Some notes on surviving winter in the Black Hills
I wrote this to pump myself up for winter. True, it’s still technically autumn. But we all know it’s been winter in the Black Hills since, um, September. We can complain about the weather, or we can do something about it! Hmm. OK, maybe we can’t do anything about it. A wise man once said, “The best thing to do when it snows is to let it snow.” So let it snow. And let’s enjoy our winter wonderland — the Black Hills! Most of the tourists have gone back to their jobs and schoolwork, and the snowbirds have flocked to their warm winter playgrounds. Our streets are often barren and sidewalks often icy. Most shops are closed — but not all. Some may simply have reduced hours. And you can browse at your own pace. In fact, you can do nearly everything at your own pace. I took a jaunt down Spearfish Canyon recently, and it was a calm and relaxing drive. It was nearly perfect, as there was next to no traffic. If you don’t like being rushed through places, now is the time to get out and ...