{"id":11584,"date":"2015-11-04T09:43:49","date_gmt":"2015-11-04T14:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/?p=11584"},"modified":"2015-11-04T10:45:03","modified_gmt":"2015-11-04T15:45:03","slug":"hunting-rhinos-in-marion-kansas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/2015\/11\/04\/hunting-rhinos-in-marion-kansas\/","title":{"rendered":"Hunting Rhinos in Marion, Kansas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rhinos In Kansas?<\/h4>\n

About 30 years ago I decided my favorite animal was\u00a0the white\u00a0rhino<\/a><\/strong>. Whenever we went on a family trip, our\u00a0Children – Bevin and Jack<\/strong> –\u00a0would scour any gift shop or gas station we stopped at for rhino statues<\/strong> or memorabilia. Because of this quest I have a pretty good collection of rhinos<\/strong> on my desk. Plastic, porcelain, metal – even crystal – I have about 20 of them.<\/p>\n

After about 20 years the thrill of the hunt<\/strong> diminished and I had not added to my collection in quite a while. Little did I expect\u00a0to catch Rhino Fever<\/strong>\u00a0again in of all places Marion, Kansas<\/strong>. But, that’s what happened, as you shall see…<\/p>\n

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Rain Again!<\/p><\/div>\n

Humid Sub-Tropical<\/h4>\n

In doing research for a movie I am making for my YouTube Channel<\/strong><\/a>, I was amazed to discover that the part of Kansas<\/strong> I reside in (South Central)<\/em> has\u00a0climate<\/strong> referred to as Humid Subtropical<\/a><\/strong>. I’ve been living here over 30 years<\/strong> and it never struck me that way until<\/span><\/em> I read that. While people can get it in their minds<\/em> that Kansas is dry and dusty, South Central Kansas – at least<\/em> – is not. In retrospect, I realized it rains here considerably more than I had assumed. The real shocker for me is\u00a0that July <\/strong>-the middle of Summer-<\/em> is the month with the highest rainfall<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Anyway, the picture above was taken to help you with\u00a0that Kansas meteorological insight<\/strong>. As\u00a0I thought about it, that’s why the grass (think wheat – the tall grass)<\/em> grows so well<\/strong> here.<\/p>\n

With regard to Blue Sky Ranch & Aerodrome<\/strong> I need to point out that the original owner – Bill Selby<\/strong> – did a masterful job constructing the airstrip. Even when\u00a0there is water standing in the drain at the foot of our hangar, the airfield is never wet or soggy<\/strong>. He had gravel laid down and then “crowned”<\/em> it with dirt topped off with a particularly resilient grass mixture. There is never mud or puddles<\/strong> on the strip.<\/p>\n

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Sunrise Over Derby, Kansas<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

I was able to get airborne at sunrise<\/strong>. Marion, Kansas<\/strong> is North Northeast<\/strong> of Blue Sky<\/strong> so I would not have the sun directly in my face like it was on my Sky Safari<\/strong>\u00a0to Severy, Kansas<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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After crossing Highway 54 \/ Kellogg Ave<\/strong>., things got rural fast. This attractive farm<\/strong> caught my eye.<\/p><\/div>\n

Nap Of The Earth<\/h4>\n

I was flying low<\/strong> because the wind was out of the North Northeast<\/strong> – the exact direction I was traveling. It wasn’t very strong<\/strong> but it would have slowed my progress enough to be a problem. Regardless, that morning I followed\u00a0the well-tested “Sky Surfer Flight Protocol<\/a><\/strong>” – out early in the morning under the wind<\/strong> – return to base “riding the wave”<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Another attractive group of farm homes<\/strong> a few miles North Northeast\u00a0of Wichita<\/strong>. This was shot at about 30′ AGL looking North.<\/p><\/div>\n

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About a section or two past the previous shot I saw\u00a0the old fashioned angular barn<\/strong> just past the tree row.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Then appeared one of my favorite sights this time of year – a beautiful field of milo<\/strong><\/a>!<\/p><\/div>\n

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On the other hand, it is hard to be more pleasing to the eye than a hay field covered with bales<\/strong>. I can’t make up my mind which I like better… (Do I have to like one better?)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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The point of this shot is not the flora but the fauna<\/strong>. Look closely near the center of the picture<\/strong> and you will see two white tail deer<\/strong><\/a> cutting a path away from the noise of my Big Yellow Bird<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Water Ho!<\/h4>\n

Out on the ocean, the call is “Land Ho!”<\/strong> but out on The Great Plains<\/strong> often\u00a0the “landmark”<\/em> is water<\/strong>. For this Safari<\/strong>, my path took me directly over Marion County Lake and Park<\/strong><\/a>. The park is well known for Bird Watching<\/strong> and Fishing<\/strong>.\u00a0You can catch\u00a0Channel Catfish<\/strong>,\u00a0Flathead Catfish<\/strong>, Black Bass<\/strong>,\u00a0Walleye<\/strong> or Saugeye<\/strong>,\u00a0Wipers<\/strong> (White Bass\/Striped Bass Hybrid)<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Crappie<\/strong> in this 153 acre lake.<\/p>\n

Since I was still hugging the ground to stay under the headwind, after I took the picture seen below, I cut to the left (West)<\/em> around the campgrounds. Marion, Kansas<\/a><\/strong> and The Marion County Airport<\/a><\/strong> are only a mile or so beyond this point.<\/p>\n

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Marion County Lake and Park with the dam that formed the lake\u00a0in the fore.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Right after swinging around the Marion Park\/Lake<\/strong>, I took this shot of Marion, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> from about 500′ AGL<\/strong> looking Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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After taking the picture of Marion<\/strong>, I panned the cam about 30\u00b0 right<\/strong> to show The Marion County Airport<\/a><\/strong>. It is 1.25 miles Southeast<\/strong> of the edge of town.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I also took a telephoto of the airport<\/strong>. I like each shot\u00a0for different reasons so here you go…<\/p><\/div>\n

Marion County Airport<\/h4>\n

In June of 2013, I made one of my longest Sky Safaris<\/a> to The National Biplane Fly-In<\/strong><\/a> at Freeman Field<\/strong><\/a> of Junction City, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>. Part of that plan was to land at Marion Airport<\/strong> for gas. That was when I had the first opportunity to use the Baxter Flight Center<\/strong> and had the providential meeting<\/strong> with\u00a0Dick McClinden <\/strong>and his wife Patty.<\/strong>\u00a0I say providential<\/strong> because although Dick is an airport volunteer and carries\u00a0a key<\/strong>\u00a0to start up the gas pump for aviators passing through, that morning, he and Patty<\/strong>\u00a0were on their way out of town and just happened to be driving by the airport<\/strong>. If the timing hadn’t been so good, I would have had to wait an hour or more<\/strong>\u00a0to wait for one of the other\u00a0volunteer operators<\/strong> who live in and around town to\u00a0drive out and fuel me up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This is one of the nicest airfields<\/strong>\u00a0on The Great Plains<\/strong> and is made better yet by the Baxter Flight Center<\/strong> that was donated by Flying Farmer<\/strong><\/a> Pearl Baxter<\/strong> in memory of her husband George<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The Baxter Flight Center at Marion County Airport<\/p><\/div>\n

There’s Tie Downs And There’s Tie Downs<\/h4>\n

As you can see in the photo below (with the windsock stretched out pretty good)<\/em>, the wind was\u00a0blowing with vigor<\/strong> after I landed. Whenever possible I do not\u00a0leave the plane out in the open<\/strong>.\u00a0A row of hangars<\/strong> at Marion<\/strong> provided the perfect prescription<\/strong> for The Sky Surfer’s<\/strong> needs. By putting the MXL<\/strong>\u00a0behind the hangars, the plane was protected from the majority of the wind so that the control surfaces<\/strong> wouldn’t be flipped<\/strong> around in the breeze<\/strong>. I carry my own stakes<\/strong> and tie down straps<\/strong> so after about 15 minutes<\/strong> I had the ship battened down and started the mile and a quarter<\/strong>\u00a0walk<\/strong> into town.<\/p>\n

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After fixing it tightly to the ground, I left for town with a reasonable expectation the Quicksilver<\/strong><\/a> would be there when I returned.<\/p><\/div>\n

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As I walked across the airport property toward town, I turned back Southeast<\/strong> for this shot of Baxter Center and the hangars<\/strong>…<\/p><\/div>\n

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…and then 180\u00b0 back Northwest<\/strong>\u00a0toward town so you could see my\u00a0scenario. The fence<\/strong> ahead is typical<\/strong> of that found around small airports. The Sky Surfer<\/strong> has\u00a0become adept at surmounting them without ripping his pants or shirt.<\/p><\/div>\n

Welcome!<\/h4>\n

About the first thing I saw when entering Marion<\/a><\/strong> after crossing the field you see above was the Church<\/strong>\u00a0shown below. What we call “The Gospel<\/em>” is actually an Olde English<\/strong> word meaning “Good Story”<\/em> translated today as “Good News”<\/em> and that is the name of this Church. The Gospel<\/strong> is still The Best Story<\/em> and<\/span> The Best News on Earth.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Good News Christian Fellowship<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Architecture That Speaks<\/h4>\n

Among so many of the things I like about my Sky Safari Adventures<\/strong> is witnessing\u00a0the delightful\u00a0architecture<\/strong>\u00a0present in these small towns I visit. To me a town’s notable\u00a0architecture<\/strong>\u00a0is not limited to the classic stone and brick<\/strong> public and business edifices but definitely includes\u00a0the homes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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An attractive two story with a porch.<\/p><\/div>\n

As usual I will be featuring homes and buildings<\/strong>\u00a0that caught my eye as I randomly, roamed<\/strong> the streets of Marion<\/strong>. In doing this, I would like to caution my readers that the pictures I take are by no means an exhaustive study<\/strong> of Marion<\/strong> (or by extension any town I visit)<\/em>. Rather, they are what I saw during a couple of hours strolling about<\/strong>. I’m sure\u00a0there are houses and buildings deserving attention I missed in Marion.<\/strong>\u00a0Sorry, but that is the way it went that sunny, Saturday morning…<\/p>\n

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I like these curved roof lines. They remind me of The Hobbit by Tolkien<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is brilliant. A quonset hut<\/strong><\/a> turned into a house.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A nice touch on this house are the truncated pyramids<\/strong> holding the porch columns.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A porch with a swing<\/p><\/div>\n

Mom &\u00a0Dad’s<\/h4>\n

As I came to the end of a\u00a0residential street and turned the corner I found myself in the parking lot of Mom &\u00a0Dad’s Cafe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Mom & Dad’s Cafe<\/strong>. In addition to a great breakfast inside, there is a bench out front to rest upon.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Waitress Iona Dietrich<\/strong> greeted me upon my entrance.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Working the grill was\u00a0“Dad”<\/em> Reign Anduss<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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The Sky Surfer chows down<\/p><\/div>\n

The Show Must Go On<\/h4>\n

It would be natural to assume (as I did)<\/em> that Iona is the “Mom”<\/em> of Mom & Dad’s Diner<\/strong>\u00a0but that is not the case. Iona<\/strong> confided to me that Reign’s Dear Wife Marlene<\/strong> had recently passed on and being she was a friend of the couple, she had stepped in as waitress. This loving gesture was obviously of great help and support to Reign<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After finishing my hearty\u00a0“farm breakfast”<\/em>, I stepped out into the sunshine of the day to see what more I could find of Marion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Down The Hill<\/h4>\n

From Mom & Dad’s Diner<\/strong> to “Main Street”<\/em> Marion<\/strong> is a downhill stroll. Even though I thankfully wore long underwear<\/strong> for the cool morning flight, after emerging from The Diner<\/strong>, the temperature was rising. Later I ducked\u00a0into a the\u00a0men’s room of a gas station, removed<\/strong> said long johns<\/strong> and stuffed them in\u00a0my carry pack. Layering, right?<\/p>\n

On the way down the hill<\/strong> the first interesting sight\u00a0I encountered was was T.C.’s What Not Shop<\/strong>. It is an antique store and is spread out over a large area. Because of this I don’t think I did\u00a0it justice with my photo but, you get the idea anyway.<\/p>\n

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T.C.’s What Not Shop<\/strong> – 901 E Main Street<\/p><\/div>\n

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Now heading down the Main Street<\/strong> hill, I quickly snapped\u00a0this scene of Dad and Son<\/strong> flying a kite on the Marion High School<\/strong><\/a> grounds. One of the town water towers<\/strong> is in the background.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Marion’s Historical Society<\/strong><\/a> building is at the East entrance<\/strong> of the downtown business sector<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Marion Post Office<\/strong> with the Grain Co-Op<\/strong> in the background<\/p><\/div>\n

First Sighting!<\/h4>\n

Below you see the small\u00a0Rhino herd<\/strong> that kicked off my hunt. At first, I thought they\u00a0were peculiar only to that<\/strong> business establishment<\/strong> but definitely worthy of photo capture<\/strong>. Later when\u00a0I saw a third Rhino<\/strong>, I knew something was going on\u00a0and peeled my eyes<\/strong>\u00a0seeking more.<\/p>\n

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Two “Petes” dressed for any occasion<\/p><\/div>\n

Marion – The Rhino Capital Of Kansas<\/a><\/h4>\n

The Marion Rhino<\/strong> identity is an outgrowth of the\u00a0annual Chingawassa Days Celebration<\/strong><\/a>. Chingawassa<\/strong> was an Osage Indian<\/strong><\/a> Chief who’s\u00a0name\u00a0meant “Handsome\u00a0Bird”<\/em>. He is noted for having been a signatory<\/strong> to a number of treaties<\/strong> with the U.S. Government. The celebration<\/strong> also has connection with a now defunct railroad line<\/strong> that was only four miles long with its destination being a dance hall<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The event was begun in 1997<\/strong>. A\u00a0particularly enthusiastic member<\/strong> of the steering committee was a man named Pete Peterson<\/strong>. Pete had a love of the Rhinoceros<\/strong>. Unfortunately, Pete<\/strong> also suffered from a debilitating disease<\/strong> that eventually took his life. In honor of Pete<\/strong>, “Pete The Rhino”<\/em> was made official mascot<\/strong> of the event and incorporated into its logo<\/strong>. Since then new “Petes”<\/em> are introduced to the community at the yearly festival<\/strong>. As this story continues you will see all the Petes<\/strong> I “bagged”<\/em>\u00a0on my Safari<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Main Street<\/h4>\n

Marion<\/strong> has a very attractive Main Street<\/strong> that heralds its dedication to preserving a storied past while keeping in step with the times.\u00a0\u00a0Marion<\/strong> was started in 1860<\/strong> when a group of families in\u00a0covered wagons<\/strong> came to the site on the recommendation of surveyors<\/strong> who proclaimed the high quality of the land<\/strong> there. In 1862<\/strong>, Marion<\/strong> was established as Marion Centre<\/strong>, named by\u00a0the fact that it was in the center of Marion County<\/strong>. I suspect they also had an eye on becoming the County Seat<\/strong><\/a> which did occur and it continues to be such to this day.<\/p>\n

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Stone and brick. Monuments to Mercantilism and Solidity<\/strong>. Also very pleasing to the eye unlike the faceless, sterile metal and glass boxes of our age…<\/p><\/div>\n

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A block on the North Side of Main Street.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is called “Liberty Park”<\/strong>. Love of God – Love of Country<\/p><\/div>\n

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This was the “Third Pete” I alluded to earlier that suggested to me the first two were not “a duo singularity”<\/em>. He is honored with a raised platform.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I found this attractive stone garden at the corner of 1st and Main.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Built in 1886<\/strong>, the J. Bowron Building<\/strong> houses the County Health Department<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Marion County Record<\/a><\/strong> has been publishing since 1869<\/strong>. That makes it famous for being established\u00a0100 years before the year The Sky Surfer\u00a0graduated from High School<\/strong> :)<\/p><\/div>\n

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This solid structure<\/strong> features stone with new, modern windows housing the American Legion Post 22<\/strong> and Doug’s Insurance<\/strong> company.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Pumpjack – The Farmer’s Friend<\/strong>. Incorporating the little “jack”<\/em> into a garden makes this the neatest entry for an oil company business I have seen.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Cottonwood<\/h4>\n

Marion is enclosed on the West side by the Cottonwood River<\/strong> (at least one of its many branches)<\/em>.\u00a0I walked out on the bridge<\/strong> that crosses\u00a0it to get these pictures.<\/p>\n

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This is the view of The Cottonwood River looking South<\/strong> from the bridge…<\/p><\/div>\n

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…and this is how it looks to the North<\/strong> with the picturesque farm at the horizon.<\/p><\/div>\n

Prairie\u00a0Leviathans<\/h4>\n

Just East<\/strong> of the Cottonwood Bridge<\/strong> is a high tech vendor<\/strong>, the type of which, helps\u00a0keep Kansas The Breadbasket of The World<\/strong>. Of constant wonder to me are the HUGE machines<\/strong> American Farmers use<\/strong> to grow crops. From the air I get to watch them ply their trade but it is not until they are approached at ground level<\/strong> that their awesome\u00a0size\u00a0is revealed. This Case<\/strong><\/a> dealership<\/strong> is at the West end of Main Street<\/strong> near the bridge over the Cottonwood<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A telephoto shot showing\u00a0part of the display on Main Street<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I had never seen a three part rig<\/strong> like this monster before. You need<\/strong> some wide open space<\/strong> to put\u00a0something like\u00a0this to work…<\/p><\/div>\n

The Payoff<\/h4>\n

Whether a result of\u00a0the big machines<\/strong> or a small garden<\/strong>\u00a0it is the produce<\/strong>\u00a0that makes the point. As I returned from the West end<\/strong> of town down Main Street<\/strong> I met Francis Jirak<\/strong> and his Grand Daughter Felicity Gear<\/strong> – she sporting a Wildcat<\/strong><\/a> t-shirt. Francis<\/strong> has been farming at nearby Tampa, Kansas<\/a><\/strong> for Fifty Years<\/strong>. They had set up on that beautiful morning<\/strong> to sell their watermelons and corn<\/strong>. Watermelon and corn-on-the-cob are two of God’s Greatest Gifts To Mankind<\/strong>. My Wife<\/strong> can testify as to the prodigious amount of watermelon<\/strong> I eat each season. I love corn just as much. I say this to give you\u00a0some measure of my disappointment<\/strong> at not being able to take some with me. Unfortunately there is absolutely<\/strong>\u00a0no space<\/strong> – none<\/em>\u00a0– for carrying a watermelon<\/strong> with me on my Ultralight<\/strong>. For a fleeting moment I considered stuffing a half\u00a0dozen ears of corn in my shirt<\/strong> but as I still had an hour or so to walk\u00a0the town, I\u00a0sadly discarded that notion.<\/p>\n

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Francis Jirak and Felicity Gear<\/p><\/div>\n

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A Francis and Felicity Closeup Shot<\/p><\/div>\n

Back Through Town<\/h4>\n

At this point in the journey, I decided to branch off Main Street<\/strong> into the neighborhood to see what I would see<\/strong>. It was not an orderly process. Sometimes I was on the Main Drag<\/strong> and other times among the residences. I’ll just show it\u00a0as best I can.<\/p>\n

The Best Movies Are The Ones You Create In Real Life<\/h4>\n

I wish I had a better picture of the next scene but I snapped it quickly from afar to avoid having my subjects see me. If I had come closer for a better shot it\u00a0would have jerked the Star Warriors<\/strong>\u00a0out of the space-time continuum<\/strong> and caused irreparable harm to their Space Opera Fantasy<\/strong>. Watching them\u00a0brought back indelible, charming\u00a0memories of\u00a0my Son Jack<\/strong> and his Buddies<\/strong>\u00a0viewed through our kitchen window<\/strong> playing the same games in our back yard some years prior.<\/p>\n

It is a far better thing<\/strong> for youngsters to be outside<\/strong> interacting and playing – occasionally getting a scraped knee – than sitting inside watching TV or playing video games in an artificially controlled climate. “Real Reality”<\/em> trumps “Virtual Reality”<\/em> every time<\/strong>. I’m glad I had the\u00a0opportunity to grow up in Real Reality<\/strong> and that My Children did, too<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Tube Time<\/h4>\n

For most\u00a0of the time<\/strong> as my children grew up I based my advertising\u00a0and\u00a0video business<\/strong> in a home office<\/strong>. So, when Summer<\/strong> came around each year, the kids would be with me while their<\/strong> Mother<\/strong> worked downtown<\/strong> at her office. If you did not know it, The Sky Surfer<\/strong> has\u00a0been enamored of computers, video cameras and a variety of “high tech” devices as long as he\u00a0can remember. But, even in the 1980’s, it was becoming apparent that computers, the burgeoning Internet (“Bulletin Boards” were the early “social media”)<\/em> and video games could become habit forming and potentially deleterious to a healthy life. Exposure to them needs to be controlled.<\/p>\n

As such, when our Children<\/strong> were growing up they were limited to 1 hour of “Tube Time”\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>during the “play time” of the day. (Note to younger people: before flat screens, video devices used to be big, bulky cathode ray tube devices. Hence the term “Tube”).\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0I wanted them outside playing or inside playing games or, at least, reading –\u00a0doing<\/span> things<\/span><\/em> – rather than watching others<\/span> do things<\/span><\/em>. Even though this mandate<\/strong>\u00a0was met with\u00a0great resistance<\/strong> at the time, it was without doubt beneficial<\/strong>. Both profited<\/strong> from the strategy<\/strong> as is evident in the vibrancy<\/strong> of\u00a0their successful adult lives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Star Warriors complete with Light Sabers battle in the back streets of Marion<\/p><\/div>\n

Elgin House\u00a0Hotel<\/h4>\n

On the National Register of Historic Places<\/a> is The Elgin House<\/strong>. Completed in 1886<\/strong> after a public stock offering, the hotel was quite elegant<\/strong> and featuring\u00a0amenities generally only found in much larger cities. You can learn more about it at this link HERE<\/strong><\/a>. It has been renovated<\/strong> and is\u00a0very impressive.<\/p>\n

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The Elgin<\/p><\/div>\n

Another Fine Stone Building<\/h4>\n
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Valley United Methodist Church<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Let’s Check Out The Neighborhood<\/h4>\n
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Even though a bit faded, this house has great appeal<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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1879<\/strong> was when this home originated<\/p><\/div>\n

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Nice lines<\/strong> on this one<\/p><\/div>\n

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Stone stanchions, covering trees, pillars, a porch – this one has character to spare<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I walked by this well-kept older brick house<\/strong>. Apparently the owner was taking a break from trimming the lawn…<\/p><\/div>\n

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Emmanuel Baptist Church at 229 Walnut Street<\/p><\/div>\n

Back On Main Street<\/h4>\n

As I wandered toward anything that caught my attention I crossed Main Street<\/strong> a few times. Toward the West end<\/strong> of the business sector I saw some folks<\/strong> sitting out front of “Down on the Corner”<\/strong>, a nice gift store at\u00a0162 W. Main<\/strong>. Since it was closed at the time, I figured the folks were waiting for it to open. I walked over and introduced myself to Don and Betty Stemzel<\/strong>\u00a0to ask what they knew about the Rhinos.<\/strong>\u00a0I figured they would know because “Down”<\/strong> has two of them out front. Don and Betty<\/strong> were very familiar with the Rhinos<\/strong> and gave me pretty much the whole rundown that I gave about the festival earlier. After taking the picture below, the store owner<\/strong> showed up, I bid adieu and bagged two more Rhinos<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

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Don & Betty in front of “Down on the Corner”<\/p><\/div>\n

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“Pinkie” is the store’s first Rhino…<\/p><\/div>\n

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…and “Glamour Girl” is the second.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Marion County Seat<\/h4>\n

As I walked along Main Street I could see the Marion County Courthouse<\/strong><\/a> spire above the buildings. I headed that way to get a picture. As are so many County Courthouses<\/strong> in Kansas and Oklahoma, it is an impressive stone building. In this case reminiscent of Westminster<\/strong><\/a> in\u00a0London.<\/p>\n

Trees Are Great, But…<\/h4>\n

I’m all for trees\u00a0(Johnny Appleseed and all…)<\/em> and my Wife Debra<\/strong> and I have planted many around our home. Sometimes, though, they obscure that which is meant to be seen<\/strong>. Such is the case with the Marion Courthouse<\/strong> – particularly the fairly recent Arbor addition blocking the building entrance. On top of that, in the scene below there are some unsightly electric\u00a0lines cutting across. There was no way to get a good shot of the front of this fine building.<\/p>\n

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The Marion County Courthouse (with wires)<\/p><\/div>\n

So, I tried another angle. Although not the front door, this looks much better.<\/p>\n

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The Courthouse<\/strong> as seen from the Southeast<\/strong> – a marvelous<\/strong> example of the stonemason’s craft<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Added Bonus<\/h4>\n

My desire to get a better angle on The Courthouse<\/strong> revealed another Marion Architectural Treasure<\/strong> – The Marion Depot<\/a><\/strong>. Formerly the Santa Fe Railroad Station<\/strong>,\u00a0in 1999 it was re-purposed to be\u00a0the City Library<\/strong>. This was an excellent way to draw attention<\/strong> to the town’s Railroad Heritage<\/strong> while providing a larger, separate location for the library which had been housed in the city building. I have included an “isolation shot”<\/strong> so you can see the Depot<\/strong> by itself<\/strong> and then a wider photo\u00a0so you can see it in context next to the Co-Op<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The Marion Depot<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Marion Depot<\/strong> overshadowed by “a cathedral of the plains” – The Marion Co-Op<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Central Park<\/h4>\n

Next to what I assume is another branch of the Cottonwood River<\/strong><\/a> is Central Park. There were teens and middle schoolers there and some young Mothers<\/strong> with babies. It is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon on a lazy Summer day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The water sculpture at Central Park<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

A Dedicated Rhino<\/h4>\n

The park also hosts the most lifelike<\/strong> of all the Rhinos<\/strong> I saw. He has his own sand box.<\/p>\n

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The Gene Winkler & Family Tribute Rhino<\/strong> of Central Park<\/p><\/div>\n

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Across from the park set above the creek overflow was this very interesting house<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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And then across the creek from it is this brick house with a curved roof line<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Heading Out Of Town<\/h4>\n

It was time to trek back to the airport. I still had to get some gas for the trip home. On the way I spied yet two more Rhinos<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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“Red” seems to have been a collaborative effort<\/p><\/div>\n

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My last Rhino, “Spike”<\/em>, was the only one I saw that sported a name.<\/p><\/div>\n

I’d Walk A Mile…<\/h4>\n

I took a different path<\/strong> back to the airport and a way down one of the streets I saw an interesting church<\/strong> a few blocks over. I decided this would be my only chance<\/strong> to take a picture of it so I detoured<\/strong> and grabbed the shot.<\/p>\n

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The Evangelical United Brethren Church<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

A Pleasant Obstacle<\/h4>\n

When I walk around in an unfamiliar town<\/strong>, as I do for these stories, I generally have a “feel”<\/em> for where the airport is. I don’t have a map<\/strong> but I have a good, general idea in which direction to head back to my plane. Because I purposely took a slightly different route back<\/strong> from the way I came in that morning, I came to find\u00a0myself inside The Marion Country Club Golf Course<\/strong><\/a>. From the angle I entered, I thought it was another park<\/strong>. The picture below was taken at the moment\u00a0I discovered it was a golf course<\/strong>. The airport is almost directly over the ridge in the middle of the shot.<\/p>\n

By the time I discovered<\/strong> my predicament I was a bit tired and did not<\/strong> want to walk all the way around<\/strong> it. Also, about 15 minutes earlier I had called one of the volunteers to request he come\u00a0out to the airport to turn on the gas. I didn’t want to keep him waiting. So, I wandered through the attractive 9 hole course<\/strong> and exited on the Southeast<\/strong> side. While walking I passed two different groups on the links. I was the only one\u00a0hoofing<\/strong> it. They were all using carts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Marion Country Club Golf Course<\/strong> looking Southeast<\/p><\/div>\n

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This telephoto<\/strong> of my plane and the airport building gives you an idea of the heat of the day<\/strong> and the Northeast wind.<\/p><\/div>\n

Volunteers Make It Happen<\/h4>\n

Marion<\/strong> uses a system that I have experienced\u00a0in a few towns. When you need gas<\/strong> at the airport, a phone number is supplied and one of the pilots<\/strong> will come out to the airport and unlock the pump<\/strong> for you. This day it was Jim Braden<\/strong> who does aircraft mechanical\u00a0work<\/strong> at the field. I am very appreciative of Jim<\/strong>. He and I had a good discussion about aviation while I pumped\u00a05 gallons<\/strong> into the tank. When it was all said and done, I can’t remember why, but I couldn’t make the payment. Either Jim had no change or their credit card machine wasn’t working or something so\u00a0Jim told me to just call Cardie Oil<\/strong><\/a> when I got back to Wichita<\/strong> and I could send a check to them. If you remember earlier in the story, I featured a shot of Cardie<\/strong> with the baby pump jack<\/strong> out front.<\/p>\n

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Jim Braden and my Heavy Iron<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0TCB Before Catchin’ The Wave<\/h4>\n

Usually I take all\u00a0the aerial photos<\/strong> of the towns I visit upon arrival<\/strong>. That way if on the way home the weather changes for the worse or the lighting conditions have deteriorated while I am walking around,\u00a0I will have some good pix. The Marion Adventure<\/strong> did not allow this as I was “bumping’ easy”<\/em>\u00a0(nearing empty on the gas)<\/em> upon arrival. I wasn’t concerned<\/strong> about the aerials<\/strong>, though, because the report the day before for\u00a0a clear sky<\/strong>\u00a0looked to be golden – and it was. So, upon exiting the airport airspace, I endeavored to circumnavigate<\/strong> Marion<\/strong>\u00a0 and get as many choice shots as I could. That’s what you’ll see now.<\/p>\n

(BTW, TCB<\/strong><\/a> is an Elvis line meaning “Takin’ Care of Business”<\/em>. He had many diamond pins<\/strong> and gold necklaces<\/strong> made sporting “TCB”<\/em> that he would hand out to special friends.)<\/p>\n

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Marion, Kansas<\/strong> from 600′ AGL looking West<\/p><\/div>\n

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Same as above with telephoto<\/strong> lens<\/p><\/div>\n

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Marion’s Football Field<\/strong> with the Marion City Cemetery<\/strong> behind it. This is looking Southwest<\/strong> from about 600′ AGL.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Marion Lake is 4.5 miles Northwest of town. This was taken at 800′ AGL looking West Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A wide shot of Marion<\/strong> looking Southeast<\/strong> from 800′ AGL<\/p><\/div>\n

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A telephoto<\/strong> from the same location as above. Among other highlights, in this you can see the downtown area I just traversed. Also, The High School<\/strong>\u00a0building where The Father and Son<\/strong> were flying the kite<\/strong>. Seeing this now I wish I had walked to\u00a0the Co-Op<\/strong> but I just can’t get everything…<\/p><\/div>\n

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While scaling the heights I realized Mom and Dad’s\u00a0Restaurant<\/strong> was below. See if you can pick it out!<\/p><\/div>\n

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I am now on the Northwest edge<\/strong> of town looking Southeast<\/strong> from 800′ AGL<\/p><\/div>\n

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Suddenly I saw the\u00a0opportunity to photograph the front of\u00a0The County Hall<\/strong> without trees obstructing. I “went telephoto”<\/em> and here you have it.<\/p><\/div>\n

Back To The Country<\/h4>\n

It was time to leave city life<\/strong> and head back to\u00a0the country<\/strong>. Both have their appeal and I do my best to capture that of each. Here’s what I saw on the way back.<\/p>\n

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Beautiful Earth Tones<\/strong>\u00a0on the Great Wide Open!<\/p><\/div>\n

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Interesting patterns of creeks and trees interwoven<\/strong> among crops of tan, green and gold.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A sight that always brings a smile to my face are fields<\/strong> covered with<\/strong> big, round hay bales<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I am thinking this is a dairy operation<\/strong>. I always swing wide around dairy cattle<\/strong> as they are finicky<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I believe this is a big hog farm<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I have yet to figure out what crop<\/strong> this is being harvested. Beans?<\/strong> It sure has a nice look to it.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I was concerned about fuel on the trip back so I did not detour<\/strong> over to get a closer look at Potwin, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>. This is from 300′ AGL looking East<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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From 800′ AGL, these cattle<\/strong> looked like fleas<\/strong> on blanket to me.<\/p><\/div>\n

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On the road at the North end of this field you can see two grain trucks…<\/p><\/div>\n

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…waiting to be filled up by these guys.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The sun reflected<\/strong> just as I hit the shutter button.<\/p><\/div>\n

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I post\u00a0at least one “GlennView Shot<\/strong><\/a>” a Safari. In this one, just ahead is a private grass<\/strong> airstrip<\/strong> I happened over.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Today’s Yellow Brick Road<\/strong> (Hwy 254)<\/em> meandering into Wichita, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> in the distance. From 600′ AGL looking West<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Over yonder is\u00a0Santa Fe Lake<\/a><\/strong> from 300′ AGL looking West<\/strong>. Adjacent to it\u00a0is an airfield there\u00a0where my Buddy Steve Cannaby<\/strong> lives. He is featured in a story HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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No caption required<\/p><\/div>\n

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A Semi-Earth Sheltered Home<\/p><\/div>\n

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I decided this colorful train<\/strong> heading into Rose Hill, Kansas<\/strong><\/a> deserved representation in this story.<\/p><\/div>\n

Butler Airpark<\/h4>\n

In the near future, Butler Airpark<\/strong> will figure large in the lives of\u00a0The Sky Surfer<\/strong> and his Wahine<\/a> Debra<\/strong>. That will be the subject of different\u00a0story. On the return from Marion<\/strong>, though, I detoured over\u00a0it to see if my Buddy Chuck Gantzer<\/strong> might be out and about. If he was I planned to land and say Hi!<\/p>\n

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Butler Airpark<\/strong> from 600′ AGL<\/strong> looking South<\/strong> from about 2 miles away.<\/p><\/div>\n

Chuck<\/strong> lives in the huge Quonset Hut Hangar-Home<\/strong> you can see toward the center of the shot above<\/strong>. I made a pass around the pattern.\u00a0Chuck<\/strong> came out and waved.\u00a0That confirmed\u00a0he was home so\u00a0I landed. Chuck<\/strong> is an avid flyer<\/strong> and owns a Pietenpol<\/strong> homebuilt airplane<\/a> he made himself. He actually handmade the propeller<\/strong>! Chuck<\/strong> also produced many movies about the Piet<\/strong> of which he sold a lot over the years. He has an excellent “rep”<\/em> in the Pietenpol community<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition, he has designed his hangar home<\/strong> to be\u00a0“off the grid”<\/em>\u00a0complete with solar power<\/strong> electricity and heating. When completed, it might be a subject for one of The Sky Surfer’s<\/strong> documentaries…<\/p>\n

Neighbor Jim Smith<\/strong>, who owns an RV-6 he built, happened along so I regaled them both about my Marion journey<\/strong> before flying\u00a0back to Blue Sky Aerodrome<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Chuck Gantzer and Jim Smith<\/p><\/div>\n

Sometimes You Don’t Know What You’re\u00a0Looking At<\/h4>\n

The final leg of my journey was from Butler Airpark<\/strong> to Blue Sky Aerodrome<\/strong>. This path took me across the South end of Rose Hill, Kansas<\/strong><\/a>. I have taken so many pictures of Rose Hill<\/strong> over the course of doing The Flite Blog\u2122<\/strong>, I decided to give the town a rest. But, that isn’t to say my roving eye was not scanning horizon to horizon<\/strong> for other targets of opportunity. Due West<\/strong> of Rose Hill<\/strong> is Cook Airfield<\/a><\/strong>. It is a burgeoning Residential Airstrip<\/strong> similar to\u00a0Butler Airpark<\/strong> and many others. Since the atmosphere was relatively clear, I decided\u00a0to try a “compression shot”<\/em> incorporating both Cook<\/strong> and the Wichita Skyline<\/strong>. Since I was moving right to left<\/strong>\u00a0at a blistering 50 miles per hour<\/strong>, there would be a short window of opportunity<\/strong> to line them up and take the shot. I snapped off a few\u00a0while “in the zone”<\/em>\u00a0and have included the best of the three\u00a0I took. Actually, it is not the best<\/strong>\u00a0shot<\/strong> but the picture you will see\u00a0below contained an element I only noticed while\u00a0reviewing my photo cache<\/strong> for this story.<\/p>\n

HINT: Cook Field<\/strong> is home to Air Capital Drop Zone<\/strong><\/a> – a sky diving club. They fly on weekends and afternoons. Many times I have landed at Cook<\/strong> to watch them descend. Look closely and\u00a0you will see evidence of The Club<\/strong> in action.<\/p>\n

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Cook Airfield<\/strong> in the foreground with Wichita<\/strong> at the horizon. I am at 400′ AGL looking Northwest<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div>\n

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A a mile or two later I shot this panoramic featuring lush crop land<\/strong>, Derby, Kansas<\/strong> at mid and Wichita’s skyline<\/strong> at the horizon.<\/p><\/div>\n

Another Changeup<\/h4>\n

Since I have taken innumerable aerial photos<\/strong> of Blue Sky Aerodrome<\/strong> (formerly named\u00a0Selby Aerodrome in earlier reports)<\/em>, I decided to give it a rest, too, and finish on another item of\u00a0note<\/strong>\u00a0under The Surfer’s wake<\/strong>. I present\u00a0Round Barn Ranch<\/strong><\/a>. The first time I flew from Selby Aerodrome after buying my Quicksilver, I noticed this edifice. Upon researching, I discovered\u00a0this design was once quite common<\/strong> for dairy farms. Now an anachronism, the owners have restored it<\/strong> for use as a venue for weddings<\/strong> and other events<\/strong>. On this day it looked to me like a family reunion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Round Barn Ranch<\/strong> of Derby, Kansas<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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With picnic tables out front, the makings of a family reunion are in progress below.<\/p><\/div>\n

A Safari Of Safaris<\/h4>\n

So how did the impromptu Rhino Hunt<\/strong>\u00a0end? Out of\u00a0<\/strong>60+ Rhinos<\/strong><\/a> in town and I bagged eight<\/strong>. I got my quota, had\u00a0a wonderful visit to\u00a0Another Jewel of The Plains<\/strong> and was able\u00a0to meet\u00a0some of\u00a0The People<\/strong> who call it home. That was the Sky Safari<\/strong> to\u00a0Marion – The Rhino Capital of Kansas<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

Blue Skies & Tailwinds!\u2122<\/p>\n

Brian FitzGerald – The Sky Surfer – Wichita<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rhinos In Kansas? About 30 years ago I decided my favorite animal was\u00a0the white\u00a0rhino. Whenever we went on a family trip, our\u00a0Children – Bevin and Jack –\u00a0would scour any gift shop or gas station we stopped at for rhino statues or memorabilia. Because of this quest I have a pretty good collection of rhinos on […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6,1,129],"tags":[26,51,35,41,140,48,141,25,39,53,45,22,145],"class_list":["post-11584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fun-flights","category-show-an-airfield","category-uncategorized","category-visit-a-small-town-on-the-great-plains","tag-brian-fitzgerald","tag-fun-flight","tag-great-plains","tag-kansas","tag-marion-kansas","tag-quicksilver-mxl","tag-rhinos","tag-sky-surfing","tag-the-flint-hills","tag-the-great-plains","tag-the-sky-surfer","tag-ultralight-2","tag-white-rhino","category-3-id","category-6-id","category-1-id","category-129-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11584"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11738,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11584\/revisions\/11738"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitzvideo.com\/skysurfing2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}