First Stop in North Dakota: Scheel's!

A lot of people ask, "Which airport do you use in North Dakota?"

We always reply, "Fargo."  Because that's where Scheel's is. Scheel's is a North Dakota institution, a friendly palace to outdoor life, geared to families and above all, fun.

It has every possible sporting good, type of clothing or gear a person could ever need. Scheel's is where we discovered Keen shoes. And are wearing them still.

We go there to stock up on everything from Frisbees and dog toys to camping stuff, shoes and clothing.

And we go for the Ferris Wheel. The Hotdog Brothers take one seat, the Chimney Swift Sisters take the other.

We ride it a couple of times while we're there.

It is awesome and dizzying but not really too scary. Just enough to sweat your palms. (Mine are sweating just looking at this photo).

We wish we had a Scheel's in Ohio. We would gladly trade all our Cabela's and Dick's for one Scheel's.

 You can get the best sandwiches ever there, too. Try the turkey with cranberry cream cheese on wild rice bread . Ohhh my gosh. Get extra sprouts on it.

When we leave the big city, we head out to tiny towns on the prairie with my kind of Main Street. This one has Eurasian collared-doves in its grain elevator. So we stop there on our Big Day.

Lonely deserted homes and potholes, the wind singing through the barbed wire and missing windows.

Phoebe watches the scopes left behind, and they watch her.

A common snipe crouches on a fencepost, a single drop of water glistening on its bill.

And everywhere, yellow-headed blackbirds sing Kor de BLAAAAAAAAA!