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Western Section
From Grand Forks, North Dakota to Baudette, Minnesota.
(Day 607 TS) 39°F. 7:00 am, sunny
Journey On, Day 71
Awake, arise, dress in my fall blues, drive to a brand new ff-mart for coffee, com and key pounding. I am finally getting caught up on my journal entries, in fact, today is the first time that I can say, "I am ready to push on further to the east."
My steps today first takes me across the Red River on US 2 into Minnesota but I become confused, make a wrong turn and due to the driving restrictions signage, end up going back across into North Dakota. However, when I try it again, this time I succeed on turning left on Minnesota SH 220 and begin my drive northward along the east side of the Red River until I arrive at where my Journey upon the Northern Tier Route here in Minnesota begins. That point would be where MN 220 arrives at its junction with Minnesota SH 11, the Waters of the Dancing Sky State Scenic Byway, which state highway is suppose to provide access and opportunity to see the aurora Borealis, or commonly called the northern lights, a feature which give the highway it name.
However, before venturing upon that new journey and only traveling just shy of ten miles eastward, I come upon and cross another highway that is oh, so, familiar to this Wayƒarer, yes, a roadpath which has been a part of my travels for most all of my life. In fact, the very first time that I came upon this freeway, that is, US highway 75, was when I was a boy of about nine years old, maybe even younger but ne′er a day older.
My First Experience on US 75
This happened during a time when venturing out from my home located at 1115 Roper street in South Houston, Texas, upon my very first
two-wheel bicycle on probably what amounted to my very first Long Journey. I had left home, rode all the way west on Roper Street for two full blocks until I arrived at a stop sign where my street ended at at location where I could only turn left or right. I choose to turn left onto Susan street, and then rode past Sulphur Street, past Regal Street and finally arrived at Shawnee Street where there was also a stop sign. To the left on Shawnee Street, I knew would take me back to my home, now several blocks away, but to the right was something completely new to this Wayƒarer out on his first Journey On.
There, to the right, and only a distance of only about one hundred feet, was a sign that read, "US Highway 75 North" with an arrow pointing to the right. I got off of my bicycle, used my foot to lower the kick-stand and then walked towards this massive roadpath. The amount of traffic on this road was overwhelming to this young boy who decided that this is as far as he would venture on this day. Also, on the side of Shawnee Street just before turning right onto the highway access road, there was a large billboard sign. I looked up at this billboard and saw that it was two sided, with a crawlspace between the two sides, and that there was a ladder built into the interior of the sign. I did not wait another minute but walked to the ladder, reached up, grabbed ahold of one of the rungs, pulled myself up and climbed to the first platform. Again, methought, "This is the first time I have ever climbed inside of a sign." and then thought "This is better than climbing up a tree!" After climbing to the top and examining the entire structure, I then turned my attention back to the highway.
I looked at this roadpath and could now see that it had four lanes with a barrier in the middle, dividing the roadpath into two lanes for each direction, one for northbound traffic and one on the opposite side for the southbound traffic. "Wow, this is a large road", I thought to myself. Too, methought, "I wander where this road goes to?" I stayed there that day up on the top of that sign looking out in every direction and taking in all of the sights. Methought, "One day, I will come back here and ride out on that road and explore even further than I have done today, but now, I must needs ride my bicycle back to my home because, my mom told, me to to be home by noon for lunch."
The US Highway 75 History
The US highway 75 was completed in 1926 and traversed from Noyes, Minnesota to Galveston, Texas at the total distance of 1,523 miles long and continued as a US highway until 1985 when the southern most section was truncated at Houston after having been replaced by IH 45 between Houston and Galveston.
Then, in 1987, the US 75 was truncated south of Dallas, Texas when the same IH 45 took its place. Now, the US Highway travels north from Dallas, Texas and continues through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota through to the Canadian border, with a total mileage of 1,239 miles. The southern terminus is located at IH 345 and Texas SH Spur 366 in Dallas, Texas where US 75 is known as the North Central Expressway.
The first freeway in Texas, opened to Houston traffic on 01 October 1948, was a several mile stretch of US 75, then being called the Gulf Freeway, which is now part of I 45 corridor.
Today, much of US 75 runs concurrent with other US highways and/or Interstate highways.
Furthermore, the original port of entry border crossing near Noyes, Minnesota has been permanently closed, with signage directing traffic west to use the new IH 29 border crossing.
After the truncation of US 75 south of Dallas, Texas, those roadpaths where US 75 traversed through many of the rural communities now carry the designation SH 75.
US 75,
Total Original Distance: 1,523 miles
Northern Terminus:
48.9845250, -97.2038369, (near Noyes, MN)
Southern Terminus:
29.2891316, -94.8334654, Galveston, Texas
US 75,
Total Truncated Distance: 1,239 miles
Current Southern Terminus:
32.7850892, -96.7915662, Dallas, Texas
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1011.1338) US Highway 75 Northern Terminus
The Next US Highway
Then, after taking numerous photos of the US 75 signage, I then drive east on the Minnesota SH 11 and then, so after, I arrive at and cross a second highway of nearly equal significance in my life. What is this new highway? Well, it is also well known in the state where I grew up and where in high school, participated in sports only to travel with the teams to places north of my high school in the areas of northeast Texas, and often traveling to those other schools on US highway 59. Yes, I arrive near to the northern terminus to this highway, US 59 after only driving another seventeen miles on the Waters of the Dancing sky State Scenic Route. Thus, I stop here as well and take more photos of this highway signage.
The US Highway 59
US 59,
Total Distance: 1,911 miles
Northern Terminus:
48.9980548, -96.8002213, North of Lancaster, MN
At the Canadian Border and Canada Highway 59
Southern Terminus:
27.5018244, -99.5028130, Laredo, Texas
At the Mexican Border and Mexico Federal Highway 89
The US Highway 59 History
The US Route 59 is a north-south US Highway and parallels US 75 for most of its entire route, never much more than 100 miles away, except where it veers southwest in Houston, Texas and leaves US 75 to head southwest to the border with Mexico at Laredo, Texas.
The US 59 highway was completed in 1934 and traverses some 1,911 miles through the states of Minnesotal, Iowa, Misouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas connecting Canada to Mexico.
In Canada, US 59 continues as Manitoba Provincial Trunk Highway 59 (PTH 59) and at the southern end, continues into Mexico from Laredo, Texas as Federal Highway 89.
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1011.1814) State Highway 11, Near US 59 Northern Terminus
Then, after another stop for photos, I continue eastward on my travel along the state scenic byway driving to and stopping in Warroad, Minnesota, a city which is on the shores of both the Lake of the Woods as well as having view into the Northwest Angle.
(Day 608 TS) 38°F. 7:30 am, sunny
Journey On, Day 72
Sleeping in the Jammer
Overnighting in a Parking Lot
Upon rising in Warroad, Minnesota, I drive through town to locate both a place to have coffee in the morning as well as a location for myself to overnight. What I found was a short drive off of SH 11 in a shopping center that has coffee shop inside of a g-mart, both of which are new businesses for me to visit. I park at the back of the parking lot on a side street and find it very quite. Then, I climb into the rear of the jammer, get into the horizontal, pull up the three dogs, and close my eyes.
The next morning, I venture out to explore the area and drive first to a waterside park right on the shore of the Lake of the Woods and the Northwest Angle, where I climb up the view tower to see the expanse to the north of me..
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1011.1338) State Highway 11, Warroad, MN View Tower
The Warroad
The name Warroad bespeaks the Indigenous American heritage of this town, at one time one of the largest Chippewa villages on Lake of the Woods. The Chippewa fought a long and fierce war against the Sioux for the rice fields in the lake.
Occupying the prairies of the Red River Valley, the Sioux would frequently invade the territory by way fo the Red and the Roseau Rivers. That route is one that ended at the mouth of the Warroad River. This route was the old "War Road" from which the river and the village derived their name.
Northwest Angle
The Northwest Angle is the northernmost point of the contiguous United States and it is a unique part of the state of Minnesota which is surrounded by Canada and the Lake of the Woods. Unless you have a boat for your transportation, the Northwest Angle is only accessible by land through Canada due to border mapping errors from the 1700s. This remote area, known for its superb walleye fishing, features small communities like Angle Inlet, and offers stunning natural beauty, though lacking typical amenities, with residents often traveling through Canada for supplies. Visitors are required to check in with U.S. Customs via video phone at Jim′s Corner.
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1011.1424) State Highway 11, Waters of the Dancing Sky
Baudette, Minnesota
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1012.1259) State Highway 11, Walie the Walleye
(m6fi-ntr-mn-2025-1011.1448) State Highway 11, Colors of the Dancing Leaves
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