Thread: ND featured in National Geographic.

Not sure if the issue is released yet (I am assuming it is) but it has been a topic of the local news lately. I guess the way National Geographic made it seem like North Dakota is nothing but an empty waste land full of ghost towns. I was wondering what people that have never been to this state think is up here. I have heard some pretty crazy stories about southerns thinking we still ride around on horse and buggies. Also for those of you that have read the article (if it is out yet) what did you think of it?

I can't wait to hear the responses... though I'm thinking Nat Geo subscribers (in general) arent big car modders.

Well, I am not going to lie, while I didn't think you guys were living in the 1800's, I did picture like 1 town of maybe 50 max. people every 75 miles or so apart. So deducting from my own picture in my head, I didn't think there was any reason to stay up on things.

So why don't you guys tell us what North Dakota is like?

Originally Posted by s1795so2

Well, I am not going to lie, while I didn't think you guys were living in the 1800's, I did picture like 1 town of maybe 50 max. people every 75 miles or so apart. So deducting from my own picture in my head, I didn't think there was any reason to stay up on things.

So why don't you guys tell us what North Dakota is like?

LOL come fine out if ya wanna know

I grew up in a town of just over 100 people. There are far less now. I had 3 kids in my 8 grade class. I think there are less than 20 kids K-8 in that school now. After 8th grade the kids transfer to a different school in a town (New Salem) 9 miles away. There are probably 1000-1500 people in New Salem. I am moving to New Salem in the next couple weeks. The plus about New Salem it is a smaller town and is only 25 miles from Bismarck (State Capitol) which has around 65,000 people I believe.

LOL come fine out if ya wanna know

I do like to travel, so if I get a chance someday I might do that.

Do you guys also have the roads that have no speed limit or really high speed limits? I have heard that in some of the states, like ND, have like 100 mph or no speed limits. Is that a myth also?

State Capitol, 65,000, hmmmmm.

To be honest, the only thing I ever thought of North Dakota was cold and like no speed limits. Oh and that movie Fargo where the guy was chopping up people in the tree mulching machine.

I remember flying into Omaha Nebraska several years ago. I recall the plane beginning its decent and getting close enough to the ground to be able to see things and it was so, well, open and unpopulated. I then thought, is there something wrong with the plane, why is he landing out here in the farm fields.

It seemed like forever we flew along at a low altitude and I was getting more and more convinced by the moment there was something wrong with the plane and we were getting ready to ditch in the corn fields and plow a few cows over and smash Pa's house. We kept flying, flying, flying and then BAM it was the city of Omaha.

My thought when I got off the plane was anyone that believes there is a population crisis has never visited Nebraska. Well, I kinda envision North Dakota that way.

No we do have speed limits, just some roads have less cops than others . Our interstates are 75mph which seems slow to me, but I guess MN people have it worse with 70mph speed limits. I know alot of people think that Montana doesn't have a speed limit but iirc they do have one now and if they don't they will still give you a ticket for excessive speeding. The way I understood it was just stay under 80 on interstate.

Originally Posted by SyntheticShield

State Capitol, 65,000, hmmmmm.

To be honest, the only thing I ever thought of North Dakota was cold and like no speed limits. Oh and that movie Fargo where the guy was chopping up people in the tree mulching machine.

I remember flying into Omaha Nebraska several years ago. I recall the plane beginning its decent and getting close enough to the ground to be able to see things and it was so, well, open and unpopulated. I then thought, is there something wrong with the plane, why is he landing out here in the farm fields.

It seemed like forever we flew along at a low altitude and I was getting more and more convinced by the moment there was something wrong with the plane and we were getting ready to ditch in the corn fields and plow a few cows over and smash Pa's house. We kept flying, flying, flying and then BAM it was the city of Omaha.

My thought when I got off the plane was anyone that believes there is a population crisis has never visited Nebraska. Well, I kinda envision North Dakota that way.

Western ND is pretty unpopulated, but I kind of like that. To me 65,000 people is plenty. I don't know how people live in cities with 1 milllion +. It really isn't that cold up here. It was 20* today which was pretty warm but right now it is snowing, really windy, and probably -20* in the wind. Also the movie Fargo was an alright movie but for gods sake we do not talk like that, not even close. That movie made us all look like a bunch of dumb asses.


BTW if anyone ever visits ND for vacation or something I suggest staying away from the eastern part of the state, there is nothing over there but Fargo, very flat ground and fields. Western ND on the other hand has the badlands, which are actually something too look at.

Also why does everyone think that ND is so cold, doesn't ever get cold in Canada or the states surrounding ND?

If you do visit Eastern ND, be sure to visit a NDSU football game or a UND Hockey game.

I think it's like American's Saskatchewan... with more hills and less Chinese people.

Honestly should just become part of Canada along with the northern half of Michigan

PS. I also heard you get a learners permit at 14 there !?! Say whaaaat !

I was born and lived ina town of about 1000 people when I Was a kid, and going back to visit my grandma I could NEVER, EVER live anywhere with under a million people minimum. Even that's small. (I live in Toronto, and the Greater Toronto Aera is 5.5M, Toronto Itself 3+M )

I live in the biggest town in "South Dakota" and the population is only about 120,000...the whole statehas less thana million people in it...we do get our learners at 14...and can get a restricted license just 6 months later....

I have never really thought of it. I kinda felt like it was all farms, open land...nothing really there.

I flew over it on the way to Cali, but have never driven through it.

65,000 people? wow. that is small. do like the speed limits...we are 65 on the highways