I often take a spring drive of several hundred miles across the prairies of western South Dakota. It’s a great way to shake off my annual case of cabin fever – caused by wintering in the dark corner of the valley I call home. Don’t get me wrong. I love my little piece of the [...]

Being awestruck by the beautiful formations this time around.  The kids were very excited to return to what they have deemed “Dinosaur land”, in part due to the animatronic T-Rex at Wall Drug in Wall, and partly due to the fossils they saw when we did a quick trip around Fossil Trail. Our first stop [...]

I spent my Saturday discovering the allure of cross-country skiing in the Black Hills with the desire to offer a snapshot of the area through the activity. My company on this trip was Pam, a downhill skier. I’m always delighted when I talk someone into a new outdoor excursion with me, mainly because many of [...]

We’ve finally made it past the shortest day of the year, but if you’re like me it’s dark before you go to work and dark when you get off of work. A quick Google search tells me it would take an act of Congress to abolish Daylight Saving Time. I’m not holding my breath. So in the [...]

The older I get, the more I like to buy gifts that will surprise family members and friends. In other words, don’t tell me you need socks, or new cookware. I’m won’t pitch in for new skis or add to your Denver Bronco football collection. And I’m certainly not giving you a gift card or [...]

My mother recently made her second trip to South Dakota for the year. As usual, she thumbed through the South Dakota Vacation Guide and noted the Mammoth Site, in Hot Springs, has stood out over the years as a definite place to visit. So off we went…this would be a first visit for both my [...]

It’s early morning on July 14, and anticipation is building up and down the line at the Antiques Roadshow call-out in Rapid City.  Heirlooms, a yard sale mystery, grandma’s favorite cookie jar, or that old tool that nobody can identify – we are all here with stories that are missing a few paragraphs. And, of [...]

The jagged pinnacles and equally rough-edged crevasses of Badlands National Park don’t lend themselves to the exactitudes of mathematical graphing. So an array of little flags patterned over a small hump of wind-carved sandstone located a few steps away from Ben Reifel Visitor Center in the heart of the park seems somewhat incongruous to my [...]

I’m eyeing three large piles of sandy dirt inside the new Education Program Building at the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs. No, they are not some horrendous error on the part of the construction crew. Soon, groups of kids will be playing in these giant sandboxes – the kind of play that creates learning experiences [...]

From wooded trails to rugged peaks, the Black Hills hiking trails have it all. The diverse terrain of the Black Hills can make deciding on the perfect trail a challenge. In my search for the best hiking trails in the area, I came across a tool that might just make your decision making a little [...]