Fort Stevenson State Park to Deepwater Bay Bed and Breakfast- Day 28- 44.46 mi.

Lewis and Clark often wrote about how they were plagued by mosquitoes. We really never understood fully what they were talking about until Fort Stevenson Campground. After last evening and this morning, we have some idea. The mosquitoes were ferocious. Just at dusk, they literally drove us into to the cabin for our traditional Lewis and Clark gin rummy game. This morning, just to get our dried clothes off the line and use the restroom, DEET was essential. They were attacking in full force and it was impossible to keep them off. We left the campground and those aggressive mosquitoes at 8:45 after a breakfast (cooked inside the cabin). It was fairly hilly route today...and a windy one. The wind was either quartering into us or a full headwind all day long. The wind was around 15 mph, strong enough to impede our travel somewhat. We biked though the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and had lunch at Ree's Store, I believe on the reservation. While there, we called a bed and breakfast about 20 miles further west and north. Yes, they had rooms, campers, or tent sites at varying prices. When we arrived around 4:00, we found internet service in the house, so we took one of the rooms in the house. The people here are very kind and helpful. I was able to do laundry, cook on a stove in their garage and we will be treated to a rancher's breakfast tomorrow morning. This is wonderful place to stay. Mrs. Gilbertson asked us if we would like to go for a drive and see the tipi rings that are still visible in some area near here. We agreed immediately and she took us in her Suburban though the fields to high point on their property. There before us were rings of stones that once circled the tipis of a former Native American culture. As I looked around, I could see that this location was chosen for a specific reason. From this vantage point, it would be impossible for an enemy to sneak up on the tipi dweller. I could see for miles in all directions.

Seventh Grade question:

Many of the Indians in this area built earthen lodges for their living quarters, yet we often see tipis standing on the reservations. Why did the Native Americans sometimes use tipis rather than their earthen lodges?

-Clarkwheel