A Rocky Mountain Welcome

The familiar and welcome sight of the Front Range upon arrival.

The Traveler's Limbo at MSP

O-Dark-Thirty at MSP

Cribbage and Clouds Over MSP

 After a rainy and otherwise uneventful drive, we arrived at our hotel near the Minneapolis-Saint Paul airport. 

The final sunset of our Minnesota trip, viewed from our hotel near the airport.

Departure Dinner

The whole crew enjoying a farewell dinner before we all departed.

 All good trips must eventually come to an end, and we marked the occasion with a final family dinner at the Boulder Tap House in Alexandria.

A Roadside Attraction Worth the Stop

Vining, Minnesota: Nyberg Sculpture Park

This friendly visitor seems to be enjoying the local scenery.

 After seeing his panther sculpture in Parkers Prairie, we had to finish the afternoon with a trip to the source: the Nyberg sculpture park in Vining, Minnesota.

The Korkowski Cousins Convene

Our destination for the afternoon: The Old Mill in Urbank.

And now for the main event of our trip: the annual Korkowski Cousins' Luncheon at The Old Mill in Urbank, Minnesota. 

Parkers Panthers Pride

The Parkers Prairie High School panther, a gift from my aunt's graduating class.

A Minnesota Institution: Chet's Lakeside Inn

Do we do anything but eat on these trips?  

My Aunt Jenny and niece Liz, posing with the official greeter.

Pike and Pint Reunion

 After a morning of climbing at Inspiration Peak, we had certainly worked up an appetite. We headed over to the Pike and Pint in Alexandria for a well-deserved lunch. It was a great opportunity to sit down and catch up with my brother, Denis, and my cousin, Shawn. Good food and even better company are what these trips are all about.

Minnesota: Heights to Homestead

The rural landscapes of central Minnesota were on full display.

Sunrise Glow in Alex

 A quiet hotel room and a new window to look out of. There’s a simple pleasure in watching the sun come up in a different town.

The sun peeking over the horizon just after 7:30 this morning.

​ This morning, the sky over Alexandria, Minnesota, put on a vibrant, fiery display, offering a warm and colorful start to a day full of family and reunion.

​Wherever you are today, I hope your morning started with a little bit of color.

Don Bergquist – 10 October 2025 – Alexandria, Minnesota, USA

​A Flicker of Memory

​I have lost any hope of keeping an accurate count of exactly how many flights I have taken over the course of my life.

​Before the Sun, Before the Flight

 ​It's just past six in the morning, and the world outside the windows of the United Club is still wrapped in darkness.

A Calculated Retreat

Leaving the dreary hills outside Rapid City behind.

Devils Tower: Myth and Misconception

 Devils Tower rises so dramatically from the landscape that it demands an explanation. For years, I thought I knew the simple version: it was a "lava plug" from an ancient volcano. The truth, as I've learned, is even more incredible.

A Badlands Pivot

 The best-laid schemes o' Bison an' Rock Wren / Gang aft agley (with apologies to Bobby Burns).

The view at civil twilight: decidedly wet and rainy.

The Faces of the Black Hills

The iconic view down the Avenue of Flags.

A Moment of Peace at Horse Thief Lake

 After a few hours on the winding roads of the Black Hills, you start looking for a good place to pull over and just breathe. Horse Thief Lake is one of those perfect spots.

A peaceful scene with a hint of autumn color.

A Vision Carved in Stone

The massive carving rising above the Black Hills forest.

 It's hard to believe it has been over twenty years since I was last in the Black Hills, and my last visit to the Crazy Horse Memorial. While the progress on the mountain itself is a deliberate and generational process, the scope of the entire project is what truly resonates.

Wind Cave National Park: A Surface-Level Visit

 

The landscape transforms upon entering the Black Hills.

From the Plains to the Hills

 The miles roll by easily on the plains. After crossing from Colorado into Wyoming, the landscape opens up into a vast expanse that stretches to every horizon.

The Road Less Taken

 The leisurely pace continues as we press on through northern Colorado. One of the best decisions for a weekend trip is choosing the right route, and this morning it’s paying off. Instead of the often-congested mountain corridors, we're enjoying wide-open roads with hardly any traffic.

A nice surprise for an early Saturday morning:
a hot air balloon enjoying the calm air.

A Leisurely Start Towards the Black Hills

 There's a certain quiet satisfaction to the start of a road trip, especially one that begins at a leisurely pace. We're not trying to break any land speed records on this journey; the compass is simply pointed toward Rapid City, South Dakota.