U.S.A., North Dakota

In the past two weeks, I've been at the Mississippi River in Minnesota and in the Rocky Mountains in Montana, and now I'm back in between. In North Dakota.

U.S.A., North Dakota, Fargo

The train crossed over the Red River twice, at four a.m. -- once going east into Minnesota, and then again on the same bridge as it backed into the station in Fargo. On the bridge, it looked like the train was rolling right on the black water, which is at the top of the sandbagged dikes. Treetops stick out of the water; it was eerily beautiful. Everything at four o'clock a.m. is eerily beautiful.

Walking from the station downtown, pass the Fargo Linoleum Co., which has a sign on the glass front door: “Closed Friday and Saturday for Flooding.” Sandbags stacked about a foot high around the doors of a restaurant. Eighteen-wheeled trucks are running downtown; they look commercial. It is cold, and there is snowpack.

U.S.A., North Dakota

I booked the Amtrak ticket, then joined the Fargo-Moorhead Flood Volunteer Network group on Facebook, which at that point had 4,716 members. I called the volunteer information line and said that I was going to volunteer, and she told me to go to the Fargo Dome. I said I'd be in Fargo on early Saturday morning, and she said, oh, call just before you go out to volunteer so that you can be sent to the highest priority location at that time.

U.S.A., Minnesota, New Brighton

I would already be eastbound, but I ran the machine two quarts low on oil and then it felt like it was on three cylinders, so I took it into a shop.

Chicago, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Boston, DC, Nashville, Louisiana, Texas, Phoenix, LA. It almost feels like a chore... but this should be the last time I see these people in this hemisphere, and perhaps ever.

And I'd like to meander through Appalachia, Cajun country, West Texas. I'd like to learn French in a bayou in Louisiana. What if I stayed there? Could I?

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

Traffic was stacked out of SF down to Redwood City. I got to whiteline for almost half of the way. It was very excellent.

In the airports and planes today, I could still smell your lust on the skin of my face.

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

Last evening was warm for the trick-or-treaters. Then it thunderstormed after midnight.

It's raining beautifully outside.

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

I finished my paper! Now I can go to Missouri.

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

Called Leonid and Galena. Hadn’t met with them for several weeks, because Leonid’s mother was sick. Talked with Leonid. He said, “Many things have changed,” and that his mother was dead. Told him I was going to Russia, leaving December 28. Then graduating. Probably won’t see them again for a long time.

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

Macalester College
rooftop
Radigan Neuhalfen

U.S.A., Iowa, Clinton

Working for IMAC [Institute for Minnesota Archaeology Consulting]. Smokestacks pour smoke into the air over Clinton.

Spent the last weekend in the Cities, hanging out around Macalester with Nate, Darren, Chuck, Jesse, Cameron, Dan. James arrived later. Rick was there too.

The last ten-day, was in Iowa, in Clear Lake and Manchester. On the way from Iowa to the Cites last Wednesday, passed through Backbone State Park in Iowa. Caved and rock-climbed for a couple hours in a cave there. I was just driving through, because the highway suddenly turns into (becomes) the park road, and as I was driving through the park I saw a sign that said, “Cave.” So I did.

Before the last ten-day, which was my first for the season, had a few days. Got done with school on a Tuesday, left on Wednesday. (Started work on the next Monday.) Went to De Sotas’ in Wisconsin for a night. On the way back to the Cities, decided to just go straight to the Boundary Waters. Went up there. Rented a canoe. Went out on a lake. First day: paddled leisurely all day, explored stuff. Went through Bass Lake, Long Lake, and then down a long, winding stream to another lake, set up camp. Sundown. Fell asleep immediately. Awoke a few hours later; I could feel the storm coming. Just as I got the rain cover on the tent, it started raining. The storm was fierce. The night was cold. I was, and everything was, wet from the day of paddling. Shivered a lot; slept sporadically.

In the morning, only thought was to get dry. The day was long. It was cold, windy, overcast, rainy. I had to paddle upstream and against the wind. It was whitecapping on the lakes. I walked along the shore and pulled the canoe for a ways on Bass Lake. Sunup to sundown, the same distance I’d done the day before. I pushed it.

Got back, got dry, got to McGeachies’ in Duluth. Pat was there. Told him about it. It had been dangerous to go alone. The situation had been cold, wet, tired, hungry, daunting. I had thought, as I was there, wet and cold and tired, was this really where I would be if I could choose to be anywhere in the world? “I guess so,” I had to tell myself.

Stayed at McGeachies’ that night.

Next morning, went to the Cities. Arrived at Macalester, during graduation, just in time to see Kofi Annan speak. He began speaking as I walked up to James and Nate. Went to Iowa the next day. Spent one night out in Iowa City. It was the first time I’ve been in a bar legal to drink in the U.S. No, the first time in a bar legal Stateside was the bowling alley in Manchester, also that last ten-day but before Iowa City.

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

1986 Buick Century

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

Macalester College

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

Went to class today.

U.S.A., Minnesota, St. Paul

Macalester College
Radigan Neuhalfen

U.S.A., Minnesota, North Shore of Lake Superior

Radigan Neuhalfen

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

archaeological van

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

U.S.A., Minnesota, Minneapolis

U.S.A., Minnesota, Fort Snelling