About 85 riders are retracing the old route, established 1878 and trekked by the likes of Calamity Jane during its use as a stage line to the bustling mining camp in the middle of the Black Hills.

The wagon train is expected to cross into South Dakota on Thursday, Sept. 2, and will camp west of Belle Fourche on a ranch near Redwater Road. The group heads to Spearfish on Friday, Sept. 3, with a program and entertainment at the Western High Plains Heritage Center that evening. And on Saturday, Sept. 4, the riders make their way to Deadwood.

In Deadwood, they will be welcomed in style. I’m  told the Days of ‘76 committee will hold a steer-roping event at the rodeo grounds. There will also be a chuckwagon dinner at the rodeo grounds beginning at 3:30 p.m., followed by entertainment with Kenny Putnam, Ricky Jacobson and Paul Larson, and a program at the First Gold Hotel’s Ballroom, beginning at 6 p.m.

(Photo courtesy Rhoda Mae McDonald.)

At last year’s Sturgis motorcycle rally here in the Black Hills, Tyler fell off the stage during a concert out at The Legendary Buffalo Chip. It made news headlines across the country and resulted in the band canceling several concert dates. Publicly, there was even some dissension among the band members – specifically Tyler and Perry – after the Sturgis fall.

The Sturgis tumble left Tyler with a banged-up shoulder and a few other injuries. Thankfully, this most recent plunge didn’t appear to hurt him as he crawled right back up on stage and continued the show.

Coincidentally, he was singing the same song – “Love in an Elevator” – when both falls happened. Hopefully, Tyler can continue to keep performing and stop from falling from — well, everything.

Check out these videos of both falls that I found on YouTube. The first one is of Steven Tyler’s most recent fall in Toronto, Canada. The second video is of his fall last year during the 2009 Sturgis rally.

I just ran across an interesting (but unverified) bit of information about the Black Hills, or Paha Sapa. According to a website I ran across, when folks at the EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls looked at satellite images of the Black Hills, they were astounded by what they saw.

From the lofty heights of space, they concluded, the Black Hills look exactly like a human heart. There are even arteries, veins, chambers and other heart-like features.

“This finding gives new meaning to the statements of Lakota elders, the former guardians of Paha Sapa, who said all along that Paha Sapa was the heart of all there is,” the website, Native Americans Online, added.

That could also explain the almost mystical attraction to the Black Hills that people have had through the generations.

It’s an attraction that continues to this day. I don’t know how many times people have told me that they feel the mystical power of the Black Hills when they are here. It seems to go deeper than the scenic beauty, which is apparent from any altitude.

Could the Black Hills really be the psychic heart of the North American continent?

Rapid City’s Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park (HLMP) now has an official logo to go along with its nationally recognized hiking and biking trails. The organizers of the newly-created park held a logo design contest back in May during the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival. During the festival, Rapid City resident Teri Houdek was announced as the designer of the winning logo.

Just this morning, I got an email from HLMP Foundation board member Steve Flanery with the final digital version of the winning logo. Flanery said that the design is on its way to the printer for decals, signs and other identifying materials to be created from it.

New park, new trails, new name, new logo. Exciting stuff, if you ask me!

The spiffy new logo is above – for your viewing enjoyment. Keep your eyes peeled for it next time you’re in Rapid City – it should be visible very soon.

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Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park was officially established in 2009 through a public-private partnership involving: the City of Rapid City, the Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park Foundation, the Black Hills Mountain Bike Association and Founders Park LLC.

The fateful shot was fired 134 years ago today – August 2, 1876. The shot that rang throughout Deadwood and left its mark forever in Old West history. It was the gunshot that killed James Butler ‘Wild Bill’ Hickok.

Some folks say that Wild Bill knew his days were numbered and that he had told his friend,’Colorado Charlie’ Utter,  that he knew Deadwood would be his final camp. Wild Bill, although only 39 years old, had lived a colorful life.

Of the stories told about Wild Bill Hickok, just as many tend to be fiction compared to those that are fact. What can be verified as true is that he made his fame and living as a lawman, military teamster, showman, gunfighter and gambler. Wild Bill’s pursuits took him from his birth state of Illinois to the plains of Kansas and Missouri and eventually to the western frontier regions of Wyoming and South Dakota.

After living an adventurous and often questioned lifestyle as a no-holds-barred lawman, Hickock finally made his way to Deadwood Gulch in July of 1876, possibly hoping to quietly live out his days at the poker tables of the booming gold town. And that was the case – for just a couple of weeks.

On August 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood. Hickok always played by a personal rule that he had to have a chair with his back to the wall.

This day was different.

Because all of the other chairs at the card table were filled and players weren’t willing to give up their seats, Hickok was forced to sit in a chair with his back to the door of the saloon.

Eventually, while Hickok was still playing poker, Jack McCall quietly roamed into the bar and made his way to Wild Bill’s back side. McCall raised a pistol, cursed Hickok and shot him directly in the back of the head – killing him instantly. Hickok’s body slumped forward, revealing his poker hand containing two pair – black aces and black eights.

McCall ran out of the saloon but was quickly caught by Deadwood citizens just a couple of blocks down the street. Hickok was buried in Deadwood’s Inglewood Cemetery and later moved up the hill to Mt. Moriah Cemetery, where a memorial of him remains today.

His poker hand of aces and eights became known as the ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ and the supposed chair he was shot in is on display in the Old Style Saloon No. 10, across the street from the original watering hole. Daily re-enactments of Hickok’s last card game and shooting take place in the back of the Old Style at 1:00, 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00 every afternoon during the summer season.

It was on this very day that Hickok’s luck ran out in Historic Deadwood, but yours could be just beginning. Come to town, see the sights, take in the history and visit legendary Mt. Moriah Cemtery on the hill above town.

It’s an experience you’ll never forget in a town like no other!

We will likely never know his name, but yesterday we laid him to rest, high above Historic Deadwood. It was a re-interment service for the unidentified remains of a nineteenth century Deadwood ancestor.

With a combination of Chinese Taoism, Lakota Sioux tradition and Catholic Christian rites, it was easily the most interesting and culturally diverse graveside service that I’ve ever attended.

It began in the spring of 2006, when construction workers in Deadwood were dismantling a retaining wall in the Presidential Neighborhood. In the process, they unearthed the remains of a long-since-forgotten burial coffin. For the next three days, the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center (SD-ARC) carefully excavated the site and revealed the human remains of one of Deadwood’s early pioneers.

You see, the area of the discovery had previously been the location of Ingleside Cemetery – Deadwood’s first – before Mt. Moriah Cemetery. Most burials from Ingleside were moved up the hill to Mt. Moriah when it was established in 1878. This grave, for one reason or another, failed to get moved.

The remains came to be called the ‘unknown pioneer’ and were transported to Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota for forensic analysis. Findings showed that the remains dated from the late 1870s and were those of an adult male between 25 and 34 years of age at the time of death. Height was reconstructed to be between 5′4″ and 5′8″ and the bones showed little evidence of skeletal disease.

Race was classified as Mongoloid, possibly Native American or Chinese in origin. Both were plausible because American Indians lived in and passed through Deadwood often and there was a population of Chinese immigrants also living and working in town.

The City of Deadwood wanted to properly honor and re-inter the unknown pioneer, so contacted Lakota and Chinese cultural advisers about the remains. On December 16, 2008, delegates from the Pine Ridge Oglala and Rosebud Sioux Tribes, the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, Deadwood HPC and SD-ARC met to determine an appropriate course of action.

An agreement was reached and an important partnership was formed between the different groups. Since the true identity was not known, all parties decided to honor these remains simply ‘as a person.’ Each group would pay their respects and honor cultural traditions in their own ways, while combining them into one graveside ceremony.

And that’s what yesterday was all about – honoring all cultures involved while giving these remains a respectable and permanent burial. The unknown pioneer was laid to rest high on Mt. Moriah, near the Seth Bullock gravesite.

The public service was a unique cultural combination of rituals. Since the remains were found in an Anglo-American style casket, Father Kerry Prendiville of Deadwood’s St. Ambrose Catholic Church, offered a Christian burial rite of scripture and a blessing.

Taoist spiritual leader, Master E-Man of California, lead the traditional Chinese ceremony. Oglala Sioux traditional spiritual leader, Wilmer Mesteth, concluded the interment by providing Lakota prayers and songs over the grave.

The permanent site marker was engraved with cultural symbols and “In Honor of Our Ancestor” in English, Chinese and Lakota.

Click the photos below for larger versions.

[View with PicLens]

My friend, Mindy, was telling me the other day that she felt like she had a real case of the “Summertime Blues.” She’d just been told that she couldn’t go out and enjoy the Black Hills region like she normally does and was pretty bummed about the whole ordeal. Her story had a positive ending though, so I asked her to share it here. Enjoy. — Joe

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The news was in, and it wasn’t good. The doctor hung her head low and informed me that I was not to rock climb for a minimum of one month – until the 2 inch incision on my arm had healed.

Alright, so it was a routine procedure, completely non-life threatening and I even got a lollipop from the nurse for being brave. But no climbing for one month? That’s ludicrous!

After she told me this, I could have cared less about the stitches and pain in my arm. I became panicked, sitting nervously in my sterile hospital gown. It hit me like ton of bricks; like the weight that falls on your shoulders when your parents tell you that your dog, Scruffy, went outside and “never came back.”

I’d been hit by the mid-summer blues.

So many of us wait many long months for summer to finally arrive. After battling freak cold fronts and spring storms, visitors and locals populate the Black Hills for fun in the sun and an unforgettable vacation experience. If you’re like me, you came to the Black Hills as a visitor or to live, seeking high energy activities and an enriching experience.

As an avid climber and outdoor enthusiast, I retreat each weekend to the limestone or granite walls around our great region for some of the best climbing in the United States. Unfortunately, as mother nature intends, June turns to July and before you know it, summer is half over and fall is on its way.

After leaving the doctor’s office, it only took me a few minutes to realize that I could cure myself of these blues, even without hitting the crags. I was quick to remember that the Black Hills offer so many attractions and activities, it’s hard to beat the inclusive experience summer provides us with.

If you’re feeling the crunch and are a little blue about the thought of summer slipping away, I can prescribe you some great antidotes to beat your mid-summer blues, starting with some Black Hills events coming up this weekend:

• Gold Discovery Days in Custer
• 24th Annual CASA Half Marathon & 5K Run/Walk in Spearfish Canyon
• 5th Annual Alice Smith Flower Show in Hill City
• Black Hills Farmers Market in Rapid City

Although I’m not a doctor of medicine, I know the power and versatility our great region has to offer. Take two and call me in the morning.

Photographers of all levels, it’s time to dust off your lenses and get ready to photograph all that the Black Hills have to offer! The first-ever Black Hills Photo Shootout, a photography festival, is set for Sept.17, 18 and 19, 2010 in Rapid City, Spearfish, and Custer. Registration is now open for all participants.

The Black Hills Photo Shootout features unique photo opportunities, including natural attractions, wildlife, and Old West flavor. The festival is designed for amateur, budding, and experienced photographers. It includes two and a half days of field workshops, scenic photo walks, inspiring indoor sessions and informal social events.

Additionally, George Lepp, an Outdoor Photographer Magazine editor, will be the keynote speaker. Lepp is a member of Canon’s prestigious “Explorers of Light” panel, which works to educate and inspire fellow photographers.

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of the Black Hills Photo Shootout. It’s a great opportunity for nature photographers to focus on improving their techniques and expanding their creative vision in a rich photographic environment,” Lepp said.

Participants will have the opportunity to see Lepp present his latest work in “Capturing the Possibilities,” along with Paul Horsted, who will take participants into Black Hills photographic history with a talk on his book, “Crossing the Plains with Custer.”

Early-bird festival registration is open through July 31. However, registration will remain open until the start of the event, or until maximum capacity is reached. For more information about registration and the festival, visit www.blackhillsphotoshootout.com.

Lonely Planet – the popular travel publishing company and online magazine – has named Wall Drug as one of the ‘Top 10 Weird & Wonderful’ roadside attractions in the U.S. Wall Drug was in “good” company as the list also named the UFO Museum in New Mexico, the World’s largest twine ball in Minnesota and a 65-foot tall wooden elephant in New Jersey.

If you’ve ever visited Wall Drug, it’s easy to understand how it made the list.

Photo by SD Tourism

Located just east of the Black Hills and north of Badlands National Park, Wall Drug has been a staple of family vacations for decades. From the mechanical T-Rex to Singing Sam the Gorilla Man – Wall Drug is part museum, part theme park, part shopping mall and all fun!

The now world-famous Wall Drug Store got its start during the Great Depression Era by offering free ice water to road-weary travelers. Since its humble beginning in 1931, the business – owned and run by the Hustead Family – has created one of the country’s most famous tourist stops by always giving folks friendly service and good, clean entertainment.

Wall Drug – now one of the largest drug stores in the world (yes, there is still an active pharmacy inside) – attracts more than two million visitors every year. That’s more than double the population of South Dakota itself!

As you wander the 76,000 square foot store that spans a full city block, you’ll discover the things that make Wall Drug such a one-of-a-kind place. The doughnut factory is a must see (and taste) stop; fresh doughnuts made from scratch daily and they are oh-so-good!

The old-fashioned soda fountain staff will mix you a drink from days gone by. The Western Art Gallery Cafe houses one of the largest private art collections of its kind. The cafe serves up buffalo burgers, giant cinnamon rolls, homemade pie and famous Wall Drug coffee that is still only five cents a cup.

Photo by SD Tourism

While exploring the hallways, you’ll pass by souvenir shops and wedding chapels, pottery, camping gear, moccasins and more. Books to boots to Black Hills Gold – Wall Drug just goes on and on. When you think of kitschy Americana items – if you can imagine it, chances are it’s tucked away somewhere inside Wall Drug.

In the rear of the store is a fantastic, outdoor area aptly named The Back Yard. Simply put, it’s an outdoor playground that makes for some of the most memorable vacation photos you can ever take. Young and old alike clamor all over the concrete dinosaur, giant jackalope and bucking bronco just before ducking inside the old-fashioned stagecoach or peaking out from the teepee for that perfect picture.

Whether you buy anything or not, Wall Drug is one of those places that you just have to visit to really understand. If nothing else – at least stop and grab a glass of free ice water. After all – that’s how Wall Drug came to be what it is today.

There are literally hundreds of cool, retro vehicles hanging out in the Black Hills this weekend, and tomorrow’s evening display in Rapid City is your best opportunity to check them out. From their time in Deadwood today, here’s just a sampling of what you could see. Enjoy!