Sadly, it was time to take our departure from our dear friends and head on to the next part of our vacation. Goodbye, Carleen, Doug, Reyka and Cassidy! We will see you all again!
We cut across country, with rather monotonous scenery.
He asked to look in the trunk and was shocked that we couldn't open it from inside, acting like we were trying to hide something. It waas finally opened, and then he asked why we had so much luggage for such a short visit! We went around in circles for a few days before I spelled out in words of one syllables that we lived in Germany and were visiting the US and Canada on holiday and that I indeed live full-time in Germany, complete with green card equivalent.
It was significantly more eye-rolling than frustrating. At any rate we were back in the US and North Dakota.
Anyway, more of the same landscape on the hour long drive on a backroad which was not in the best condition, Our first stop upon arriving at Devils Lake was a gas station.
Having looked at the maps, we decided on this trip that we would keep the tank full and top it up whenever we had the opportunity, as there is much nothing, so to speak, along much of our route. It turned out to be a good idea as we frequently got into conversations with locals at these stops.
There was a Burger King on the opposite side of the parking lot, and it being lunchtime, we headed there. The first of far too many fast food meals, but one does not always have a choice.
From there we headed to Walmart to stock up on bottle water, snacks and other necessities of life. We were greeted by this imaginative display.
Along the way I realized I had left my rain jacket hanging in the Cooke's closet, and of course it was now threatening rain. I searched Walmart for another one, and did not see any kind of jacket, rain, winter or otherwise. I asked a salesperson who said they had had some but they were all sold out. Maybe still some in the Boys department. I decided I would take my chances on getting wet as it was indeed starting to rain.
The rain not only included but settled into a steady rain under dark skies, which did not exactly encourage us to view the lake. We went ahead and drove to the Grahams Island State Park in the lake, as planned, Only to realize that it is basically a campground for anglers. So we drove on the one short road, took some blurry photos and returned to the town and checked into the motel.
Our motel was the Sunlac Inn. It is rather unappealing from first view, giving the impression of just being plopped down on the edge of a large parking lot. The reception was in the breakfast room, although all-purpose room might be the better description. The room was perfectly adequate, as was breakfast the next morning. There's nothing really bad to say about any of it, but somehow that certain something was missing -- or perhaps it was just the weather affecting our mood. Dinner was snacks in our room.
I liked this fish collage on the wall of the breakfast room.
All in all, not a great day. Not awful, but not great or satisfactory, and yes, it was mainly the weather that affected our mood. At first I worried that the whole trip was going to be that way, but then convinced myself that this would be the one "down" day and the rest would be lots better. And how true that proved the next day!
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