Dan has been an on-again, off-again Black Hills resident since 1978. The Aberdeen native hit the road after high school, building houses in Boulder, working oil rigs on Colorado's Western Slope, delivering cars in California. In Wyoming and Idaho, he worked as a newspaper journalist. But the Black Hills kept luring him back. For 18 years, he wrote for the Rapid City Journal. The job gave him a chance to see the Hills from atop Mount Rushmore and the bottom of the Homestake Mine. Whenever possible, Dan grabs his dog Kody and heads to the Hills. These days, he's perfecting the art of low-impact backpacking: hike two hours to a scenic spot, break out the wine, cook up the pasta, watch the sunset and fall asleep under the stars.
In May, ABC's "Good Morning America" declared South Dakota's Badlands to be one of the wonders of America. Now, GMA is returning to the state, this time to Belle Fourche.
A film crew from the popular morning TV show will arrive at Belle Fourche on Aug. 14. The crew will shoot video of the Butte-Lawrence County Fair in Nisland, according to a story in the Rapid City Journal.
Then GMA will turn its attention to the Center of the Nation Monument in Belle Fourche. The crew will be on hand for the Aug. 16 ceremony dedicating the avenue of flags around the granite monument.
Depending on time of day and the time of year, you can ride your bike on the Mickelson Trail and feel like you have the whole Black Hills to yourself. It's 109 miles long, with few populated places along the way. You can go for miles sometimes without seeing other travelers.
But if you crave the comeraderie of fellow bicyclists, you might want to give the Mickelston Trail a spin in September. The 11th annual Mickelson Trail Trek is a supported group tour, beginning Sept. 19, that covers the entire trail from Edgemont to Deadwood over three days.
Bruce Williams and Terry Ree, better known as the enduring music-and-comedy duo Williams and Ree -- perhaps even better known as "The Indian and the White Guy" -- will be returning to their home turf on Tuesday, July 22. They will perform at 7 p.m. in the Deadwood Pavilion.
Williams and Ree are well-known around the country for their lively show that combines music and edgy comedy that delves gleefully into sometimes touchy subjects such as politics and Indian-white relations.
The Festival in the Park in Spearfish is probably my favorite outdoor events. Back when I lived in Spearfish, I practically lived in the park during the festival. Kids play in the creek, old folks find a shady spot -- there's lots of shade in Spearfish City Park -- and the rest of us hang out and take in the whole scene.
Hard to believe it's been going 31 years now. This year's Festival in the Park is this weekend, July 18 to 20. It has more than 150 arts and crafts vendors, food booth -- including a Japanese food booth -- and lots of music.
If you like Corvettes, you might want to be in Spearfish this weekend. The 37th annual Black Hills Corvette Classic kicks off today. Organizers are expecting about 500 cars and 1,000 people from all over North America.
The Vette rally has become a tradition in Spearfish, the whole Black Hills actually. After all, what's the point of having a sleek, curve-hugging sportscar if you don't get it out on the winding roads of the Black Hills?
Dan has been an on-again, off-again Black Hills resident since 1978. The Aberdeen native hit the road after high school, building houses in Boulder, working oil rigs on Colorado's Western Slope, delivering cars in California. In Wyoming and Idaho, he worked as a newspaper journalist. But the Black Hills kept luring him back. For 18 years, he wrote for the Rapid City Journal. The job gave him a chance to see the Hills from atop Mount Rushmore and the bottom of the Homestake Mine. Whenever possible, Dan grabs his dog Kody and heads to the Hills. These days, he's perfecting the art of low-impact backpacking: hike two hours to a scenic spot, break out the wine, cook up the pasta, watch the sunset and fall asleep under the stars.
