My favorite part of Buggies & Blues this year actually took place south of town at the Mandan Airport, where a fly-in was held in the morning with perfect weather and a great selection of airborne participants. My little boys love airplanes, so it was a real treat for them to see so many up close.
One of the stars of the show was Duggy, also the winner of Brightest Participant in my book. One other important fact about Duggy is the fact that they can go inside and have a look around, a bonus for any little kid.
I often wonder why people schedule events like this on Sunday when they could enjoy better participation on Saturdays, when people aren't attending church in the morning. Be that as it may, we made an exception and showed up on our way to church. We just weren't able to spend as much time as we'd like, or buy breakfast there at the airport. My little guys sure looked sharp that morning!
The techie in me had to get a shot of all the bells & whistles, of course. It must be really interesting to taxi a big tail-dragger like this considering the obstructed view when the back wheel is on the ground!
One other star of the show was a Blackhawk helicopter from the National Guard unit across the river. I spent a little while inspecting it for camera attachment locations, since I was scheduled to do some video work from one of these about a week later (which, sadly, I was too busy to perform).
This sleek border patrol helicopter was pretty cool too, and my little guys really appreciated the opportunity to sit in it. I was kept quite busy making sure they didn't hit any buttons or switches. Even at my age those things look tempting, so imagine what it must be like for a 2 and 3 year old!
One nice thing about this event (which was not an air show, but a gathering of aircraft enthusiasts) was the ability to roam the tarmac and peruse the assortment of plains and helicopters which had assembled. From all the little private aircraft to a few experimental units, there was a lot of variety.
Turnout was great, with plenty of spectators taking in the display and having some breakfast in one of the hangars. Last year's weather didn't cooperate the way this year's did, and I don't think one could have asked for a better morning for an outdoor gathering. Even the wind was light, a plus for small aircraft such as the paraplane that was flying for a little while.
Mmmmmm...breakfast. If only it was Saturday, I could have stayed long enough to load up on some chow. Oh well...
This fly-in may not get as much publicity as the main Buggies & Blues event, but it's definitely worth catching. Remember that next year as these events approach. Hopefully 2011 brings good weather and participation again...maybe even on a Saturday so more people can enjoy it!
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( 3.1 / 321 )
While on the road last weekend I spotted this truck in front of Walmart in Minot. I didn't have time to hang around and wait for the driver, but I sure would have liked to. In this photo you can kinda see the airbrushing of the Lord Jesus Christ on the beams of the cross.
This truck is adorned with a singular message: Repent and Believe. I am counted among those who came to the saving knowledge that Jesus died to save sinners (of whom I am chief, I might add, in accordance with I Timothy 1:15). It's encouraging to see this guy taking it to all 50 states.
Fifty states, one true story. The "Repent & Believe" at the bottom of the Virginia license plate caught my eye. Wouldn't it be cool if we could get plates like that here? Instead we have Fargo-area liberals trying to fight personalized plates with religious themes.
You can check out this truck's travels at hiscall888.com if you'd like. There's a blog mentioning North Dakota stops as well as a statement of faith, something I've been meaning to put on this site for quite some time. Check it out!
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( 3 / 323 )
This isn't the same stretch of road as my original Dakota Roads post from 2006, but if my memory serves me right I believe they may both be Highway 1.
A beautiful black road like this is not a common site in North Dakota, since various transportation and road departments have a chip-seal fetish that I can't explain. Actually, as a motorcyclist, I resent it. It seems a shame to cover a beautifully smooth, sticky stretch of blacktop with a damaging abrasive, one especially hazardous when it's first applied and left to sit for a week or two. As a result, a nice black road like this one is particularly noticeable and wonderful to me.
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( 3.1 / 233 )
A week or more ago I noticed that this sign had been put up in fron of the William Guy Federal Building on 3rd and Rosser. To the average citizen, even one who spends a LOT of time in this building like me, you'd never guess that there is anything going on inside aside from a new coat of that government-blue paint. But rest assured, this sign indicates that money (yours) is being spent.
Actually, I think this sign may have been required by the Obama regime, as this directive from America's Dictator (PDF format) states very clearly. If you don't want to load the PDF, I'll just quote the relevant section:
"All projects which are funded by the Recovery Act shall display signage that features the Primary Emblem throughout the construction phase. The signage should be displayed in a prominent location on site. Some exclusions may apply. The Primary Emblem should not be displayed at a size less than 6 inches in diameter."
Lest you neglect to turn all Hopey-Changey™ at the thought of your childrens' future being squandered, the name of Our Esteemed Leader features prominently at the top of the sign. According to this PDF from the government,
"Projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will bear a newly-designed emblem. The emblem is a symbol of President Obama’s commitment to the American People to invest their tax dollars wisely to put Americans back to work." (emphasis is mine.)
Heaven forbid that federal dollars get shoveled at anything without credit being focused on Barack Hussein Obama! Well, Mister President, I have a suggestion for your sign, a few words it's missing (and they even left room for):
I think this says more about the project than all the rest of that sign, including the cutesy little logo at the top. The entire "stimulus" program has been a sham from the get-go, and most of that money that absolutely had to be printed at the time still hasn't been spent yet. I imagine that will be ramping up as we approach election season, so the Democrats can use it to buy votes. Well, I don't think too many Americans are buying that. By the way, I think I do know what part of this money was spent for:
Remember this photo of a "government fix" in the very same Federal Building? Well, the shipping tape has been removed, making this photo obsolete. There are still some nasty smears on the wall from where the adhesive was, so by no means is it completely repaired...but then again, would you expect any better?
I'd like to point out that Earl Pomeroy, Kent "Countrywide Mortgage" Conrad, and Byron "Skybox" Dorgan all voted for this stuff and think it's pretty keen. Remember that each and every November until they're all three civilians.
For you "birthers" out there, you might get a kick out of the fact that this sign was made using a commercial font called "Kenyan Coffee." Maybe someone out there has a sense of humor about this tragedy...
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( 3 / 274 )
I had to chuckle the other day when I spotted this gem, since it thumbs its nose at an intrusive federal and state government. Apparently this space is off limits for advertising, so the owner decided to make it serve a good purpose. Declaring a Constitutionally protected right ranks right up there in my book!
Here's a closeup of the sign along with an explanation of why the declaration is being made. Overspray issues aside, I think this is a fantastic landmark and that there should be more of this sort of thing all over North Dakota. How 'bout that Bill of Rights, eh? I think people need to be reacquainted with it and our other founding documents. You'd be surprised how many rights the state and citizens have and how few the federal government does...
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( 3.2 / 242 )
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