your next vacation?

One of my first assignments for the NY Times was to go Sailing in North Dakota. When I heard about it, my forehead wrinkled into a confused frown. What could we possibly sail on in ND that would be worth the NY Times' attention? Of course, I took the assignment though...

I had a lot to learn about ND. I will preface the rest of this story with this: North Dakota is now one of my favorite states. Why?! you might exclaim. The reason I love it is the same reason I didn't think I would. There is not much there. It is spread out, vast and empty for the most part. Living in a metropolis for the last 7 years has taught me to appreciate the "empty" space of some of our "bread basket" states.

Back to the sailing now. Lake Sakakawea is the product of damming the Missouri River at the edge of the badlands. So, as you can see from the images, the lake is the badlands - now with water in it. Gorgeous! The sailing was great. The lake is huge. Not very wide, but look at a map of the state and you will see how much area you can cover on the lake.

We sailed on the "Sovereign", captained by Mike Quinn who lives in Haven, ND. He's a jolly, affable gentleman who make you feel like you've know him for years - and once you meet him you will want to. I really enjoyed Mike's company. So much so, that this summer - a year after the assignment, I took my family of four (Wife, son {6}, son {3} and I) of an overnight sail on the "Sovereign" - Mike's 35-40' sailboat that sleeps as many as 6 (more if you get cozy).

The highlights, besides the beautiful scenery and sailing, were grilling burgers on the boat at sunset, searching for (and finding) fossils in the red clay hills, dragging behind the boat on a rope - with a kid on my back. After a busy day, we fell asleep to the gentle rocking of the boat. Just like mom and the rocking chair. Ahhh...

From Minneapolis, Haven is a 7-8 hour drive. A do-able distance. If you are looking for your next domestic vacation and you desire an adventure that is at the same time relaxing and fun, give me a shout and I'll connect you with Mike. He charters the boat during the summer and would love to show you his lake. You won't be disappointed.

While you are out there, you might also want to make a short drive to the rustic cabins on the edge of the badlands. Cheap - no seriously - CHEAP and quiet little cabins - not luxurious, rustic. From there you can hike as far as you'd like into the badlands. Great times. If you have any questions about the trip, let me know, It is a trip I will take again and think that some of you might also enjoy. (www.badlandstrailrides.com)- cabin information and photos.

Trouble adding images - will come soon though.