Fargo North Dakota and Detroit Lakes Area

In late June we flew off to Fargo, North Dakota for a week's stay.

As with many of our trips our friends immediately got a quizzical look on their face and said "FarrrGo?" (imagine long drawn out FAR and a heavy accent on GO) and a little of the semi-stink eye look you get when people think you've lost your last marble.

We had a purpose. First, we had some Delta vouchers that were about to expire and never, ever let paid for airline dollars or hard earned vouchers expire. I'd rather eat a dirt pie than let the airlines keep that money.

Second, Joel spent many happy years in Fargo before he fled for another fun town, Fresno (pronounced FrezzzNo with a nasal twang). Joel was a "Happy Hooligan" which is a Fargo Air National Guard fighter pilot/wizzo, well known for their partying ability, drinking abilities and sticking their little log on anything and everything they see. I had met some of his Hooligan buddies through the years and I really wanted to see what this "heartland of America" was and how these guys got to be such party people. The included pictures basically say it all in no words, what fun Joel had in his F4 Hooligan and Fresno Guard days.

Thanks to Tommy Larsen and the Fargo Hooligan photographers for sharing these great shots.

The flights into and out of Fargo were great and on time. The airport is small for an International airport. Small enough that TSA has time to really examine your luggage and confiscate bottles of Ever Clear (190 proof). Nothing like hearing “Joel McNair, please report to TSA” on the loudspeaker waiting for your flight.

Our first stop on Joel’s introduction to Fargo was the Hi Ho Tavern in Dilworth, (pronounced Dilwirt) Minnesota. The Hi Ho is where the Hooligans would pounce for burgers (really good ones) and of course adult beverages. We found this as we always do by good teamwork.

Joel was remembering a good burger joint as we were headed to the Detroit Lakes area. He knew it was in Dilworth but had no idea where it was or its name. I immediately spotted a Tavern sign that said “burgers” and well, the rest was lunch. Be sure to order the cheeseburger basket, which, has no basket. It is served on a sheet of wax paper.

We poured ourselves back into our rental car. No we weren’t intoxicated, but we were refreshed, and headed for the home of our friends and fellow Hooligans, Linda and Tom Larsen (TLAR is his call sign) on Pelican Lake in the Detroit Lakes area. Pictured below is Tommy at the Fargo car night.

The Detroit Lakes area is so different from the Fargo area that it is hard to believe they are about 45 miles apart. You cross more than a state line when you enter Minnesota. It is a change of mind as well.

Everywhere you look it is a forest and a lake. One lake can seemingly have several lakes in it, around it, by it.

Everyone has a lake cabin, or their cousin, brother, mother has one. In fact, on July 3, a Friday, we were in Fargo and it was like everyone left except us. The streets were empty. The hotel was empty. I am shocked we even got a meal. Everyone left for the Lakes.

Life on the lakes means pontoon boating with friends. This means taking some beverages and cruising the lake looking at homes that used to be $45,000 and are now $750,000. The Lakes are quite popular. Going to one of several Zorbaz's for some food and beverages and then stopping at the homes of other Hooligan’s for more beverages.

Then you bring your pontoon boat back to your personal dock and somehow maneuver it into a little tunnel of tubes and awning and then park it, or as they say dock it, on this lift that will take it out of the water a little ways.

I could get used to this.

I played golf at Wildflower Golf Course on a brilliant Sunday morning in a 30 mph wind. I thought I was going to have to tether myself to the cart to hit shots and then hope the ball didn’t come back and hit me in the face. It was alternately the longest drive ever and the shortest. But, a beautiful course and golf in the Lakes is not to be missed.

On Saturday we went out to do a little bar hopping and dining. We spent a leisurely afternoon at the Bridges Marina Bar and Grill listening to aging Jimmy Buffettesque rockers playing and folks dancing. White haired folks, partying, conga lining and dancing away actually. Then we made our way to the Hotel Shoreham for dinner.

The Shoreham is a long time hotel in the Detroit Lakes area. The bar and restaurant are quite good, and the prices are reasonable. Dinner there is like walking into your neighborhood pub. Joel had been gone 25 years and voila, there they are again, all these Hooligans of years past, out for dinner. Lots of wood and warm feelings in the restaurant and bar areas.

Again, I could get used to this, but I think my waistline would suffer and I'd have to vacation at Betty Ford in Palm Springs far too often.

We returned to Fargo to sober up and spend a few days visiting friends and Joel’s past. We stayed at the Radisson in downtown and a fine hotel it is. Get a corner room with a view of the river or the city.

The dollar goes a long way in this area. We had some great dinners that were reasonably priced. Toscana, a very hip Italian restaurant was excellent though they stop taking guests at 8 pm. And in summer, 8 pm looks like 5 pm anywhere else given the long days. So, it is easy to get lulled into thinking you have plenty of time to get to dinner when in fact it is bed time.

Another old Fargo place to eat and drink is the Old Broadway. We ate there several times and enjoyed each visit.

Our big plan to have Joel skydiving while I played golf failed. The wind kept blowing such that skydiving was not an option unless he planned to land in another county. And when the wind stopped the skydivers, well, they left for the Lakes too.

I did get a round of golf in at the Fargo Country Club. Though they had some holes closed due to flood damage, the course is a challenging, river bed course with lots of trees. They are quite friendly there and I would go back again anytime to play there.

On summer nights, the first Thursday of the month is Hot Rod night on Main Street. There are some serious hot rodders in this area and it is not to be missed. The Larsen’s came to town and we hit the Empire, another Hooligan hangout for pre-dinner cocktails, and then strolled up Main for dinner at Monte’s.

Monte’s is an excellent, high end restaurant. The dollar went far there as well, and we spent lots of them doing it. The food and wine list were superb and of course the owner is somehow a Hooligan as well.

We then walked down Main, looking at restored and project cars. Next on our list of stops was the Hotel Donaldson. The HoDo as it is called.

This is a restored hotel done by the ex-wife of a local software mogul. It is quite pricey, or we would have stayed there. But each room is unique in the artist that is featured. It is a boutique hotel. The bar rocks, I can tell you that. And the staff is as friendly as they come.

We closed the HoDo, which had a band, The Front Fenders, playing all evening. Folks dance, I mean dance like in Swing and good slow dancing. Very impressive, even Joel had to dance. We haven’t stayed out till 2 am in years.

During the day we drove down Memory Lane for Joel. We found the place he lived at in Reiles Acres in West Fargo. As you can see by the sign, it is an interesting area. I mean who would build a house without a permit? Only in Fargo.

I have to say I would return to Fargo. In fact I’d love to see what it must be like when that 50 mph wind comes roaring through from the North and it is -20 degrees and snow on the ground. Seriously, I can’t help but think the party never stops then.

So folks, Fargo is more than a movie. It really is a neat place to go, especially if you head out to the Lakes, spend some time bar hopping on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and just let life flow over you.