The Naked Kayaker
  • Blog
    • Search the site
  • Resources
    • Complete List of Posts
    • Trip Planning 101
    • Intro to Kayaking - Course Outline
    • Where can I rent a kayak in Belgium/the Netherlands?
    • How do I get certified in NL?
    • Map of Paddling Clubs
    • Dutch-English Watersports Dictionary
  • Destinations
    • West Coast
    • Great Lakes Region
    • New York State
    • New England
    • Europe
    • Oceania
  • Water Nerd
  • About & Contact

Blog

"Believe me, my young friend. There is nothing, absolutely nothing,
half so worth doing as simply messing around in boats." 

The Wind in the Willows

Day 14: Floating the Missouri River and a Tour of Bismarck

8/1/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
After a quick bagel breakfast with Devin and Ginny, during which Devin attempted to make espresso with a broken machine (no luck, resulting in another steamer), I hopped in the car and headed east: destination Bismarck. I only made a brief stop in the Badlands (Medora, ND), where the gas station attendants were amused by my inability to operate an old-fashioned gas pump. 
Picture
Picture
The Badlands, with bugs on the window.
My friend Ruthie, who I met in the Bay Area a few years ago, grew up in Bismarck and just moved back home a few weeks ago. Her family lives next to the Missouri River. I tried to find the house using Google maps, to no avail – there were a few forks in the dirt road that Google hasn't creepily figured out yet, so Ruthie kindly gave me good ol’fashioned directions. I set up my tent in the yard and chatted with her young nephew about Legos. 


Ruthie and I went for a short but beautiful paddle along the river, putting in next to the house and paddling upstream until the thunderclouds became more ominous. 
Picture
The confusing gas pump
Picture
Tent in the yard near the Airstream that Ruthie is renovating
Picture
A side channel of the Missouri River that passes near Ruthie's house
Picture
Her brother shared some fresh pesto pasta with us before we headed into town to feed her friend’s cute dog. Just as we were preparing to pick Jeff up at the airport he texted, “I just landed… in Denver.” Apparently his flight was unable to pressurize the cabin air, resulting in an immediate return to Denver. Naturally, a flood of logistics unveiled in which he would be re-routed to Fargo the next morning. This would let me make more progress on the road-trip and allow us to pick up the rental kayak on time on Saturday. Jeff was later informed that while he could not be re-booked on the next flight to Bismarck (a couple hours later), his suitcase was on its way to Bismarck. Since this was apparently inflexible, he negotiated with the agents to let me pick up the bags in Bismarck.

In the mean time, Ruthie took me on a lovely tour of downtown Bismarck. We stopped for beers at the Laughing Sun Brewing Company, where I sipped a strawberry ale and she tried the brown ale. On the way home we stopped in at the old train station (bottom right photo), which was converted into a mexican restaurant when passenger trains stopped passing through Bismarck. We stopped into the local record store to say hi to Ruthie's friends before returning home.
Picture
Picture
Kayaking Stats
Date: August 1st, 2014
Distance: 1.5 miles
Time: ~30 mins
L
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Welcome!

    This is a blog about exploring the outdoors (mostly by kayak), traveling, trip planning, and coastal engineering. It currently focuses on kayaking in the Netherlands and Belgium, but previous posts cover Upstate New York, California, and much more. See the Complete List of Blog Posts for a history of the site. Looking for something specific? Search the site here.

    In addition to the blog, check out the Water Nerd section, where I write about coastal engineering and hydrology. 

    ​Happy Paddling!
    ​Nena

    Subscribe Here!

    Email updates on new blog posts, about once per month.

    Reader Tips

    Click the "Read More" link at the bottom of each summary for more photos, to see an interactive map of the route, and to read about the adventure.

    Maps in each blog post: Click the icons to learn more about the launch site (amenities) and destinations. Click the square in the bottom-left corner to see an aerial photo behind the route.
    Suggestions much appreciated!


    Archives

    December 2020
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    May 2011
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010


    Categories

    All
    Biking
    Camping
    Canoeing
    City Trip
    Distance: 00 - 05 Miles
    Distance: 05 - 10 Miles
    Distance: 10 - 15 Miles
    Distance: 15 - 20 Miles
    Distance: > 20 Miles
    Guest Post
    Hiking
    Kayak Polo
    Reflections
    Region: Belgium
    Region: California
    Region: Canary Islands
    Region: Croatia
    Region: France
    Region: Great Lakes
    Region: Greece
    Region: Italy
    Region: Netherlands
    Region: New York
    Region: New Zealand
    Region: Norway
    Region: Oregon
    Region: Portugal
    Region: Spain
    Region: Switzerland
    Region: UK
    Region: US East Coast
    Region: Vancouver
    Region: Washington
    Roadtrip
    Tide: Non-Tidal
    Tides: Non-Tidal
    Tides: Tidal
    Time Capsules
    Trip Planning 101
    Type: Bay
    Type: Canal
    Type: Channel
    Type: Fjord
    Type: Lake
    Type: Lake/Reservoir
    Type: Open Coast
    Type: River
    Water Nerd

    RSS Feed

    Click the RSS Feed link, copy the URL, and paste it into your favorite feed reader.
    Blog Expat: living abroad

    Expats Blog
© 2021 The Naked Kayaker. All rights Reserved.