In the 100 miles east of the North Dakota border, US-2 spreads into a divided four-lane highway, climbing out of the fecund Red River Valley of the North (not to be confused with the other Red River Valley, down in Texas) onto the flat glaciated plains, while the roadside colors alternate between the dark reds and greens of sugar beets and the buff and leafy tones of the wheat, soy beans, and potatoes for which the area is known.
Continuing east, US-2 passes occasional isolated pockets of trees, planted as windbreaks amidst the furrowed fields. In the tiny village of Erskine (pop. 422), a classic one-horse Midwest town, you’ll find Joe DiMaggio’s Pizza (218/687-2100) at 124 S. Vance Avenue, which is neither a misprint nor the genuine article. (The owner, Mr. D., used to get oodles of wrong numbers for the legendary Yankee Clipper. Not surprisingly, his place is full of baseball memorabilia.) Erskine also has a municipal swimming beach on Lake Cameron, and takes civic pride in being the home of the “World’s Largest Northern Pike.”
Thirty miles east of Erskine, at the western turnoff to Lake Itasca, Bagley (pop. 1,388) features a large wildlife museum packed with stuffed polar and Kodiak bears, among some 750 other creatures, right on US-2 at the western edge of town.
Between Bemidji and Grand Rapids, US-2 runs parallel to the slower but more scenic Great River Road, which winds along the Mississippi River, from Lake Itasca all the way south to New Orleans.
