In November 2018, the weekly Travel Tuesday post featured a park in Bismarck known as Chief Looking’s Village. This beautiful park includes some walking trails and playground equipment typical of a city park anywhere. It also contains a beautiful and well kept flower garden. A plaque on one of the stones in the garden welcomes visitors to Sonali’s Garden. As I noted in that post, Sonali Seth was taken from life as a young woman. With much love, her parents built this garden in her memory and they keep it fresh and well cared for. You can review that original post I wrote here. In late June, that blog post received a comment from Dr. Vinod Seth. Sonali’s father suggested that I should share the post on Sonali Memorial Garden Facebook page. Visiting there, I came to meet Dr. Seth and his wife, Aruna. She promptly invited me and my wife, Lynn, to visit the garden, have some Chai Tea and watch the sunset. Schedules being what they are, we were able to connect as Lynn and I drove through Bismarck on our way home from this year’s Steiner Family Reunion in Colorado.

The garden is as beautiful this summer as it was last year when we first visited. There are several sections of a wide variety of plantings arranged around a walkway. A pergola and bench provides a shady spot to meditate in the warm sun and many benches provided by Sonali’s friends and family surround the garden providing lots of space for people to relax and enjoy the beautiful sunsets and the views of the Missouri River as it transits Bismarck.

On a beautiful summer day, I was obliged to capture the moments and take a few “people pictures.” First, a note of apology… I’m a landscape photographer, not a people photographer. In other words, when it comes to “people pictures”, I don’t know what I’m doing. In the photo above, from left to right, Lynn, Aruna, Vinod. We had a nice visit over tea and after our visit, I felt I got to know Sonali a little better. I am sure we will be visiting the garden again. The gallery of images below were random shots I captured at the garden. As usual, in most browsers, you can click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

Bismarck, North Dakota.

In August, 2015, Lynn and I were in Bismarck for a Civil Air Patrol activity. While there, I decided to scout around for a place to capture the sunset. What came of that evening’s exploration was an image of the Missouri River Valley captured by my cell phone. I’d gathered other images with my Nikon, but the cell phone capture above ended up being my favorite. The majority of images captured that day were featured in a blog post on macro photography as I spent some time in a small garden that was ablaze with summer flowers. 

This trip, in September 2018, we stopped to visit again. In this post, I will give away my secret as to the best sunset view and the probably the best view of the Missouri River in Bismarck-Mandan. The location is high on a bluff overlooking the river. Just off Burnt Boat Drive, the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District manages the location known as Chief Looking’s Village. The site also overlooks a larger park called Pioneer Park. Turning off Burnt Boat Drive, a short uphill drive to a small parking area will bring you to a garden created in the memory of Sonali Seth.

The site, a recent target of an archeological dig to discover more of the history of the Mandan Indians, provides plenty of “front row seating” to watch the sun as it sets. What better way to ease the tensions of the day than to walk through the garden and take a few moments to watch the day begin its journey into night.

The view from the bluff is best shown as a panorama. Select the image above to get a better view of the overlook in a higher resolution. The large bridge on the left allows I-94 to connect Bismarck to Mandan… But I digress from our visit to the garden.

Even late in the summer on this September day, there were flowers blooming in the garden. The gallery of images features several other close-ups of blossoms enjoying the late summer evening with us. In researching the park for this post, I happened upon Sonali’s obituary. She passed away as a young woman of 32 years. You can read it yourself here. Her family left a lasting memorial in creating this garden. Generations of visitors will discover the beauty of the garden when they may have only been looking to watch the sunset. The garden is only a few minutes from the Interstate. Take I-94 exit 157 north on Tyler Parkway, then a left turn onto Burnt Boat Drive. On your left, you’ll see the sign in the photo below. Turn onto that drive and follow it to the parking area at the end of the road.

More information on Chief Looking’s Village and Pioneer Park can be found on the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District’s website here. I submit for your review a gallery of images captured that evening in the garden. All images (except the opening cell phone photo) were captured using a Nikon D500 with a Tamron 16-300 mm lens. To view an enlarged image in most browsers, click on a photo. From there you can scan through the gallery.

John Steiner

Bismarck, North Dakota.

It’s harvest time in North Dakota and one of the annual activities of the season for a dozen years now, is Applefest, a celebration of autumn and a fundraiser for the Bismarck Cancer Center. Applefest this year was September 22 and 23 and as in years past was held at Buckstop Junction, a recreated pioneer village on the southeast end of the Bismarck metro area. Activities included everything from a pie eating contest to a 5K run and many more. Having recently stopped at a frontier village at Jamestown, on our way to Bismarck, we decided to check out Buckstop Junction. It was our good fortune to be there during Applefest 2018.The parking lots and streets into the area were very full and with all the people attending the celebration, we ended up walking quite a ways to the entrance, a historic building that is now a gift shop and visitor center. From the entrance, we could  hear music coming from one of the live musicians performing in the venue.

With a large crowd of people, the celebration attracted vendors with food and other items to sell. We did not starve given the choice of selections for snacking and lunch.

Our first stop, though, was where they were loading up for a hay ride. A tractor pulled a wagon around the village. I figured it would give me a quick overview of what places to stop and where everything was located. It turned out to be a short ride covering two long blocks of buildings. The map below was found on their website along with other background information for this post. Their home page is here.  Inside some of the old buildings are museums for specialized topics. I was disappointed to see the Capital Aviation Museum was closed, though there were a couple of airplanes parked outside the hangar building. It was nice that they were allowing kids to get in and play pilot.

One of the more interesting stops was the Gellner House. Built in 1906 near Goodrich, ND, the two-room residence was the birthplace and home of seven children in the Gellner family. One of the children, Erna Engelbretson, was there giving tours of the small farmhouse. As of the day of our visit, only three of the seven children are still with us.

A Standard gas station is prominent on the corner of Main Street and Edwinton and on this day featured a vintage tow truck and a much newer vehicle.

Directly across Edwinton Avenue from the filling station, a car dealership building is now in place. That building is not on the aerial view map above.

The only car on the lot was a beautiful 1958 Chevrolet Delray, a model produced as an entry level below the Impala and Bel Air. It is rare in that 1958 was the only year the Delray nameplate was available.

When you visit Buckstop Junction, if it’s open, be sure to stop in the basement of the Lewis Hotel. A large model train exhibit takes up nearly the entire basement area of the hotel. There were several members of the model railroading club available to visit about the specifics of this beautiful display. There were many other busy exhibits in the pioneer village. I’ve included a gallery of images for your review. In most browsers, you can click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

About the images in this post: Since almost its inception, this blog has depended upon Adobe Lightroom for image manipulation. Now that Lightroom has gone to a subscription only model, I continue to use Lightroom 6, the last version available for one-time purchase. In recent months, I’ve been looking for tools that can perform on a par with Lightroom without the hassle of a monthly fee. I’m not quibbling the fee for Lightroom and Photoshop for me would only be about $10/month. It’s actually a bargain, but I simply prefer to purchase upgrades on my schedule.

A few months ago, I turned to Luminar by Skylum Software for my processing, though not perfect, there are functions, such as HDR creation that I continued to do in Lightroom. In early October, Skylum Software released Aurora HDR 2019. This post is the first post where all images were processed from their 3-bracket exposures to an HDR image with Aurora. I am finding that the last major job that Lightroom is doing for me is managing my image catalog, now well over 40,000 images captured since 2012 when I rekindled my interest in photography.

John Steiner

Bismarck, North Dakota.

This weekend it’s Apple Fest at Buckstop Junction (a future post will fill you in on the details of that celebration.) On display in the vintage historical society’s village was a beautiful 1958 Chevrolet. Being somewhat of a classic car nut, I wandered over to it and was struck by the model nameplate, Delray. I’m familiar with the entry level 150 model, the mid-level Biscayne, and the venerable Bel Air popular in the mid-1950s. I’d never heard of the Delray. This beautiful example gave me the impression of a higher end Chevrolet and appears to even have the air conditioning option, either dealer or factory installed.

I was to learn in research for this post that prior to 1958, the Delray was a trim level in the 210 model series. In 1958, Chevrolet dropped the 150 model and replaced it with the Delray. This beauty would become a one-year wonder disappearing from the 1959 lineup altogether. Living in the shadow of the classic 1955-57 design series, though the models sold well in what became a depression year for the automotive market, the entire line was redesigned for 1959 and the Delray dropped from the lineup.

About the photo: This beauty was captured with my Samsung S7 cellphone using the camera’s automatic exposure. Who has time to fiddle with settings on a cell phone camera? >grin< In most browsers you can click on the image to enlarge it for a better look. The rule for Cellpic Sunday is simple, the image must be captured on a mobile device.

John Steiner

The weekend of September 9-11, 2016 gave Lynn and me plenty to do. I needed to be in Bismarck for a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) activity on Saturday and Sunday featured the fly-in featured in last week’s Travel Tuesday post. We arrived in Bismarck on Friday evening and I prepared for Saturday’s activity. However, that is not the topic of today’s post.

We left the fly-in a bit early as we needed to be back in Fargo that evening and that meant we needed to leave Bismarck by around 3 PM. We wanted to make one more stop in Bismarck before heading home. This weekend the United Tribes Technical College hosted the 47th annual International PowWow. This three-day event concluded on Sunday. Around 11 AM we left the fly-in and drove less than a mile from the airport to the PowWow arena at the technical college. We bought our tickets, parked our car and wandered in. The grounds were strangely quiet and we would soon discover that the day’s activities start at 1 PM every day. We had two hours to kill, and more importantly, with our need to leave Bismarck early, we realized we wouldn’t get to see much of this year’s PowWow. We headed back to town, had a leisurely lunch and arrived back at the arena in plenty of time for the opening of the day’s activities, the Grand Entry, the subject of the opening photo above.

On this day, the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on New York and Washington D.C., a special commemoration was held at the opening. Several Native American veterans groups were featured in the parade of colors. Two of those groups are featured in the image above.

At the beginning of the opening ceremony, the American Flag was flying at full mast. The next part of the ceremony featured the playing of taps while the flag was lowered to half mast in honor of those lost on 9-11. Following the opening ceremony, the participants in the PowWow were introduced in a march around the arena. All the participants in all of the categories of entry were introduced and passed in review. By the time this review was completed, unfortunately it was time for Lynn and I to head back to Fargo. Next year we will have to visit Bismarck during the PowWow and stay for more of the event. In the gallery that follows, photos of participants were captured while they passed in review. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

I guess my secret’s out that I like to hang around airports. These days, what with concerns about airport security, airport “lurkers” are no longer welcome.

Two types of events still draw people to airports for the experience, not for travel. Those events are airshows and fly-ins. In the upper midwest, many small airports invite the general public to visit at least once a year typically on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

So it happened that I needed to be in Bismarck for a Civil Air Patrol activity on a Saturday in September. Coincidently on Sunday morning, a fly-in was scheduled for the Bismarck Airport. Lynn and I decided we would spend the night in Bismarck and visit the fly-in before heading back to Fargo. In the opening photo, a Cessna 195 attracted attention. This private aircraft was one of about 1200 built between 1947 and 1954.

Adding to the attraction, for me, often owners of classic automobiles are invited to share the ramp space with their flying cousins. On this day, there were maybe a total of 20 or so classic vehicles on display. In fact, there were more cars than aircraft available for viewing on this day.

Our Civil Air Patrol display featured two aircraft and several members, cadets and adults who shared their enthusiasm for our volunteer efforts with interested guests. As this photo was taken, we were just about finished setting up. Soon we would open the doors to N634CP and give people a closer look at the all-electronic “glass cockpit” flight display and the forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera system.

North Dakota CAP was the first CAP wing in the country to mount a FLIR system in one of our aircraft. This joint project between the State of North Dakota and North Dakota CAP led to other wings adopting the technology for their search and rescue activities. In the photo above, the FLIR control unit is displayed on the co-pilot’s seat. Normally the console is operated by a FLIR technician, usually from the rear seat. The operator can manipulate the camera’s rotation and tilt using the joystick. Different modes and functions are selected by the various pushbuttons and sliders on the panel. ND Wing CAP is looking to upgrade our FLIR system to a much more compact control console in the next few months.

But I digress from the topic of the fly-in… People come to fly-ins hungry. As you can see by this line, guests are waiting their turn to be served the traditional pancakes and sausages. Most fly-ins charge a modest fee, or ask for donations to cover the expense of the food. I have never been to a fly-in that charged for admission. Check with someone at your airport to find out when and where local fly-ins are scheduled. If there isn’t one held there annually, you can find out which airports in your area invite guests. The gallery of images below features some additional photos captured at this year’s Bismarck, North Dakota fly-in. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

John Steiner

Bismarck, North Dakota.

One of the more difficult duties I have as North Dakota Wing Commander is to represent the wing at member funerals. Since taking the job, I’ve had to fulfill that duty twice, once for a cadet and last week, for a senior member. Both were killed in vehicle related accidents. On Thursday afternoon, Ken, the Wing Vice Commander and I flew toward the Mandan airport where the Bismarck squadron is located and where a vehicle waited for our arrival to drive to the location of the memorial service. We would attend the service along with the members of the Bismarck Squadron. Ken and I departed around 10:30 PM for the one-hour and forty-five minute flight to Fargo. Mandan, North Dakota is just west of Bismarck, a sister city on the opposite side of the Missouri River. As I was the pilot on the inbound flight, Ken did the return pilot-in-command duties leaving me the opportunity to capture a few images of the city as we flew over.

About the photo: The Mandan Airport is at the south end of the Bismarck metro area and as we crossed over Bismarck, most of the city lay to the north. I reached behind the pilot’s seat to my left and snapped some photos on my Samsung S7. If you look closely, you’ll notice the lights at the bottom of the picture are a bit fuzzy. The slow shutter speed created a bit of motion blur as we were moving forward at a climbout speed of around 100 miles per hour (160 km/hour). The rule for Cellpic Sunday is simple. The image must be captured and edited on a mobile device. As usual, this photo was edited on an iPad.

John Steiner

Last week, I needed to head to Bismarck for some vehicle maintenance on the Civil Air Patrol vehicle I use for my volunteer work. Just east of Bismarck on I-94, the Apple Creek Rest Area is at Milepost 168; Westbound. I don’t usually stop there as it’s so close to my destination. Nature called, however, so I pulled off the Interstate and was surprised to see the rest area looks like an early 20th century gas station, complete with two antique gas pumps. The only thing missing was the rubber hose service bell (never mind there was no driveway to drive a vehicle up to the pump for a fuel fill.)

The rule for Cellpic Sunday is simple, the image must be taken and edited on a mobile device. This photo was taken with a Samsung S7 cell phone, edited on an iPad.

John Steiner

Bismarck, North Dakota

The Heritage Center is North Dakota’s State Museum, located on the grounds of the state Capitol in Bismarck. In recent years, the museum went through a major upgrade adding new galleries and exhibits. Visitors to Bismarck will find the Heritage Center to be an entertaining and economical way to spend the day. Admission is free, but visitors are invited to contribute to the museum’s support. Also housed in the newly remodeled building are the State Historical Society offices and the State Archives. Check the website for current hours of operation here.

North Dakota, like many of the great plains states, was host to some of the largest dinosaurs. Any museum worth its name must contain several exhibits of prehistoric animals. The Heritage Center doesn’t disappoint as featured in the Adaptation Gallery. Even prehistoric undersea animals and plants some 80 million years past lived in the ocean that covered North Dakota.

In more recent times, the American bison roamed the prairies. Hunted almost to extinction by early settlers and hunter tourists, conservation efforts by President Theodore Roosevelt and others saved the species. Some exhibits of long-extinct giant bison are an interesting comparison to today’s relatively smaller bison.

A bull boat and cart are examples of early transportation are featured in the Innovation Gallery. More modern exhibits are featured in the Inspiration Gallery. The three permanent exhibits in the galleries mentioned here trace North Dakota history from 600 million years ago through the present day.

While you are there, be sure to stroll around the grounds. The museum, located on the east side of the Capitol grounds features a great view of the Capitol building and a walk around the Capitol grounds will be rewarded with some interesting sculptures. I submit a small gallery of images taken from various vantage points around the Capitol grounds. Click on an image to enlarge it, and to scroll through the gallery.

Don’t miss the Governors Gallery. This gallery features traveling and temporary exhibits. Check the website here to see the current featured exhibit.

The Capitol, once the tallest building in North Dakota, is a short distance south of I-94. Go south on Exit 159 (highway 1804). The grounds are only a few short blocks south of the exit.

Mandan, North Dakota

Custer’s Last Stand is familiar to the majority of United States history buffs. General George Armstrong Custer, the brash officer, without waiting for the other divisions from the south and west, attacked what he thought was a small Indian village. Within hours, three thousand Sioux warriors led by Chief Crazy Horse destroyed the Seventh Cavalry down to the last man. What many don’t know is that Custer and the Seventh Cavalry were stationed at Fort Abraham Lincoln near Bismarck, North Dakota. It was from the fort that the men of the ill-fated unit were led to their demise.

Today, the fort is a North Dakota State Park. Several of the buildings have been reconstructed, including the Commander’s Residence, Custer’s last home. Park visitors can purchase a pass that takes them back to 1875 on the day of a scheduled party to be held in the Custer House that evening. Though the party never really happens, visitors are given a tour of the house by a volunteer soldier.

Prior to starting the interpretive tour, we awaited other guests on the large porch of the reconstructed residence and listened to the volunteer speak about the life and times of the cavalry soldier of the era. Tours are offered throughout the day. Park admission in 2015 was $5 US and the fee for the two interpretive tours in the park are $6 US per person.

All of the furnishings in the house are of the correct period. Many items were the personal property of the General and his wife. The desk shown above was used on a daily basis when General Custer was on duty at the fort. His portrait hangs above the desk and the small pencil sketch is a portrait of his wife on their wedding day. After his death, Elizabeth Bacon Custer became a champion of George Armstrong Custer’s legacy through books and lectures. She passed away in 1933 at the age of 90. Our tour guide painted a verbal picture of the daily life of the Custers who, strangely enough, aren’t around “right now”, but will certainly be there for the party this evening when the residents of Bismarck-Mandan arrive in their 1875 finest dress.

The pencil sketch of Mrs. Custer reflects the art of the day. The gallery of images included here features some of the rooms and furnishings in the Custer House. Click on an image to enlarge it and to scroll through the gallery.

More about Fort Abraham Lincoln’s On-A-Slant Village can be found here.

John Steiner