North Dakota?

[lonely_wolf]

My wife has the potential to work in North Dakota in the future. We were thinking of visiting for a few days in the spring.

Any suggestions on where to go and what to do? We would probably be there only for two or three days.

 

[Wolvenhaven]

Re: North Dakota?

If you're looking for jobs which pay much higher than anywhere else it's a great place to move to, with the oil boom the entire economy is expanding rapidly, they're offering to pay burger flippers $15 or more for that, basic entry level for skilled jobs is something like 175% or more of what you'd make anywhere else. If you're up for moving it's going to wind up being a boom town.

 

[LegioX]

Re: North Dakota?

If you wanna see full speed ahead capitalism, Williston is the place to go. Just check ahead for hotel rooms. They are few and far between. Fair warning.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: North Dakota?

I was not aware of the oil industry there. Thanks for the tip. Our jobs are pretty adaptable to different areas.

Any tips on places to stay or sites to see?
What’s daily life like in North Dakota? Basic agriculture/country life?
Is it urban?

Is land easily available or are there lots of regulation controlling/ protecting wilderness?

I’ve been reading up on the firearms laws and they excellent. I take it there is a substantial shooting community?

 

[LRI]

Re: North Dakota?

I grew up in ND. Red River Valley area to be specific.

Things to see:

Badlands area in southern ND south of Dickenson
Painted Canyon on the west side. Very perty.
Chateau Des Moines near Medora Pretty cool old house.

If your into "huntin n killin" its got some of the best in the continental US. Birds especially. Grouse are so thick you almost trip over them when in the fields. Used to be that way anyways.

Folks are pretty level headed and good to go. Drugs used to be almost non existent but it seems like that phuckin meth chit is everywhere now. It's getting worse and worse by the day it seems. SD and WY is no different I guess.

Fargo and GF has certainly grown since I was a kid. Fargo especially.

The summers are seductive. Enjoy it while you can cause winters are just a bitch.

The majority of the state is farmland. Oil has been rediscovered here and the south western part has boomed almost overnight as a result. Lots of money to be made these days. This economic yeast infection the rest of the country is suffering hasn't reached ND. In fact its booming. Who'd a thunk that? It was compared to Siberia in the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Dress warm and good luck.


C.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: North Dakota?

Thanks Chad. That's the kind of information I am looking for. I didn't realize I would be so close to your neighborhood... I bet that could raise my cost of living considerably...

 

[varmint slayer]

Re: North Dakota?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lonely_Wolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Chad. That's the kind of information I am looking for. I didn't realize I would be so close to your neighborhood... I bet that could raise my cost of living considerably...

</div></div>


Oh trust me it does....

 

[huntin1]

Re: North Dakota?

Yeah, the state is booming, at least the western part anyway. They are paying very good wages out there. The McDonalds in Williston is starting people at $15 an hour with a $500 sign on bonus. Doesn't go real far when you consider a 1 bedroom apt. is $2000 a month, if you can find one. Housing out there is not keeping up and doesn't look to improve any time soon, although they are building as fast as they can. Motels west of Bismarck are pretty much booked up, you can get a room, but you have to make reservations. In the past you could go just about anywhere in the state, stop at a motel and get a room, still can in some places just not out west.

As far as things to do, depending on what you like there is all kinds of stuff to do almost year round. C. Dixon mentioned a few of the more popular places to visit, there are others. Check out the ND tourism site.

http://www.ndtourism.com/

Land is available, but if you are looking to buy it's expensive. Everyone has visions of oil rigs dancing in their heads. As far as land for hunting, there is a lot of public land that is open to hunting and there are still lots of landowners who will let people hunt, you just have to ask.

Don't know about a substantial shooting community, at least not an organized one, but you'll find that most people here have guns and use them.


If I can answer any other questions let me know.



Rob Opp

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: North Dakota?

Now, as far as 'North Dakota' goes, I can't say much about those tropics and 'Coconut drink swilling folk' but I can say one thing though.

If you're ever gonna venture up into the REAL North, just let us know. Those of us here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. WWWwwwwayyyyyyyy up north.

HA.

 

[T2CH]

Re: North Dakota?

I would like to know more about this...
I own an electrical contracting company and have employees who would travel for work. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[huntin1]

Re: North Dakota?

T2CH, not sure what kind of info you are looking for. Here is the state site that will give you an idea of the various licensing requirements and state contact info.

http://www.nd.gov/category.htm?id=77

Here is the Williston Chamber of Commerce

http://www.willistonchamber.net/

And the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce

http://www.dickinsonchamber.org/

It's likely that you will be able to get better info of what is available out there by calling either the Williston or Dickinson Chamber, or both.


Good luck!


Oh, and Sean, I used to attend LE pistol comps up there in Winnipeg. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Double HA.



Rob Opp

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Re: North Dakota?

Rob,

I live here, and I don't want to live here. Mega HA!

As soon as we're able, we'd like to move south. So that we too can live in the tropics, drink out of coconuts, and laugh at tourists.

We've gotta get a few more ducks in a row first, though. And yes, my previous post WAS laden with sarcasm and irony. Next time you're around for a comp (or here for a holiday????) let us know. There's probably a site or two that we could show ya.

 

[huntin1]

Re: North Dakota?

Kinda caught the sarcasm, honestly though, we always had a good time up there in Winnipeg, Brandon too. The people were always great. Not competing any more, but if we get up there on holiday I may take you up on that. Same goes if you get down here to the tropics.

 

[T2CH]

Re: North Dakota?

Thank you Rob, I will check them out and call sometime this week.

 

[confused89]

Re: North Dakota?

It gets cold up there. I was in Fargo 2 weeks ago when it was -15 F outside and I had to work on a semi outside so my thoughts of fargo are less than ideal. I am sure it is nice there in the summer. They did have rolling blackouts in fargo when I was there.

 

[Steve**12]

Re: North Dakota?

Stay west or go east to MN. My thoughts on Fargo are: If you're not going to college here what are you doing here?

I'm from MN and I miss it but NDSU is a good engineering school so here I am. It's been a really really mild winter but It's always windy and everything feels colder because of it.

 

[calling4life]

Re: North Dakota?

I love it up here in Grand Forks, but I hate Fargo and Moorhead, I swear they water their roads in the winter. I'll drive from GF to Minneapolis and the 10 miles through fargo/Moorehead have more accidents and worse roads than anywhere else, by a long shot.

Land access and hunting is great, you generally don't need to worry about buying groceries and coming out to your ride up on blocks. People still wave, still help strangers out...

I love it here, oh, Bismarck has a good range, 1000 yards of fun, here in forks, forks rifle club goes out to 630, we have matches and leagues. Open space gives you opportunities to blast long range steel.

I grew up in MN, I don't want to go back, I can't see what it offers that is worthwhile, although a wolf season will change that.

 

[kurt]

Re: North Dakota?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Confused89</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It gets cold up there. I was in Fargo 2 weeks ago when it was -15 F outside and I had to work on a semi outside so my thoughts of fargo are less than ideal. I am sure it is nice there in the summer. They did have rolling blackouts in fargo when I was there. </div></div>

-15 fuck that is just hooded sweatshirt weather. We need some real cold up here to make better ice and get rid of some of the rif raf. I will take -20 over 100 every day and in just a few short months we will have 100 agin. As to hunting deer, grouse ,moose,elk and varmits galor. Fishing you will have one of the best lakes ever in devils lake for fishing but i hope people think it sucks up here the less the better.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: North Dakota?

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm not sure when my wife and I will make it out- late spring or early summer probably. I'm quite excited now. I like empty land and cold weather.

 

[rpk762]

Re: North Dakota?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kurt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
-15 fuck that is just hooded sweatshirt weather. We need some real cold up here to make better ice and get rid of some of the rif raf. I will take -20 over 100 every day and in just a few short months we will have 100 agin. As to hunting deer, grouse ,moose,elk and varmits galor. Fishing you will have one of the best lakes ever in devils lake for fishing but i hope people think it sucks up here the less the better.</div></div>

Tell me about it. This winter has been far too nice. The no snow has been great but I would like it to hit -20 then stay there for a week then go to -30 to -40 for a few weeks then haing around 10 with 30mph wind. That will get rid of the rest of the rif raf. It is amazing how criminals do not like it cold. Aparently cold affect boners and the need to be bad.

 

[HPCR59]

Re: North Dakota?

I was actually born in Dickinson, but my parents were there for lest than a year. I'd love to go back to visit and I'd do anything to move back up there and get in the oil business.

 

[Shortdraw]

Re: North Dakota?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lonely_Wolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Any suggestions on where to go and what to do? We would probably be there only for two or three days. </div></div>
You could visit Grand Forks and do some sandbagging. The Red river floods every spring wiping out this lovely little town.
Perhaps your destination will be Bismarck. Don't miss one of the largest tourist attractions in the midwest- Buckstop Junction. Buckstop Junction, a historic town established and designed by the Missouri Valley Historical Society, stands on a 20 acre site on the Missouri Valley Fairgrounds east of Bismarck Expressway.
If Devils Lake is where you're going you could hike to the lookout tower at Sully’s Hill. It's a popular Sunday afternoon event for locals and tourists alike.
If you get the pleasure of staying in Fargo be sure to get a broasted chicken sandwich from M&H convenience store. I watched a drunk take a shit on the right side of the building back in '96 but I'm sure Monte cleaned it up by now. The chicken is good. You could also build a snowman, there should be snow well into July in that frozen Hell.
I shouldn't be so hard on North Dakota, it really has a lot to offer. There's a beatiful woman behind every tree, and every lake is chock full of huge fish. (There's no trees or lakes)

 

[kurt]

Re: North Dakota?

It could be worse he could me be going to minnesota.

 

[eight]

Re: North Dakota?

Lived in ND for 4 years (military family). I remember -40 winters and 100+ summers, and driving from Minot to Fargo. Open land, straight roads. We always joked that you could find some apparatus to keep the wheel straight and something on the gas pedal and take a nap while you drove.

 

[T J]

Re: North Dakota?

The company I work for has 10-12 facilities, that I can think of in ND. (Dickinson, Williston & Minot), I travel there monthly (sometimes weekly), in fact I just got home from Dickinson last night. There are literally jobs looking for people right now, only problem is finding a place to sleep. Hotels are book many months in advance (don't even bother with Williston, you're not getting in). Farmers are leasing/renting camper spots on their land now, man camps are everywhere & housing/hotels are going up as fast as possible. Large companies like my employer, Halliburton, BJ, Schlumberger etc are taking rooms, sometimes entire floors, from hotels indefinitely, used or not they remain ours. I understand some of our divisions are giving over $900/mo extra for housing expenses. It's crazy & if you ever drive through Williston, it's getting scary. A recent traffic survey where HWY 85 comes into Williston near the port (which is now closed) recorded in EXCESS of 20,000 vehicles in 24hrs. 20,000!!! The towns are swelling faster than they can contain & it's becoming a problem, a three bedroom apt in Williston is $3500/mo but don't bother looking because there aren't any.
OP, if you want to "go look" you can usually get a room in Medora (where I stayed last night) ~$135/night @ the Rough Rider, probably one of the nices hotels I've stayed in. If not, you MAY & I say MAY get a room in Sidney, MT, if not a cancellation in Minot is possible but not likely, Williston is a no go, Dickinson is only slightly better odds. You will have to go east much further, but hell, it's a sight seeing tour anyhow right?

Don't think for a min. i'm bashing the boom or ND, it a helluva lot of fun right now (especially with all the "southern newbies" driving on frozen ND roads!) & money is EVERYWHERE. Just do your due dilligence & all will be fine.

 

[Fisky]

Re: North Dakota?

ND is a great place to live, but I don't know that it's much of a tourist attraction. The badlands/Medora would be about the most interesting place. Where is your wife looking at job opportunities?

If one was to move here right now, I'd advise to draw a line down the MN/ND border, and one down the Western third of ND, and pick somewhere in the middle.