The 2012 Galena Ghost Town Tour is quickly approaching.  This is your chance to tour the historic area.  The tour is self guided and can be up to 5 miles long.

It will be held Saturday June 9th 2012 from 9am to 1pm.  Begin by heading to the old school house to register.  There you will be given a map and directions.  Plan how far you want to go – then head out for your hike/tour.  There are photos and locals all along the trail to teach you more about this Historic Black Hills Town.

Once you are finished, head back to the school house and enjoy live music  and food.  Meats from the grill and other refreshments will be available for purchase.

Here is a map with directions and view the flyer for more information.

I’ve talked about Jakes BBQ in Rapid City before.  However, it is worth mentioning again.   This place is a great barbeque joint, with great food and good Service.

On my last visit I picked up a couple of the Pig Out Platters.  Basically that is a sample platter of all the meats they have cooking that day.  I lucked out and they had all the meats available.  Tender Sliced Beef Brisket, Smoked Pork, Spicy Sausage, Smoked Babyback Ribs and BBQ Chicken.  All the meats were cooked to perfection and the sweet and spicy sauce was fantastic.

Plus, the platter comes with two sides.   We enjoyed the coleslaw and potato salad.  Other side options include baked beans, potato chips, green chile mac and corn on the cob.

If you want to get some great BBQ in Rapid City be sure to visit Jakes on East North Street.  There is room to dine in or get it to go and head to one of Rapid City’s parks.

Rapid City is gearing up for another great summer full of music.  Rapid City Summer Nights is held downtown every Thursday night for 5:30 to 8:30pm – June 7th through August 30th.  This is a great free event for the whole family.   There is music, food, beer and activities for the children as well.

2012 Summer Night Schedule

Plan to make this your Thursday night plans this summer, Visit the Summer Nights website for more information.

There are a few unique metal homes in Mitchell, South Dakota.  If you didn’t know what you’re looking for you may just drive right past them.  These little ranch style homes are one of the results of the housing boom that followed World War II.

In 1949 and 1950 almost 2500 of these home were built.  They were designed to be a maintenance free, rodent proof and fire proof home.  Everything is porcelain-enameled steel panels.  The roof, the walls (inside and out) are all metal.  There where nearly 25,000 of these home on order when the manufacturer declared bankruptcy in 1950 – only about 10{c51ffea235732daa56267a0a591ce7080e487257b68607531c808b96b6e40eb2} of those were built.

There are about four of these homes in Mitchell.  They are located near Dakota Wesleyan University – near the junction of Mitchell Blvd and Foss Place.  They are all private homes, so just enjoy them from the street.  If you want to learn more about Lustrons, including interior photos visit the Lustron Connection.

There is a lot of talk these days about alternative fuel vehicles and India is producing compressed air powered cars.  But, did you know that the Homestake mine had a locomotive with a compressed air engine?  That’s right is was in continuous service for 33 years.

It was known as Locomotive No. 1A and was purchased January 31, 1928 for $7,525.  It was used to haul ore to the mills from the shafts until 1961.

The train was powered by a stationary air compressor.  The tank held about 137 cubic feet of air at 1000 psi.  The locomotive weights in at 12.5 tons and is 23 feet long.

This is on display in the visitor’s center parking lot in Lead, right next to the open cut.  If you are a mining buff Lead has lots to offer.  And, for all you train buffs, the South Dakota State Railroad Museum is just about one hour south in Hill City.

Here is a little video I shot of the train.

I don’t remember a Saint Patrick’s Day in Deadwood where the temperature reached 75 degrees.  But, it did this year – and it fell on a Saturday.  The crowd was huge in Deadwood.

The size of the crowd looked more like New Year’s or Mardi Gras.  And, everyone was having a good time.  This was the first year for the Leprechaun Olympics and the parade was really good.

2012 events are just getting started in Deadwood.  It won’t be long until Wild Bill Days and then the Days of 76 will be right around the corner.

Check out this video I shot of the parade and the crowd.

What is the best way to enjoy the Mickelson Trail if you are staying in Deadwood?  I say, get a ride up to Dumont and ride (downhill most of the way) back to Deadwood.

The trailhead is located at mile post 92.6, about 9 miles north of Rochford.  That gives you about 16 miles of trail to Deadwood.
Visit the Dumont trailhead in the winter and you’ll find a busy parking lot.  This is one of the main trailheads for the Black Hills snowmobile trail.

The Mickelson Trail is a great way to enjoy the outdoors in the Black Hills. However, there are other great options too.  The 109-mile Centennial Trail starts at Bear Butte near Sturgis and ends in Wind Cave National Park.  Plus there are many shorter hikes in the area.  Consider hiking in Spearfish Canyon or hike the short trail on Mount Roosevelt to Friendship Tower.

This is the trailhead you will use if you access the Mickelson Trail from Custer SD.  Harbach Park is the the site where Horatio Ross (a member of the Custer Expedition) discovered gold in 1871.

You will have a few options from this trailhead.  Take the spur out to Gordon Stockade and then on to Stockade Lake.  Travel 5 miles north on the trail to The Mountain Trailhead – which has views of Crazy Horse Monument.  Or, travel south 9.7 miles to White Elephant Trailhead (and another 3.6 miles to Pringle Trailhead).

This could be a good spot to end your day on the trail.  The trailhead is in the center of Custer South Dakota.  Many hotels and restaurants are just minutes away.

If you are going to be spending time on the Mickelson Trail or any of the other trails in the Black Hills I would encourage you to carry the Black Hills National Forest Map Pack: Topographic Trail Maps.  These maps are easy to read and have all the trailheads clearly marked.  Also, a nice trail guide like Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands: A Guide for Hikers, Cross-Country Skiers, & Mountain Bikers is handy for planning outings.  Or, the Moon Mount Rushmore & the Black Hills covers everything you need to know for your trip to the Black Hills.

The Pasque also called pasqueflower or prairie crocus is South Dakota’s state flower and one of my favorite signs of spring.  I’ve loved these flowers since I was a kid, watching these little purple flowers come to life in our pasture on the farm near Mitchell.  I remember feeling very proud as a child knowing the State Flower grew on my farm.

Now, I still get to enjoy them living in Deadwood.  I’ve found large patches of the state flower while hiking up to White Rocks.  And, I’ve heard people see them throughout the Black Hills.  I seem to find them most often on north facing slopes and meadows.  Wind Cave National Park is said to have lots of prairie crocus too.

I found it interesting that according to my copy of Plants of the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains the pasqueflower can be poisionous because it can slow the heartbeat.  Native peoples have used to speed up childbirth and to treat pain.

The official  two species are considered the state flower: Pulsatilla hirsutissima and Anemone patens.  They are considered for the same genus, as Anemone is a subgenus of Pulsatilla (according to wikipedia).

Where have you found the South Dakota State Flower?