Day 8: Sept 10, 2026. Jamestown ND to Brainerd, MN

As usual, the signal for beginning the day came from Tad. The answer came from Kasey this time and I slumbered on. The Bison Museum was not open until 10 am so we were in no rush. The other Harvest Host guests were readying themselves for the days journey. Kasey returned with Tad and he crawled back in bed. The coffee brewing filled the air and eventually signaled that it was time to remove it from the flame. We ate breakfast and headed for the Trading Post to see what was interesting.

The parking lot was starting to fill and I thought we would get a peak at the Bison in the field but they made themselves scarce. Perhaps because there had been a few vocal dogs among the guests. 

To our delight, a hand written sign on the door to the Trading Post read ”Dog Friendly” and so we all stepped inside. The owner, Roger, was very talkative and began to engage us in conversation. His wife is retiring soon and they want to move to Oregon or someplace with sand and an ocean. It was end of the season and everything was 25% off.

Roger is a dog fan and told me about a few of the dogs that he’d had including a Golden Retriever and Irish Setter cross. As I talked, Kasey and Tad wondered around looking at all the items for sale. Baseball memorabilia, hunting and fishing items, jewelry, and scores of unique items that we did not need. 

Kasey had spotted a set of statues of Laurel and Hardy and a conversation quickly shifted to nostalgia. Roger said no one remembers them anymore and he was the first to ask about them. Well, pretty soon we had Laurel and Hardy on the counter and in no time, out the door. Once in view, many senior members of society were smiling in recognition ; Kasey with delight.

Once Laurel and Hardy were safely tucked into the motorhome, we stepped into the museum for a historical lesson about Bison. It ain’t pretty. It is sad. 

Luckily, there were people who recognized the plight of the bison before it was too late. Not as numerous as they were historically, the herds have resurged with the help of some notable people both historical and contemporary. 

Bison are remarkable and much preferred over cattle. I became a vegetarian when I was in college because of the cattle industry. Over the years I began to eat other meats and still avoid beef. Bison, I have no problem with and I chose to not support an industry that seeks to influence which predators are removed because they are attacking their non-native herd. The recent focus on lethally removing the Mexican Gray Wolf because it is preying in cattle is disheartening. There are so few of the wolves left and so many unnatural cattle. Maybe the ranchers should raise Bison. 

At least the Bison have good vision and instincts. While swapping cattle for bison would undoubtedly reduce wolf-livestock conflicts and lower livestock mortality, the transition requires substantial upfront capital and a complete shift in management practices. If we ever do shift to Bison as a major source of protein, the health benefits would be a bonus since Bison are lower in fat and rich in iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. It all comes down to money. 

We didn’t really see the Bison up close, but just knowing that they are there was important. 

We pointed our vehicle toward the east and set out for Brainerd where Kasey’s cousin, Jesse and his family live. Kasey mapped it out on a Google Maps and I was tasked with filling the silence. We had several hours of driving ahead. Finding a gas station and finding a sanidump were my tasks. Knowing the route we were taking, I found both in easy to access and convenient locations. First stop would be the sanidump so I plotted it in for navigation. Well, something seemed off. We weren’t on the highway I thought we were on. Seems a wrong turn was made when I was doing my research. 

No worries, to get back on track, the route would take us east and then south. At least we didn’t end up in Canada. The little town if Gadena provided an inexpensive and convenient spot to empty our tanks and the town of Baxter is where we filled our gas tank. It would be the last stop before Jesse’s and the last place the credit card, now missing, was used.

At Jesse’s, we maneuvered the RV down into the driveway. Jesse was there to greet us as was his daughter Caroline and a couple of friends. Bud and Rudy were waiting to meet Tad and they all got along swimmingly. We had dinner, salmon, vegetables, and rice. After dinner, we took a walk with all 3 dogs through the neighborhood. One of the houses had a lawn mowing robot. That’s a first for me. 

We settled on the patio for conversation and a fire. Jesse and I started talking about our religious upbringing and although we both were raised Catholic, we have different experiences and similar philosophies about it. We agreed on many aspects and how important it is to be kind, compassionate, and accepting. Nothing wrong with that.

Time to turn in. I looked at my phone and at some point missed a call. The number traced to Baxter. It was then we realized the credit card was missing. I surmise that it is Costco and someone has turned it in but we will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. The dog is exhausted. That is a good thing.