I'm Tyler Nyland — a BNSF Railroad track inspector, a husband, a dad to five kids, and a guy who can't stop tinkering with things. I was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, grew up in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, spent my teenage and early adult years in West Fargo, and now live in Glyndon, Minnesota with my wife Samantha, our blended crew of kids, and more projects than I'll ever finish.
Samantha and I got married on October 23rd, 2021. She's a nurse at Essentia Health and is currently pursuing her BSN — on top of twelve-hour shifts and helping manage the beautiful chaos of our household. She's the toughest person I know.
The Kids
Allie (18) — my oldest, living with me full-time, finishing high school, getting her driver's license, and college hunting. She shares my love of horror movies, and our late-night scary movie sessions are some of my favorite moments.
Duane (16) — I have him fifty percent of the time. He's getting into woodworking and has his own bench set up in the shed. When he's not building something, he's deep in a video game. Probably both at the same time somehow.
Sophia (14) — also fifty percent of the time. She's the creative soul — knitting, sewing, crafts, design. Her room is a studio and she's always making something for someone.
Josie (6½) — my step-daughter, though I've known her since the day she was born. She's a wild child with limitless energy who loves to play, craft, build, and leave a trail of glitter everywhere she goes.
Lincoln (almost 16 months) — the baby of the family. The little guy who made our house even louder and even more complete.
What I Do
I've worked for BNSF Railroad for over fourteen years. As a track inspector, I'm responsible for examining sections of rail for defects and safety issues — out in every kind of weather the northern plains can throw at me. It's honest work and I'm proud of it.
When I'm Not Working
I'm a tinkerer and a builder — always working on something around the house or in the shed. I love fishing, camping, hiking, and riding bike. I like exploring new places, even if "new" just means a gravel road I haven't driven down yet. I'm into history and space. And I love horror movies — the scarier the better.
Why "North of Ordinary"
Because life up here on the northern plains doesn't make the highlight reel. Nobody's writing travel blogs about Glyndon, Minnesota. But this life — the full house, the railroad, the shed projects, the flat sky stretching to the horizon — it's full of stories worth telling. This blog is where I tell them.