![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bismarckmandanblog.com\/images\/sunset_110206.jpg\")
<\/center>We’ve had some vivid, dramatic sunsets lately, but I haven’t been in much of a position to capture them due to working late and extracurricular activities. Tonight, now that the skies have cleared, I was determined to get a nice shot of the sunset. I headed to Mandan with hopes of one of the Fort Lincoln blockhouses as a foreground. It sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it?<\/p>\nI was in a bit of a hurry to scurry to Mandan, but I needed cash for the five dollar gate fee at Fort Lincoln. As luck would have it, I just got my paycheck from the city (yeah, I seem to work EVERYWHERE). After a quick stop at the bank drive-up I bolted to Fort Lincoln. I grabbed my entry fee envelope with the intent to pay on my way out; the sun was setting quickly, so I needed every spare second.<\/p>\n
I zoomed up to the road which leads to the forts, only to find the gates locked! There was a sign saying “These gates closed after dark” but it was hardly anywhere NEAR dark. No problem, right? All I have to do is sprint up the hill…remember, time’s a-wasting!<\/p>\n
I bet I panted for ten minutes after I finally reached the top of the hill, due to my lack of exercise and Fort Lincoln’s lack of an established trail. I wasn’t disappointed by the sunset; a really dramatic sunset needs a few more clouds than we had, but this one certainly had no shortage of color.<\/p>\n
I hung out for a little bit longer; I was dressed warmly, there were deer and geese hanging out in the area, and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to a long hike down the hill in the dark. I’ve made that hike before, and there are a LOT of noises in those trees! So I swung the camera around and took a few more shots, like this one:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bismarckmandanblog.com\/images\/blockhouse_110206.jpg\")
<\/center>The moon was nearly full, the geese were honking, my shutter was snapping. It was actually quite a nice night, even the dark walk back to the truck. That’s where the morality tale waited for me: as I put the gear in the truck and got ready to leave the park, that envelope for the park fee got my attention.<\/p>\nAs a dissatisfied customer, I didn’t feel like sticking a fiver in that thing and putting it in the slot back at the unmanned fee station. Nobody would know, and I certainly did NOT feel like I got my five bucks’ worth. But was that really my call to make?<\/p>\n
The Christian in me took over, fortunately. I’d pay it on my way out of the park as I’d originally planned. I turned my fuming into fun, jokingly assessing blame to Tracy Potter and thinking, “now there’s another good reason not to vote for him!” Besides, I did come down the hill with some pretty decent pictures.<\/p>\n
After I put my five bucks in the slot at the fee station, I left the park with a clear conscience. It wouldn’t hurt for me to exercise more often…then I might even relish a hectic hike to beat the sunset. I’ve learned my lesson, though; I’ll hike in from the walking trail to the north, where it’s free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This post contains the return of the Thursday Night Sunset series, a morality tale, and a fitness report. What a treat, huh? We’ve had some vivid, dramatic sunsets lately, but I haven’t been in much of a position to capture … Continue reading