It’s good to see construction of the new bridge underway; when they first tried to get this project off the ground, nobody answered the bidding process. I’m told it was a combination of volatile steel prices, concrete availability, and crew availability. Not only were raw materials in high demand with prices changing rapidly; all the crews were busy in the gulf coast region, repairing hurricane damage. Finally a builder came through, and we’re proceeding.
Growth means change, and change means…well, CHANGE. What do many die-hard Nodaks fear the most? You guessed it. Well, in this case, there’s nothing to fear for the immediate future. When the Bismarck City Commission voted to accept the annexation of a couple of plats of land to be used in this neighborhood, the question of the tree came up. As it turns out, the tree will be more protected than ever: it will be surrounded by curb and gutter. Change doesn’t have to mean you destroy the old to bring in the new…and it seems great care will be taken to avoid causing damage the the ol’ tree.
Did I hear someone at the City Commission meeting mumble “good hangin’ tree” or was that my imagination?
If you’re looking for a workout and have moderate mountain biking skills, hop on the trail above River Road…it’s a challenge! If you think it isn’t, do three laps sometime. That will change your mind.
These towers include the local Cumulus FMs, KNDX (Fox), KBMY (ABC), KBME (PBS), KXMB (CBS), KFYR (NBC), and KYYY (Y-93). Most of them are on Tokach land, except for the KBMY tower. They can be clearly seen from Bismarck and much of Mandan, unless you live below some sort of hill.
Local viewers who don’t have cable are actually quite fortunate to have the tower situation set up in such a way. Guys like me who have satellite TV and use an off-air antenna to pick up the local stations can aim that antenna once and forget about it. You see, TV antennas are quite directional in nature…and if the towers for different stations were located all over the place, you’d have to rotate your antenna to optimize your signal from one station to the next. As it stands, I just bought a rooftop antenna for $20 at Menards and mounted it inside the attic of my house, facing towards “tower city,” and forgot about it.
While out here, I saw something I don’t recall ever seeing before: a meteor streaking down out of the sky so slowly, so close to the ground, that I could actually see the wisps of flame coming off it before it disintegrated in a flash. It was amazing! There were lots of shooting stars last night, so I’ll probably be out chasing more tonight.
This site will greet you just as you start the voyage “Around the World,” where my friend Barry and I took our motorcycles on Memorial Day. In a previous post I took the route that goes past the Sweet Briar school, but you can also end up taking a slightly more scenic route by turning left on Lyons Drive, just west of Mandan.
This is a particularly scenic drive these days now that the fields have greened up. Rolling plains, sharp valleys and a winding road make for an enjoyable drive.
Late at night, when those of us who are getting old are tucked safely into our beds, the downtown stoplights change. They don’t grow hair and bark at the moon, but they do start flashing yellow and red. This particular intersection does the same thing, turning into a STOP sign for Broadway Avenue. But if it’s unsafe to stop and go during the day, why would it be safer at night?
One could make the argument that it’s easier to see headlights coming at night than a car without headlights during the day. I say that it’s dangerous no matter what, for the same reason that 7th and Main is dangerous.
So the next time you’re out after midnight and come to the flashing red at Washington and Broadway, be extra careful! This can be a dangerous intersection, no matter what time of day or night.
For those of you who have left Bismarck-Mandan and check this blog to see what’s going on in your old home town, the riverside areas have been transformed, mostly in anticipation of tourism due to the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. The walking paths have been expanded and repaved, there are cultural displays such as this one, a lot of signage has been added, and there are other little attractions too. In the future I plan to write some posts highlighting the changes around here…there have been many in just the past year or two.
What’s weird about being near the bridge when it’s closed is that it’s eerily quiet in the absence of traffic. The only sound is the constant cooing of all those darn pigeons. That in itself is kinda spooky…what if they decide to revolt?
We’ve all had a taste of what life will be like while the bridge’s replacement is built…it’s not fun. Hopefully, once the construction on a new bridge gets underway, the process of building a new one will go quickly.
Some people think this bridge is just fine the way it is, and should simply be properly maintained. Others want it scrapped in favor of a new and better one. Then there’s the shock and awe brought about by its deterioration. And of course those who want it preserved as a historical item.
Personally, I think the historic appeal of this bridge died when they decided to put a concrete deck on the famous “singing bridge.” Now that it appears to be rusting and crumbling away, let’s replace it. But let’s do so responsibly. And I sure hope the next design lasts as long as this one has!
We printed out coupons from www.pizzaranch.com but didn’t need them…we got the buffet and piled on the salad and all kinds of pizza. This is a really nice pizza place! I am not the kind of guy to dig in to the Philly Cheese Steak pizza or other such varieties, but there were plenty of other, more traditional styles to pick from.
The room we sat in was decorated with memorabilia from the Mandan Fire Department, including lots of old photos which were fun to look at. I didn’t check around the rest of the place as it was pretty busy. I guess the word gets around!
One other cool thing is a tidbit I found on their website in their mission statement: “Our Vision…To glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in.” Nice.
Anyway, I digress. This little stone hut houses a diagram of the Double Ditch Indian Village and gives a brief history thereof. It had a metal roof up until the Lewis and Clark craze started; then the whole area got a makeover with signage, walking trails…the works. The hut got a new roof and some maintenance.
It’s no longer the most convenient place because Double Ditch Loop is no longer a through street there. It used to lead right past “the Hut.” Whether it was really fears of the eroding cliffs giving way or just a good excuse not to have a road to maintain, the bottom half of Double Ditch Loop was destroyed and turned into a foot path. Now you have to hoof it a bit to get to this 70 year old landmark. There used to be turnstiles between the two stone columns shown in the picture there, and some wooden/stone steps. Those have since been removed.
I have fond memories of sitting up there with friends, eating Pizza Hut breadsticks and listening to music, while watching the stars and an occasional satellite whizzing by. It’s far enough away from the city lights to provide great viewing, yet close enough to reach within a few minutes. Watch for deer. Since it’s north of the city it provides a clear view of the northern horizon in case of Aurora Borealis. There’s also a stone picnic table on the lookout point at the end of Double Ditch Loop, where the walking trail to the Hut begins.
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