A Year Ago - The Day After Christmas

What a difference a year makes in  time and place...I would like to flashback to where I left off - the day after Christmas 2010 on our way back from Jamestown, ND.

We finished packing up the car, with Sadie taking her place in the backseat, we got on our way before daylight.  Hubby and I wanted to make some stops, but still get home in time to beat sundown.Snow was in the air and the passing lane of  eastbound I-94 was absent of tire marks as our car lights reflected back from the twinkling crystals.

Light of day finally came rising off the horizon through the misty cold winter clouds as we reached Fargo/Moorhead.

East of Moorhead, MN

It was after 9:00 before the greyness began to melt away with intermittent snow still blowing across the road.

The color of the sky ranged from pastel pinks to blue and finally warm orange as the sun rose between the openings of the swiftly changing cloud banks.

Hubby and I were still a long way from home.

Camera in hand I intended to find points of interest as we sped onto the next available Cabela's to stop and shop.

Heading eastward brought us onto a stretch of road that has come to carry the label Deer Stand Rowe to me. It seemed to have the greatest concentration of visible stands from the interstate - lying not far from our present location.



Check back for another installment of our flashback to our trip home in 2010 - see the variety of stands and locations...

Outdoor Outfitters Retail Stores

There are so many outdoor outfitters available to us that it can be difficult to make up our minds where to go to find all our hunting needs. Specialty outfitters and local farm /hardware stores all vie for our consumer dollar; whether it be in person, catalog ,or catalog online. The opportunity to travel a few weeks ago gave me a chance to "kick the tires"of the different retail outlets, figuratively speaking. A lot depends on where you live and what is close by. Then again, planning a special trip isn't a bad idea to checkout that gun, bow, fishing pole or canoe that is on the "want list". Leaving Jamestown, N.D. on Tuesday, September 25th, we headed east on I-94. The next major city we stopped at was Fargo. We discovered in January that the Scheels chain had built a 196,000 square foot(4 acre) site. Absolutely the biggest free standing establishment of this chain store I have seen. It opened this summer on July 1st, so we stopped to check inside. I found it very bright and inviting inside. Spacing between clothes racks, very nice and the racks not so packed the clothes might fall off if you brush by to closely. It is a fact I like "Bright and Neat". Back to S 45th Street, heading south over the I-94 bridge, we found another outfitter - GanderMTN. I was not enticed to stay and browse very long by my surroundings, not to say it isn't a good supplier...I just like atmospheres that are brighter. Traveling on down the road passing other outfitters we made our way to Owatonna, MN. I had another stop to make;) May be you already know where I'm headed. Ah YES!Cabela's...One of the closest stores to home associated with this company. It was very exhilarating. Running from the clothes,shoes ,guns, archery and binoculars etc...just like a child in a toy store. Time went by to quickly before the need to be back on the road arrived. Reading some fellow bloggers - such as Dana over at "The Wild Woodswoman" she referred to the Cabela's Master catalog Fall 2007 on August 11th,2007 ( I am among the group to have one too ;) ) Was able to follow along. Preach IT Dana! Jody posted on September 20th ,over at "thehunterswife.net" that they are looking forward to the opening of a new Cabela's store over at Hammond,Indiana in a few weeks, October 19th. All of us know where she will be shopping for some important Christmas gifts. There are many others who have posted as well on their shopping preferences. Bet you can literally feel a connection to what they are sharing. I know I can... POST UPDATE : You may have caught the comment by Kristine...She said that over at "skinnymoose.com/tailsandtrails", Rick ,was able to get a media tour. He got to wander around the East Hartford, Connecticut Cabela's that will be opening on October 19th. I think you would enjoy seeing all his pictures. Click the link over in the side bar so you can get over there!