click on the map below to view the interactive map.

The trip began as a test run for what will be my biggest adventure so far, a road trip to the pacific northwest and Canadian rockies. I wanted to test my ability to camp in the car in order to save on hotel rooms, and my endurance for driving long distances at a time. So far it has been a success so my plans to embark on the big trip next month remain. The only concern I have right now is how the extended periods of time sitting in the car driving and the large quantities of fast food I tend to eat while on road trips will affect me. But it’s only going to be a couple weeks, so I’ll probably survive!

After driving up to Duluth, I finally reached the Minnesota arrowhead region late Saturday night and pulled over to make my camp. On Sunday, I drove through vast pine forests, mountain ranges, lakes areas, farmland as flat as a table to the horizon in every direction, and I even crossed the continental divide between waters that drain to the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. (I crossed this continental divide in South Dakota, BTW) I went to North Dakota for the first time ever, visited Fargo, Grand Forks, International Falls, and Ely – also for the first time for each. Ely reminds me of North Conway, NH in just about every way except for the lack of mountains in Ely. I had a great breakfast at a place called “The Chocolate Moose“. If ever you find yourself in Ely Minnesota, I recommend this place highly. Hopefully some day I’ll be able to return myself!

I did take a few pictures, mostly uninteresting and they don’t do the trip justice, but you can see them all by clicking here or on the picture above. I will do my best next time to take more time and take more pictures!

This entry was posted on Monday, September 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Articles, Dave's Photo Journal, Photos.