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Travel writers, photogs get an eyefull
(Journalist Katy Koontz of Knoxville, Tenn., grabs a snapshot of Thomas Jefferson's nose from a rare vantage point.) I had a chance on Saturday to hike to the top of Mount Rushmore with members of the Society of American Travel Writers for a rare view of the national monument. SATW’s Central States Chapter was in Rapid City for its annual meeting. Despite some wind, it was a glorious, sunny South Dakota day when two dozen of us headed up the mountain. Huffing and puffing – they weren't used to the altitude and I'm just out of shape – we climbed the steep slope.
Free Weekend at Custer State Park Thought I'd pass this along: Custer State Park is opening its gates to offer a free weekend today through Sunday. (May 16 to 18.) You don't have to pay entrance entrance fees. (You still have to pay to camp.)
‘Chill Hill’ Takes Shape in Rapid City Cowboy Hill, for decades a island of wilderness in the middle of Rapid City, is taking shape as a 240-acre mountain bikers' paradise. For years, it was private property -- but that didn't stop people from climbing up its slopes for a view of the city or plying the deer trails that criss-cross the property.
But last year, a private foundation purchased much of Cowboy Hill, also known as M Hill, for creation of a wilderness park. Now, the foundation, the city of Rapid City and area mountain bike groups are turning the hill into a low-impact wildland hiking and biking park.
April Showers Bring May …. Blizzards And we had a whopper of a blizzard today in the Hills. Even though it's May, the Black Hills were hit with heavy, wet snow and more than a foot of snow in several areas. Pushed by 60-mph winds, the snow shut down Intersate 90 and pretty much every other road in the region. The weather was not fit for man or beast -- OK, I know one beast that was having a pretty good time this morning.
South Dakota Mountain Lion Visits Chicago
Credit goes to Kim in Rapid City for pointing out this interesting story. According to the Chicago Tribune, a mountain lion was found by police in a neighborhood on the city's north side earlier this month. That's pretty amazing all by itself, but here's the really remarkable part: wildlife officials think the big cat may have journeyed there from the Black Hills. That's about a 1,000 mile trip, give or take. Aside from the sheer distance, consider the kinds of obstacles between Chicago and western South Dakota. Like, oh, let's say the Missouri River. And the Mississippi River. And Interstates 29, 35 and 39. Those are some pretty significant barriers for any size animal.
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