Page 47 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

I then began to see very strange dark small shapes waddling

across the light colored concrete. I finally stopped and we piled
out to identify the creatures. Getting out the reptile and

amphibian book, we discovered that we were dealing with the

tiger gray salamander. They’re about 8 inches long, striped, stout,
slippery, slimy, and slow. Just couldn’t resist the question, “ Why

does the salamander cross the road?” No answer was evident.

We were looking for a place to have our usual picnic breakfast of
cereal and juice when we came across the Icelandic Heritage State

Park. We didn’t stay to enjoy the park but did take time to talk
with the young lady “manning” the tollbooth. She confirmed that

there is a significant immigrant population of Icelandic heritage.

Her grandparents are Icelandic. She had taken her first trip to
Iceland with them in May of this year. She was very pretty with

the clear skin, blue eyes, and blond hair we saw in all the
Scandinavian population in the home country. As is common in

the youth here, she was very assured, mature in speech and
demeanor, and polite. As we drove off, she was thanking us for

stopping at her park.

Speaking of complexions – the natives of this area age very

gracefully. There is no sun damage of skin at these latitudes. The
smokers don’t do as well as would be predicted.

We chose Baudette as an overnight as it is near Lake of the

Woods. We thought there would be a lot for us to do there. We
were wrong.

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