UPDATE: Saturday, Oct 4, 2025 · 8:21:58 PM Central Daylight Time · manoffire
Update: We have finished the Northern portion of U.S. 83 from Junction Tx to the Canadian border. The border crossing was closed for the day. So we went to the crossing at US 281 at the Peace Garden. 281 is the longest 3 digit road in the US federal system, running from the bridge to Mexico at Hidalgo, Tx to the Canadian border. Tonight we are at a very nice resort in a long cabin. Prothero's resort at Angle Inlet, Minnesota. That is the part the sticks northward above the main US Canada border and the northernmost point of the lower 48.
We have seen our first ever Trumpeter Swans. An American Bittern flew right overhead. This is an exceptionally hard bird to see, but it gave us a nice view. Tomorrow a bit of early morning birding and maybe a boat ride. Then back to Canada and into Minnesota again to Lake Itasca and the start of the Mississippi.
UPDATE: Thursday, Oct 2, 2025 · 9:27:20 PM Central Daylight Time · manoffire
Tonight in Linton, North Dakota. Tomorrow, Bismark, Minot, Canada. Cross the border and towards Angle Inlet. We will finish the Junction Texas to Canada tomorrow.
UPDATE: Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 · 10:42:07 PM Central Daylight Time · manoffire
Into the Sand Hill of Nebraska. A fair birding day. Two life birds, a warbling vireo and an alder flycatcher. More tomorrow
UPDATE: Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 · 8:40:59 PM Central Daylight Time · manoffire
Update, day 2. Woke up in Aspermont, Texas. 431 miles for the day to Scott City, Kansas. Some Northern Harriers. Ravens, vultures, Asian Collared doves. Stopped at a refuge along the Canadian River. It was what Rachel Carson wrote about. An hour in wetlands. One Red Tailed Hawk. Zippo. Silent. Some frogs.
UPDATE: Monday, Sep 29, 2025 · 11:16:17 PM Central Daylight Time · manoffire
Part 2: US Highways 83 and 61 edition.
Welcome fellow travelers! Back in April of 2019. My brother Greg and I (Manoffire), set of on a road trip across America. US Hwy 50, known as the loneliest road. Sacramento, California to Ocean City, Maryland. We drove that and back to our starting point in Spokane, WA. We blogged here about it and asked those along the route to contact us so we could do lunch, meet up, and meet other DKers.
Today we left from Austin, Texas where I live and went to Junction, Texas. Turned right and started driving up US Highway 83, known as The Road to Nowhere. We will thae 83 to the Canadian border. Then To Angle Inlet, MN. This it that little tab of Minnesota that sticks up a bit and puts a dent into Canada.
Westwood: Highway 83
Next it will be to Lake Itasca and the birthplace of the Mississippi river. We will go to Wyoming, Minnesota and Pick up US Hwy. 61. Known as the Blues Highway. Made famous by the many blues players that were formed in that area of the Mississippi Delta. Bb King, Johnny Winter et.al. Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited honored this area and covered in magnificent fashion by Winter. We will continue to New Orleans and all the way down the delta to Venice, LA. And the farthest southern point of the Mississippi accessable by car.
Johnny Winter: Highway 61 Revisited.
Then off to Texas down to Brownsville and Boca Chica. Picking up the southern end of 83 in Brownsville, we head north to Junction again and back home.
North and South thought the center of America after we did the West to East and back.
We hope you follow us along the way.
Today we did 400.5 miles and are at Hickman's Motel in Aspermont, Texas north of Aneline. Clean and restored to a nice roadside stop. The IGA in town closed at 8. Tomorrow we should finish the Panhandle through Perryton, cross Oklahoma, through Liberal, Kansas and up north some more. We figure 3 weeks of easy driving and discovery.
Here's the deal. If you live anywhere along this route, contact us and we can meet, have lunch or just tip one back, chat about being a Dem in the heat of the Country. Let us know. And if you know of cool things to see, especially birding sites, do let us know. We are both birders and have goals of 7 to 10 new lifer birds. I'm looking for Nelson's and Henslow's Sparrows up north, and Brown Jays in the Rio Grande Valley. Swans, migrating hawks, maybe some warblers. I'll try and put up some pictures and songs for the road. What to eat? Where to eat? Are there really liberals in Liberal, Kansas? Let's meet. We want to see and report on how things are, if there are political shifts upon the land, wealth, poverty, what needs to work and change in middle America. What we need to do to break the hold on the red center.
Keep up with us for the next few weeks, and plan your road trip.
We are driving my 2022 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, so hope to see some back and off roads too.
The Sand Hills
The Road to Nowhere
Dismal River
Brother Greg overlooking the Sandhills of Nebraska at the Dismal River. Actually a quite beautiful river valley.
US Highway 83
US Highway 61
So today we did not drive that far, from Scott City, Kansas to Thedford, Nebraska.
But just about a perfect day.
Lunch at the Teller room, an old bank lobby, linen tablecloths and real napkins very good food, pretty formal, but casual atmosphere. Oberlin Kansas. And saw a huge train yard in North Platte, Nebraska. But the highlight of the day was the Punished Woman River historical site in Kansas. The Northern Cheyenne had been forced onto a reservation in Oklahoma and were dying in drives from typhoid and other diseases. Dull Knife and Little Wolf decided to risk everything. They left the reservation at night with the whole group. Headed back home to Yellowstone territory. They had a few skirmishes. They knew the Army was coming for them. An interesting history of a people fighting for survival and for a return. Punished Woman Battle
Tomorrow to Nebraska National Forest and Valentine National Wildlife and Ft Neal Brara National Wildlife refuges. The to SD. And hopefully Bismak tomorrow night.
