June 19 and 20, 2016 Searching for ID in Montana

June 19, Williston to Glasgow, down day, 260 miles

June 20, Glasgow to Baker, reposition day, 245 miles

On June 18, our tour group did about 860 miles and we were rewarded with a very nasty severe storm west of Glasgow, Montana.  We awoke in Williston, ND, on the 19th, and an “enhanced” slight risk was on tap for central and eastern Minnesota.   A 5% tornado risk was over northeastern MN.  This area was too far to the east to bother with, so we drove back to the west to look for a lost iPod, which contained ID and credit cards.  One of our guests figured that this item of his fell onto the ground during one of our very quick stops while exiting the van.  And, he thought that the most likely location was on one of the 2 or 3 stops between Glasgow and Sleeping Buffalo along Highway 2.  Would we be able to figure out exactly where we stopped again?  And would we be able to find the wallet?  Would the iPod still work after sitting on the ground during a severe storm?  Would our guest have a big headache trying to get back home without his ID?

We stopped in Culbertson for lunch, and continued to the places where we thought we had stopped near Hinsdale and Saco, west of Glasgow.   The first place or two was a bust — no personal effects lying around.  On the third stop, we were searching along the side of the road in some tall grass for a while.  One guest had the exact spot, more or less, where we had stopped the day before based on her GPS record.  She thought we were looking a little too far to the west.  We walked another 150 feet or so farther to the east, and saw some tire tracks in the grass along the road — it looks like this might have been where we pulled off!  And, it took no time at all — Rook looked down and picked up the iPod with all of its contents!  It still worked, too.  Woohoo!

After some photography near Vandalia, we headed into Glasgow for the night.

The next day, June 20, was also a down day, and we repositioned to Baker, MT.  This put us in a good spot for severe weather in western ND on June 21.   On the 20th we explored some between Glasgow and Glendive, and from there to Baker on a remote and unpaved road (Oilfield and Anticline Rds).

Below, the church is at Brockton, MT; the red roof place is at Vandalia, the bird and old house were near Fort Peck Lake, the Badlands-like terrain was south of Glendive, and the old schoolhouse was between Baker and Glendive.