Alan’s been wanting to see the replica Viking ship in Moorhead for a while, we were up there at Buffalo River State Park (Site 39) on way to Little Missouri State Park earlier this year with no time to tourist en route, so we went back this week.

The idea was to hang out in Fargo/Moorhead for a few days, but then I realized Winnipeg was just 4+ hours north, and I’ve not been there for ? over 50 years, so plan was extended… extended but a SLOW, not harried, “time out” trip.

Started out at the Clay County Historical Society in Moorhead:

… home to the Hjemkomst Ship Gallery, which is spectacular, there’s the ship, of course:

And Hardanger fiddles:

… and a tour of the stave church replica:

Looking at the outside, you’d never guess that it would be so light inside!

… complete with the door for lepers who couldn’t enter the church but had to take communion or else:

And of course checking out the air conditioning unit, air over ice stored from winter and making ice when necessary, well, ya know, it’s all about energy:

But best of all was the County’s 250th exhibit — if you can, GO CHECK IT OUT! Yes, I’m shouting, it’s one of, if not THE, best museum exhibits I’ve seen:

My favorite:

And something on all of our minds:

… and the next morning on to Fargo and a stop at Benedict’s Morning Heroes — and to think there’s one in Rochester, had no clue!

On to Canada, oh, but wait, there’s the Fargo Air Museum, gotta keep Alan happy:

It was the Veterans’ Coffee Hour, place was packed, parking lot full, but I was fortunate to get a table and work on editing a dissertation under the supervision of a Corsair (I’d had small one as a kid, gas powered, rarely got the thing to fly!):

NOW on to Canada, a late start, and to an older hotel but very comfy… did I mention we left Maisy with Audrey, our local dog whisperer, at Wells Creek Kennels? We can’t trust Maisy not to bark at every sound, much less not pee on the carpet, sooooo, we dropped her off and missed her terribly:

First stop was The Leaf, a biome home, a rainforest, a “Mediterranean” section, and at the top a butterfly exhibit.

And the next day on to the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada:

Alan was in 7th heaven, and I had a great place to work, an observation room on the 2nd floor, overlooking the runway next door and the airplanes:

By the airport, there was a glitch in google both to and fro, perhaps jamming near airport? Took a while to get turned around. Driving in Winnipeg was odd, everywhere was a trip through the center city to the other side, with odd turns and not enough warning, even this pro found it a bit much. Caught meal at a food hall, and we were too late to check out the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, DRAT, but we’ll be coming back.

Hammer down to pick up Maisy!!! She’s recovering from being so rudely abandoned.

Just in, Notice of Prima Facie Determination and Order for Probable Cause Hearing:

Here are the Resolutions filed thus far by Counties and Townships affected by PowerOn Midwest 765kV transmission (PUC Docket CN-25-117) through their communities. Some are forms, fill in the blank even, and I’m hoping that there will be more individual ones filed — individually drafted filings have greater weight, greater impact.

Counties:

Townships:

Notice of the Agenda for the Public Utilities Commission October 22, 2026 meeting has two most interesting items. Briefing papers will be out before the 22nd.

The Xcel Electric Service Agreement is interesting because there’s a request to refer this for a Contested Case and to remove the redactions from filings. YES! How is the public to consider this if we don’t know what’s at issue? Some filings below.

The other is the Site Permit for Lemon Hill Solar, the first solar permit I know of where the ALJ Recommended denial (sort of like Freeborn Wind where we got a recommendation of denial, and then Xcel and the Commission went behind closed doors and changed “guidance” to allow “garbage in-garbage out” noise modeling.) Recommendation below.

Check out the ways that the Lemon Hill Solar project did not meet the siting criteria.

TWENTY-FOUR CENTS A GALLON?

$6.113 – $0.244 Federal Tax – $5.869

That’s no help.

STOP THE WAR!

Here’s E.O. 14435: