Minot area

[ponch]

My experience comes from 1992. Went with a friend to Fargo in February to pick up a kit car (his truck and his kit car). Blew a head gasket and I did both heads in negative temps. I remember one day the high was -4. I got it done, but I will never do that again. All I can say is I've never experienced weather quite like that since. I will say the people were great. They came out and gave me hot coffee and chocolate numerous times. If that was back home, they'd just shovel snow on me and pee on me to make sure I was frozen solid. :)

Originally Posted by prairie cruiser

Ok, I'll chime in. I live 80 miles west of Minot, and I graduated from Minot State in 2006. Coach, if you want a great school that gives a top notch education, you won't be disappointed. It's a small enough school where the professors know the students by name, but big enough (3,000 students) where a wide variety of degrees are offered. The football team has really done well the past couple of years. Coach Rudolph is a great coach who demands respect from his players and treats them right. I don't think you'd regret sending your son to play for him.
On to the weather: yes, it's cold here now, but please don't stereotype us because of that. Several of the posts you've received are deceptive. It's not constantly below zero here, and we don't have blizzards all the time. Yes, it's cold now (15 degrees as I type this) but it's not brutal (to us). Understandably, if you're not used to this climate, that's extremely cold, but we're used to it. If you prepare for it, you'll do just fine. I'm sure it would take some getting used to being from Florida, but people adapt. The coldest months are December through February. Come summer, it's 90 degrees outside and life is good. The cold just makes you appreciate spring and summer that much more!
Above all, if you want a safe place to send your son, I don't think you could do much better. It's a great state with great people. I'm proud to call it home.

PC

ps: Don't believe everything in the movie, "Fargo." We don't talk like that. Well, maybe a little :)

[glwilson]

Originally Posted by prairie cruiser

I guess if you believe that, I've got some great ocean-front property in Arizona that I'd love to sell you!

LOL!!! Where's that located??

No, I know. It was only a joke. But my experience in ND in the winter years ago wasn't. It was the worst I have ever seen before or since.

Regarding the people, you are right, at least from my experience. During the same winter I was referring to, we ended up staying at some people's house that we didn't know. There wasn't anywhere to go and they asked if we could stay at their house... so we did for two days. They were really nice people. ;)

[biscuitsngravy]

When I was in the Air Force, the big joke was "Why not, Minot? I'm not sure what that meant.

But seriously, riding back from Canada during June 09, we returned home via North Dakota. A beautiful state, with real friendly folks. Just like Iowa, real Americans live there. Ha Ha

Congrats on your son being considered for a scholarship. Best of luck to him! BnG

[coacha]

Thank you all for the words of advice. He is hoping that they will offer him some football aide to go with academic aide he currently qualifies for. With that, he (meaning we) will be in good shape for cost factors. We are all excited by the possibility of this.

[audiogooroo]

Originally Posted by CoachA

Thank you all for the words of advice. He is hoping that they will offer him some football aide to go with academic aide he currently qualifies for. With that, he (meaning we) will be in good shape for cost factors. We are all excited by the possibility of this.

That's great news Ron! Which one of your hairy beasts sons is this?

[coacha]

This is son #3, all 6' 8" 290 lbs of him. He is going to retake his ACT and see if he can raise his score a couple points to get a higher academic scholarship.

[glwilson]

Just an example of the weather North Dakota gets...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40861490...her/?gt1=43001

Just saying... it can be scary there at times.

[waterman]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Just an example of the weather North Dakota gets...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40861490...her/?gt1=43001

Just saying... it can be scary there at times.

Greg, that does happen but those are the idiots out driving. They don't give warnings out just for the fun of it. The people who have dealt with blizzards before just know to hunker down and wait it out.

Heck, I've seen those kind of pile ups from fog and dirt storms as well.

[glwilson]

Yeah Joel I know...

I was only saying what you were, only in a different way. "The weather up there is not something you take lightly." ;)

[phenrichs]

Originally Posted by glwilson

Just an example of the weather North Dakota gets...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40861490...her/?gt1=43001

Just saying... it can be scary there at times.

Ah heck that is just natural selection trying to weed out the lesser lifeforms for us.

Enough with the doom and gloom.

Truth: I live in SD about 7 hours south. I used to live in Fargo. Not a HUGE difference in the average weather in the two states.

Truth: It gets F*in cold in the winter but that is extreme and not normal and the human brain (especially one used to Florida) will tell you to stay inside. Long cold snaps in January that stay at or below zero for a few days but generally 15 - 30 degrees can be expected and often in the same day.

Truth: We get a S**t load of snow. Unless you are used to it or stupid you generally stay off the roads. (benefit of campus living I suppose). A normal snowfall is enough to make the roads white and a little slick but not enough to worry about plowing. An inch or two a week goes pretty un-noticed. 10- 20 inches is not unheard of but is not deadly. Biggest thing is to be aware of the wind. A little wind is what turns a little snow into a big blizzard.

Truth: Midwest schools are great schools because they are small and focus on education not promoting superstar athletes.

Besides with winter weather like we have he will want to visit home more often and that will keep Momma happy. :)

[deadant]

Having been born and raised in North Dakota, it does get cold no doubt. But like they say about the heat in Arizona, its a dry cold so it doesn't seem like -30*.

Only kidding. It really does feel like -30*. Minot isn't a bad town. It has an Air Force base that keeps it busy, and right now is in the middle of the energy sector with all of the oil activity in Western North Dakota. Motel rooms may be tough to come by because of it.

Besides the people on this Forum, North Dakota has some of the best people in the country, but I'm probably a little prejudice.

[ponch]

I can only comment on Iowa and New York, but it seems in Iowa, they put too much emphasis on sports to the detriment of academics or music. I have to admit I don't understand it. The education is good here overall as far as consistency goes, whereas NY can be at extremes depending where you live, but on LI alone they have a lot more intel scholars and national honor society students than the whole state of Iowa and the population size is similar. May be it's not so simple as that, but some high schools here have better stadiums than some colleges I went to. I don't get it, but then I don't get the whole hawkeye and cyclone thing either. ;)

Originally Posted by OP

Ah heck that is just natural selection trying to weed out the lesser lifeforms for us.

Enough with the doom and gloom.

Truth: I live in SD about 7 hours south. I used to live in Fargo. Not a HUGE difference in the average weather in the two states.

Truth: It gets F*in cold in the winter but that is extreme and not normal and the human brain (especially one used to Florida) will tell you to stay inside. Long cold snaps in January that stay at or below zero for a few days but generally 15 - 30 degrees can be expected and often in the same day.

Truth: We get a S**t load of snow. Unless you are used to it or stupid you generally stay off the roads. (benefit of campus living I suppose). A normal snowfall is enough to make the roads white and a little slick but not enough to worry about plowing. An inch or two a week goes pretty un-noticed. 10- 20 inches is not unheard of but is not deadly. Biggest thing is to be aware of the wind. A little wind is what turns a little snow into a big blizzard.

Truth: Midwest schools are great schools because they are small and focus on education not promoting superstar athletes.

Besides with winter weather like we have he will want to visit home more often and that will keep Momma happy. :)

[coacha]

Thanks guys. He is really interested and things look good. He will get a new Carhardt jacket and some flannel lined pants and such for out there.

[glwilson]

Hey Coacha...

We need to remember... he is a FOOTBALL player; not a tennis-player... Right?

Hey... congrats on them looking at him. Hope it works out.

[coacha]

LOL...at 6'8" 290, I'm thinking tennis is definitly out of the question.