Welcome to Cavalier County.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger      5 comments      link this post     


Driving through Hampden on the only paved street in town, you may be curious and inwardly wonder at exactly what point you leave Ramsey county and cross into Cavalier county. This might seem confusing because the county line is just a wee bit north of Hampden, my beloved home turf. Rest assured you'll never again, after reading this post, wonder when you've crossed over.

I don't use the phrase "crossed over" lightly, either.

Ramsey Co. #3 turns into Cavalier Co. "The Jawbreaker" #13 at the county line with a yellow sign having the official duty of warning drivers that the upcoming road has 8 miles of rough pavement.

Actually, in an effort to save money (which will eventually be the moral of this story and the downfall of travelers), Cavalier county used a sign that was supposed to read "ROUGH ROAD NEXT 1 M." By simply painting a kind of backwards "3" next to the "1", the sign now reads "ROUGH ROAD NEXT 8 M." Unfortunately, the technique used to create the eight failed and instead, it looks like it reads "ROUGH ROAD NEXT BM."

There were never truer words ever spoken.

By the time you travel down the road, you'll be thinking about your next BM. Or, for the tragic few that find the jolts and potholes too much, they'll have unexpectedly had it and will be wondering if they can send the cleaning bill to the county.

The correct sign would be a bit larger and would contain the following helpful information:

WELCOME TO CAVALIER COUNTY! WE HAVE SEVERAL SERVICE STATIONS IN OUR COUNTY THAT CAN FIX:
For the three years I was a reporter for the Cavalier County Republican, I witnessed many heroic efforts by local Hampden residents who lived on the north side of the county line. Over and over they tried to convince the county to fix the road. Over and over the funds weren't there, other roads were fixed, and the gaping potholes and rubble-filled regions of the highway were filled with a hodge-podge of cold mix and gravel which stayed around just long enough to be blasted into the ditch by the next semi hauling grain.

Bless you, Ramsey county, for maintaining our highway. My car seats aren't Scotchgarded.

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Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger  12/03/2006 12:01:00 AM   (5) comments   Links to this post    

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5 Comments:

I'm trying to figure out which direction your talking? Is that south of Hampden?

By Anonymous Doug, at 3/12/06 04:52  

Juls, you have once again given me a good laugh this morning. I know your road is not funny, but your descriptives brought a smile.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3/12/06 08:43  

Doug, If you drive through Hampden and head north, towards highway 66, you'll get an intimate look at the road I'm referring to.

By Blogger Julie, at 3/12/06 14:36  

Thanks Julie. In that case, indeed I've travled the prairie trail through Hampden west, then north towards Langdon---nice road if inducing labor is a goal.

By Anonymous doug, at 4/12/06 04:49  

I learned the "rules of the road" on highway 66!

By Anonymous robbie, at 5/12/06 07:18  

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