2019 will be remembered as the year we put the pedal to the metal;   6 states in 10 months, driving our total to 38 states completed overall.  The goal we had set 16 years ago after limping across the finish line at Lake Tahoe was in our sights.   We identified, planned and calendared the remaining 12 states.  Anticipation tempted us to schedule a race every month and sprint to the finish line, but wisdom dictated that the steady, even pace that got us this far would take us to the end.

Selecting a race in North Dakota was challenging.   The weather is too harsh for running much of the year and race options are limited.   Fargo bubbled to the top as a friendly city offering a fall run on a flat course along the Red River, showcasing brilliant fall colors.   In addition, the travel was simple.   Fly Mesa to Fargo on Allegiant and drive 10 minutes to our AirBnB – with the exception of Melodie who had an extra leg from Oakland to Mesa.  After the travel marathons of Michigan and Maine, we were ready for easy.   And as an added bonus, all 5 sisters were able to make the trip which is always a special treat.

As usual, we had been weather watching and were alarmed to see the winter storm that blanketed the Midwest the week before the race.   Blizzard conditions followed by heavy rain and winds spread across the Dakotas and Minnesota and for a while we wondered if traveling would be wise.   Amazingly, as race weekend neared, the weather warmed up considerably and ended up being pretty close to perfect.  The biggest impact was the flooding which meant the entire race course had to be rerouted to avoid the Red River and knee-deep mud on the trails.

I picked up Melodie from Sky Harbor Thursday morning and we met our sisters at Mesa Gateway that afternoon to start our trip.  Allegiant Airlines does not have a lot of frills, but it gets us to these small towns where major airlines do not fly.

We arrived in Fargo without incident and checked into our AirBnB at 6:00 that evening.  This particular AirBnb was someone’s home and had a definite lived-in feeling, but it was large and accommodating with many amenities, including a hot tub, so we were happy.   In addition, the host was attentive and helpful, which is always a big plus.

Our host left us a detailed list of places to eat in Fargo, so we picked Porter Creek Hardwood Grill and headed out for a nice dinner.   We pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves.   Thursday night is quiet in Fargo, North Dakota.

Later that evening we wandered around looking for a grocery store but found that Fargo was a town where sidewalks roll up by 9:00 pm.   Better luck the next day.

Sight-seeing has become a big part of our 50 states journey, but we were warned that Fargo did not offer a lot in the way of major tourist attractions.  Fortunately for us, the company was so good that we would have enjoyed ourselves regardless, but we did some digging and found a local attraction that looked interesting.

We chose to visit the Heritage Hjemkomst Center located in Moorhead, Minnesota.  The center stands as a testament to Norwegian culture and heritage in the Red River Valley. The main exhibits are the Hjemkomst, a Viking long boat modeled after one excavated from a 9th Century ship burial, and a full-scale replica of an 11th Century Scandinavian wooden stave church.  The center also had several galleries for rotating exhibits.   At the time of our tour, the exhibit focused on World War I and local servicemen who served.   The pictures, stories, and artifacts were gripping and told a story we don’t hear often.

The Hjemkomst, which means “Homecoming” in Norwegian, is a full-scale replica of the Gokstad Viking ship that was discovered in Norway in 1880.  It began as the project of an injured schoolteacher and amateur shipwright, Robert Asp, who wanted to honor his Norwegian heritage by building a replica of the ship and sailing it from Duluth, Minnesota to Oslo, Norway.  We watched a short film that detailed the whole story and were amazed by the dedication of the family willing to do whatever was necessary to make Robert Asp’s dream a reality.  It took ten years of planning, building and training to accomplish their goal.

The finished ship features the horned head of a dragon which the crew named Igor.

This picture illustrates the sleeping conditions for the crew of 12.   They took turns sleeping during the three month voyage.

The center mast was 63 feet tall and supported a 30′ x 40′ main sail and a 10′ x 30′ top sail.

The other main attraction at the center was the Hopperstad Stave Church.   The church is an amazingly detailed full-scale replica of the stave church at Vik, Norway built 900 years ago.  This style of a wooden structure with post and lintel construction and a steep sloping roofline was popular in northern Europe during the Middle Ages.   This particular replica was built by Guy Paulson who wanted to use his 20+ years of woodcarving experience to pay homage to his heritage as the son of Norwegian immigrants.   In total, Paulson spent 5 1/2 years building the 72 ft tall replica and completing the incredibly detailed ornamental carvings.

Aside from the fascinating history lesson we received at the Hjemkomst Center, we spent the rest of the day picking up our packets, eating and driving around the city.   In retrospect I realized none of us took as many pictures as usual, but I chalk that up to the fact that we were all too much in the moment to remember.

Race morning typically means crawling out of bed at 5:30 am and gulping down a high calorie breakfast before you are even hungry.   This particular race, however, had a far more relaxed start than usual.  The Fargo Mini Marathon/10K/5K was unique in that the race start was actually inside the Fargo Civic Center.   Inside of standing around outside at 7:00 am shivering in our shoes and waiting in long porta potty lines, we got to wait inside a warm building with plenty of rest rooms and places to sit and relax while being entertained by a local musician playing old-time country western favorites.

And we were off.   The temperature at race start was 42, but since we didn’t have to freeze to death before starting, it actually felt energizing.  Even though the race course had undergone massive last-minute changes to avoid mud and water, it still followed beautiful paved roads and trails with fall colors in abundance.   And it was flat!   After Tennessee, New Hampshire, Michigan and Maine, we were ready for a race without hills, and this one filled that bill admirably.    Linda and Melodie both provided some great pictures of the course.   Thank goodness for sisters who stop and smell the roses!

It was one of those races where everything just went right.   Cool, crisp temperatures, flat course, no nagging pains equal great race times.  That doesn’t always happen, so we savor the moment when it does.  By the time we finished, the temperature had crawled to the high 50’s which is as perfect for running as you can get.  It was so fun to have all 5 of us there, laughing and celebrating together.

Traditions are pretty entrenched by state race #38, so it’s no secret what we did next.  Hot tub, showers, and then the nicest restaurant we could find in the area.   We drove to Moorhead, Minnesota again and ate at a place called Ironwood Grill.   The food was absolutely delicious which topped off the day nicely.   We got a tip that it was our waiter’s birthday, so we spilled a little of our celebration on to him.

We spent the evening watching the movie POMS together.   Although billed as a comedy, it also had a serious message that resonated with this 62+ crew;   it is never too late to follow your dreams and everyone counts!   It was a great way to end the day.

Sunday was a travel day, but as the only flight out of Fargo did not leave until 8:10 pm, we had some hours to fill.   We completed the requisite housekeeping chores, packed our bags and were ready to go around noon.   Someone dared me to climb into a tree swing meant for small children, so of course I did.   It was a slightly foolish, precarious act, but the entertainment value was high.   Thank goodness I didn’t break the branch.

Earlier in the trip, I had challenged each of my sisters to come up with something they wanted to do.   The Hjemkomst Center was somewhat of a collective decision, but Melodie also wanted to visit the Roger Maris Museum and Colleen wanted to shop.  Surprise, anyone? It just so happens that the museum was in Fargo’s one and only mall – the West Acres Regional Shopping Center, so that is where we headed.

Shopping doesn’t last long for some of us, but we did enjoy the Roger Maris Museum.  We wandered through the exhibits and watched a film of his life.   He was a humble man who just wanted to play baseball and help his team.   He did not relish the spotlight.

We spent a couple of hours at a local sports bar watching the Seahawks lose miserably to the Ravens, and then it was time to head for the airport.   As trips go, the logistics on this one were as smooth and easy as any trip we’ve ever done.   The drive to the airport took 10 minutes, our flight left right on time, and in two short hours we were home.

Our delightful weekend didn’t end there.  Melodie decided to stay over an extra day in Mesa to see the rest of the family in the area.   We had breakfast with Rosaleen, Bethany, Tony, Paola and little Maddy, then Melodie and I went hiking for a few hours.

That evening, all the AZ family met at Colleen’s for more visiting and eating.   You’d think we would get tired of talking, but we never do.   The topics are as endless and varied as the opinions.   We are so blessed to have family that we also count as friends.  Sharing our thoughts, ideas, passions and goals is our favorite thing to do.

And so Fargo, ND State #38 is in the books.   We are taking a short hiatus and will not be doing another states race until Feb 2020.   We’re a little worried about such a long break, but God willing, we’ll be back at it next year with the bit in our teeth, and the finish line in our sights;  traveling, laughing and running together.

‘Til next time.

Next up, Greenville, MS.