While driving along 94 from Minnesota to North Dakota, I discovered murder scenes, frontier life, and world’s largest everything.
Alexandria’s Big Ole Viking
My first point of interest pulled me into the small town of Alexandria, Minnesota. Admittedly, I questioned whether this little jaunt to visit the World’s Biggest Viking would be worthwhile. As I drove towards Alexandria’s Central Park, however, the massive Norseman eyed my approach. Big Ole Viking towered over everything in his view–cars, trees, buildings, and me!
Booming Prairie Chicken
Just after leaving Alexandria, a small sign along the highway revealed that I would soon pass the World’s Largest Prairie Chicken. I adjusted my plans accordingly! When I arrived in Rothsay, I realized that the World’s Largest Prairie Chicken statue actually depicted a male prairie chicken in the throws of a mating ritual—also known as booming. Those puffed out air sacs on his neck totally gave him away.
I imagined this big, crazy bird stomping, jumping, and whooping about. Other chickens in the field would be absolutely terrified. This is why I adore roadside attractions. I mean, really. It’s a giant booming prairie chicken.
Fargo’s Famous Woodchipper
After admiring the gigantic prairie chicken, I headed to the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center. Outside, this inconspicuous building looks like any other center for tourism. Inside? Murder!
I watched Fargo by the Coen Brothers years ago, and I’ll never forget that infamous woodchipper scene. Much to my delight, the real woodchipper from the movie shocked unsuspecting tourists from just inside the entrance of the visitor’s center. A dismembered leg stuck right out of the hopper. Ooh …grisly!
Moorhead’s Hjemkomst Center
Later, I toured a nearby set of world class exhibits on regional Viking history at the Hjemkomst Center. Once inside, I admired an impressive replica of their namesake Viking vessel—the Hjemkomst. This may not be the world’s largest Viking ship, but it is definitely impressive.
Frontier Village in Jamestown
Now continuing to Jamestown, I looked forward to my stop at Frontier Village. Old buildings, antiques, and artifacts peppered the landscape of this charming village. Historians decorated many of these original buildings with period-specific artifacts to offer a taste of pioneer life.
On my way through Minnesota, I listened to Louis L’Amour’s Lonesome Gods on audiobook. Now, I stepped inside the writer’s shack dedicated to Louis L’Amour at Frontier Village. While small and dusty, this shack featured a few interesting Louis L’Amour artifacts including books, typewriters, photographs, and memorabilia.
And, of course, a stop at Frontier Village would not be complete without a peek at the World’s Largest Buffalo! This massive buffalo statue guarded several living buffalo at a nearby pasture.
Sandy, The Sandhill Crane
As I left Frontier Village, the sky unloaded a torrent of rain. Yet, this didn’t stop me from visiting Sandy the World’s Biggest Sandhill Crane. She proudly watched over Steele, North Dakota. At 40 feet in height, she dwarfed my little Volkswagen GTI.
Bismarck’s Famous Knoephla
After a very long day of driving, I checked in for a night at the Sleep Inn. While in Bismarck, I couldn’t wait to sample North Dakota’s famous knoephla soup. Once I settled into my room, I drove over to Kroll’s Diner to taste this regional specialty first hand.
Loaded with dumplings, this creamy chicken soup delighted my carb-starved tastebuds. Having ejected carbs from my diet for several months to shed some unwanted weight, this soup felt like a serious guilty pleasure. I really loved this dish. It’s hard to say whether this soup was as tasty as I believed it was at the time, or if I was simply swooning over the abundance of carbohydrates.
After dinner, I crawled into bed for a good night’s sleep. According to the storm prediction center, inclement weather would likely move into the area mid-morning. I hoped to wake up bright and early the next morning to log as many miles as possible before those storms fired up. Fortunately, I slept like a baby that night. Unfortunately, I didn’t beat the storms.
More From This Road Trip
- Road Trip Planning for Solo Travel
- On The Wisconsin Cheese Trail
- Dinosaurs & Rough Riders
- Hiking Theodore Roosevelt NP
