STATES OF MIND - by Elizabeth Baer

Liz and Katharine at the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone

They’re called flyover states for a reason. With so much of our nation’s population concentrated on the coasts, most people have only glimpsed those states in the middle from the air, if at all. Although I am still very much in that group, I recently made some progress getting into the midst of things.

Well over a year ago, my friend Katharine happened to mention that she only had four more states to visit to complete the set: Hawaii, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho. Having spent her career working for Planned Parenthood, much of the time in compliance and accreditation, she traveled to visit affiliates all across the country.

She already had plans for Hawaii with her husband, and was musing about a road trip to see the other three. “I’ll go with you!” I cried. “You will?” she asked, perhaps in a bit of disbelief. “Sure! Why not?!”

I think Katharine had already developed the kernel of the idea to fly to Minneapolis, rent a car, and map out a road trip to hit North Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho. She also wanted to see Mount Rushmore, so the route took shape pretty easily when we pulled out the road atlas, deciding to end the trip in Seattle. I booked hotels, she researched rental car possibilities, and before we knew it, in late April, off we flew to Minneapolis.

Over the course of nine days and eight nights we spent time in six different states. For me, every state was new, and I adored the chance to see so much of this land, such varied topography, over the course of our 2500+ miles. And it brings me great joy to have visited so many places I had thought I might never see. Yet I certainly know better than to say I have any real sense of the six states we visited. Despite this very cursory glance, we enjoyed so many wonderful moments along the way.

In Fargo, ND, we tasted a local specialty, knoephla, at Kroll’s, an historic diner. This creamy chicken soup with potatoes and pillowy small dumplings (perhaps the closest description would be like large spätzle) originated with German-Russian immigrants, and it’s no wonder that the harsh winters made this hearty soup so iconic, at least locally. Although the “melting pot” metaphor has been challenged for many valid reasons, the image of immigrants bringing the template for this dish to these parts conjures up a full pot bubbling away. We got to the state capitol, Bismarck, in time to visit the North Dakota State Museum. I can’t say I had ever deliberately thought about the scope of a state museum, and I learned on this trip that they offer insights and valuable resources through exhibits on wide-ranging topics of importance to the state including geology, paleontology, indigenous history, and modern industry.

On our drive from Bismarck, ND to Wall, SD the landscape changed from extremely flat to a vista of low hills covered in scrubby vegetation. The route is almost entirely one lane in each direction, and we encountered few cars along the way. Extensive fencing delineated the borders of ranches, all in good condition, a constant task for those working the land. Passing the homes of those folks dotted along the way, Katharine and I wondered if we could ever live so remote, whether Amazon actually delivers to these homes, and how far is the nearest grocery store. Certainly life is less isolated now with the modern convenience of internet access, yet I can understand how folks in these parts think they live their lives entirely on their own, relying on no one but themselves, unaware that the “coastal elites” play a role in the complex interconnectedness of our world.

We skirted along the invisible line between Central and Mountain Time that cuts through both North and South Dakota, checking the clock to see when it changed, on our way to Wall Drug, a huge mecca in the middle of such sparsely populated regions and a somewhat kitschy establishment which surely survives on tourist dollars in season. On this unseasonably warm day – 90° – we drove through the Badlands on our way to Rapid City, SD, stopping and jumping out of the car time and again to see the unique landscape and for the first of what would turn out to be many bison on this journey.

When we finally reached the outskirts of Rapid City, we passed one new development after another, but as mere visitors, we only wondered what was bringing this growth to a city that most people probably don’t ever give a moment’s thought. Here was one of our historic hotel stops, the Hotel Alex Johnson, now run by Hilton. Built on the railroad dollars that connected regions and moved goods, at eight stories it is the tallest building in Rapid City, and before the storms came through and dropped the temperature, we did enjoy a drink in the rooftop lounge.

The next morning started with Mount Rushmore, which we felt looks so different from how either of us had envisioned it would be. As spectacular as it is, at one moment it feels smaller than the stock photos one always sees. Then, from another angle, it feels beyond grand. We most enjoyed the parts of the exhibit that explained in depth about the architecture, sculpture, and work of blasting and carving the rock formation into faces. Similarly awe-inspiring was the Crazy Horse Memorial, where we arrived there just as the introductory film was beginning. With both works of art, one complete, the other in progress, we found the process of creation most captivating.

From there, the long drive with the goal of reaching Cody, Wyoming, took us through stunning vistas and horrible weather. Through the Black Hills National Forest, and into Wyoming – Katharine’s 48th state – we soon entered Bighorn National Forest and started climbing, climbing, climbing, all the way to 9000+ feet elevation. Who designed and built this road?! What a feat! So many curves and switchbacks and amazing vistas all the way up and all the way down. Lots of signs pointed out the ages of the exposed rocks, and at another sign, for the Dead Swede Campground, we wondered who’d picked that name!

Once we got back down, the road was flat and straight, with a few towns scattered along the way. The smallest, Emblem, had a sign indicating a population of 10, but it did have a post office! At Greybull the flurries got heavier and heavier, until the last 30 miles or so with whiteout conditions and fierce winds, quite treacherous as the snow began accumulating. We were grateful the rental company gave us a bigger car than we had reserved, and Katharine is a rock star driver!

Arriving in Cody, WY, at our second historic hotel of the trip, Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel, we found ourselves alone in the hotel’s enormous dining room for dinner (no surprise with the weather), which, according to our server, Liz, is packed in the summer with a three-page list of folks waiting for tables. In addition to sprawling guest rooms with high ceilings and lots of old-timey wallpaper, the grand cherry wood bar along on side of the dining room brings guests into another era.

Coffee in the morning begins early at that very bar, where the locals arrive at dawn for breakfast and coffee and local gossip. Some folks overheard me chatting on the phone about today’s planned drive, and once I hung up they very generously set me straight. The route we had planned – looking at maps many months prior – was not yet open for the season! What we thought would be a two-hour drive to the east entrance to Yellowstone became a five-hour drive to the north entrance. And because it was still snowing, they advised that we take the longer distance route, all the way up to I-90 in Montana, because the shorter one would be end up being slower, and much snowier. Most notably, I learned a little bit about how the town changes through the seasons, and that a couple weeks later, all the locals would stop coming for breakfast until the tourist season has ended, well into the fall. Katharine, as I suspected, was unbothered by the route change, and we thoroughly enjoyed people watching as we had our breakfast.

After the stretch of the drive on I-90, we followed along the Yellowstone River until we entered the park, then soon re-entered Wyoming. Driving to our lodging for two nights Old Faithful Snow Lodge, we began to see some of the natural wonders of this part of the world such as steaming hot springs and bison, with gorgeous blue skies! We arrived in time for Old Faithful’s 4:24pm eruption, and right on schedule the water shot up, with lots of steam since the outside temperature was just around freezing. Two nights in Yellowstone was a break from packing up every morning and a chance to see some of the natural beauty of this land, even as we worry about how it will be protected moving forward. Much of the park was still closed this early in the season (from the high of 90°in the Badlands to a low of 9° when I woke up in Yellowstone), but there was plenty to see, including the Great Prismatic Spring, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, plenty of bison, and a bear!

Leaving Wyoming behind, we headed to Idaho, Katharine’s 49th state. Opting for the shorter mileage, we took local roads through a long stretch sparsely populated, which we later found out was the Idaho National Laboratory, part of the US Department of Energy with a focus on nuclear energy. And thus it came as no surprise when we arrived in Arco, Idaho and learned it was the “first city in the world to be lit on atomic power.” Although I did not order the “atomic burger,” our route brought us to a local spot for lunch, Pickle’s Place, just the kind of experience you don’t get sticking to the interstate. This part of the drive also brought us to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve, which offered clear and informative interpretation about the volcanic history of the area, which, more broadly, also includes Yellowstone.

Arriving in Boise on the late side with only one overnight gave us little time to explore, but before our departure, we devoted the morning to the Idaho State Museum. Between this one presenting myriad aspects of Idaho history, from the geologic to the industrial to the Native American to the Gold Rush and beyond, and what we saw in the North Dakota State Museum, these institutions punch way above their weight, at least as far as what I would have expected.

With one more night before reaching Seattle, we hit the road with the plan just to drive straight to Walla Walla, WA. The route is almost entirely on the interstate, and the topography makes clear why there are not various alternate routes. While we expected the sign at the Oregon border but we did not expect the “Entering Pacific Time” sign nor the sign indicating we had crossed the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Our final state line crossing was only a short way from Walla Walla where we had booked a room at The FINCH, an old motel-style building fully renovated and very hip, totally on brand in this well-known wine region.

Katharine and I came into Seattle at western terminus of Interstate 90, after over 2000 miles of driving, and 3099 miles from the eastern terminus in Massachusetts where we live. Had it not been for Katharine’s quest to notch up every state, I don’t think I ever would have done something like this, and I am so grateful she had this idea and was willing for me to join her. As with every such trip, we have our inside jokes and our shared memories, and though I know there is much more to learn about this land – much of which I will never have the time or resources to discover – I appreciate all I have learned along the way.

To read about this trip in more detail, as well as other travel and recipe posts, go to https://culinursa.substack.com/ 

Some food highlights from the trip:

Fargo, ND, Kroll’s Diner for the very local Knoephla

Rapid City, SD, Tally’s Silver Spoon for amazing, inventive cuisine

Cody, WY, Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel, for the beautiful cherrywood bar in the dining room

Arco, ID, Pickle’s Place, for delicious burgers with “John’s Spice”

Walla Walla, WA, The Witlof, for creative cuisine melding Basque, Dutch, and Korean tastes