Sect. 3 Our Towns 2023

OUR TOWNS

20th annual Black Hills Veterans March hits the trail in September

B y J aci c onrad P earson

Black Hills Pioneer DEADWOOD – The South Dakota National Guard’s Enlisted Association will host its 20th annual Black Hills Veterans March and Marathon in the Northern Black Hills in September.

The march pays tribute to the many sacrifices made by this nation’s veterans. Many participants also march in honor of fallen service members.

The 26.2-mile march is open to all military service members and the civilian public. Participants can compete as individuals or in five-member teams and can complete the course by walking, running or marching. There is also a 16.2-mile mini-march and team relays available for participants.

“We’ve got around 300 people attempting either the 16 mile, the 26 mile, or the relay,” said 15-year event volunteer and 2022 event chairman Josh Wermers told the Pioneer after last year’s event. He added that nearly 20 states from across the nation will be represented.

The Black Hills Veterans March started 20 years ago when the event’s founders participated in the Bataan Death March endurance event in White Sands, N.M., and were inspired to bring their own event to the Black Hills to raise money for veterans organizations in South Dakota.

“We pick out four or five different veterans organizations in South Dakota that we sponsor every year and we donate all the proceeds back to the community,” Wermers said.

Wermers said what he enjoys most about the event, overall, is bringing the camaraderie together.

“Honoring those soldiers with a landmark dedicated to a fallen hero or families or individuals that dedicate those pictures and it gives people motivation to continue to finish the march,” he said.

Marchers participate for many different reasons.

“Darnell Hubbard was a National Guard member in South Dakota. He just passed away after a long battle with brain cancer. And his wife and his two boys did the full march last year,” Wermers said. “I think Darnell probably did it eight years, he participated in the event.”

The Black Hills Veteran’s March is a strictly run by volunteers.

“No one is on the payroll. We just reach out to our brothers and sisters in arms and this year, we’ve got American Legion out there supporting our rest stops,” Wermers said.

“A bunch of different American Legions. The Auxiliary out of Spearfish is serving our meal. It’s all volunteer event. Nobody is paid to put this thing on.

It’s all out of

goodness

of our hearts.”

Wermers said what really sets this competition apart from others is the rest stops along the route.

“The first one’s 10 miles and then every three, four, five miles after that,” he said. “We have rest stops that they serve food and drink and we have medical people on the trail to make

the

The 20th annual Black Hills Veterans March is anticipated to take place this September with several hundred people attempting the 110-mile, 16-mile, or 26-mile versions of the march, which pays tribute to sacrifices made by United States military service. Pioneer photo by Jaci Conrad Pearson

Spearfish bike race observes 10th year

B y J ason G ross

Black Hills Pioneer SPEARFISH — Mountain bike riders met at Spearfish Canyon Lodge in March to celebrate the 10th annual 28 Below Fat Bike Race.

This event began in 2014 as the Savoy Winter Challenge. Race creator and director Perry Jewett originally sought a long-distance race of roughly 100 miles, but the Forest Service did not approve.

Jewett also hosts two other bike races; the Dakota Five-O, which observes its 23rd anniversary in September, and the 11th annual Pine Island Gravel Odyssey leaves the starting line in June.

Negotiations allowed Jewett and his Ridge Riders of the Black Hills crew to gain access to the snowmobile trails that close days earlier. That prompted the 28 Below Fat Bike race to settle for its current 28-mile course (50 kilometers), with snowshoe races and ski races on a different course being part of that first year.

This race features a lollipop loop with about 2,800 feet of climbing. It is the only Black Hills race permitted to occur on groomed snowmobile trail.

Spearfish Canyon Lodge marks the race’s start and finish lines. A stretch winding up a canyon with a mild, gentle uphill grade marks the first 10 kilometers.

Cement Ridge Fire Lookout marks the course’s only checkpoint-aid station. All riders must check in here.

A section called “Schoolhouse Snowpit” follows a slight descent and is the only stretch (about one mile long) that is not on a groomed snowmobile trail.

Riders then re-enter snowmobile trails and go on Roughlock Falls Road for a steady descent. This is a backtrack of the race’s first 10-kilometer stretch and goes back to Spearfish Canyon Lodge to finish.

Jewett said riders navigated the 28 Below course in reverse this year in observance of the 10th anniversary. He added new challenges included a 12-mile climb to reach the aid station at the start.

“We still use the same course for 10 years for the fat bike race,” Jewett said. “Now, we just focus on fat bikes.”

Fat bikes must carry tires with a minimum width of 3.8 inches. Riders are advised to carry a helmet, bike repair equipment, and proper clothing for the weather conditions.

Thirty-three riders left the starting line during the inaugural race of 2014: 32 males and one female.

Preliminary projections estimated that 25 would compete.

Durango, Colo., resident Travis Brown claimed the male title in 2

hours, 48 minutes and 10 seconds.

Sergia Natario of Iowa City, Iowa, was the lone female entrant and turned in a time of 7 hours, 1 minute and 49 seconds.

Seven of the first nine races have featured at least 100 entrants, including the COVID-19 year of 2020. An even 100 riders left the starting

line during that year’s event.

The 2018 event featured 182 riders leaving the starting line. One hundred sixteen riders started the 2021 race, and 128 started in 2022.

Jewett recalled that fat bike technology was still relatively new during those early days. He said participants did not have a lot of

fat biking experience.

“We put these events on to challenge people, to give cyclists something to plan for,” Jewett said of the overall aim. He added the rides are created to be physically demanding while challenging partici -

Participants follow the course during this year’s 10th annual 28

Below Fat Bike Race that starts at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge. Pioneer file photo

The Pine Island Gravel Odyssey will celebrate its 11th annual event in June. Pioneer file photo

Paying tribute to Veterans, The Black Hills Veterans March hits the trail in September. Pioneer file photo

from Pg 1

VETERANS MARCH

sure, if their feet are tore up, they get fixed as they’re marching.”

Marchers will start on the Mickelson Trail at the Rochford and Dumont trailheads with both distances finishing at the

Deadwood Event Complex, where an awards ceremony will be.

“We’ve got different categories,” Wermers said. “Some of it’s military, in full military uniforms. Some of it’s civilians. So they just wear anything they want. Some people do carry flags. I’ve seen the POW, American flag, Norway flag, Mission 22. They have some

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people out there doin’ the 110 today. They’re carryin’ a flag. And we have heavy ruck competition, where people carry a 35-pound ruck sack in full military uniform.”

Interested participants and volunteers can register for the event by going to the website: www. blackhillsveteranmarch.com.

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TACO JOHN'S DEADWOOD

Home to a taco-rific team of taco making professionals, Deadwood’s Taco John’s has been locally owned and operated for more than 25 years. One of the only fast food restaurants in Lead-Deadwood, locals and visitors alike rely on this south of the border staple to satisfy all kinds of Mexican food cravings. There’s nothing like talking over a couple of tacos at Gordon Park, making the Mickelson Trail part of a Mexican food run, or burrito bingeing just because. With a menu that is both tried and true and constantly innovating, Taco John’s Deadwood is never mildly missed and a red-hot addition to the table any day or night of the week.

BIKE RACE

pants to prepare.

“I also want to make it possible for everybody to finish,” Jewett said. “But at the same time, I also want them to have something to challenge them and to become a better cyclist at the end of the day.”

Jewett described fat biking as a niche group of cycling, with camaraderie playing a significant role. Riders catch up with old friends and gain experience on the course.

Early memories for Jewett included underprepared cyclists who went on to become top finishers based on what they learned. Other memories include Iowa families returning each year, not to mention the chicken noodle soup at the Cement Ridge aid station.

“That was the weekend that our world changed,” Jewett said in recalling 2020. It was March 14, and

Gov. Kristi Noem announced that no gatherings could exceed 250 people.

Jewett remembered the great sense of uncertainty, along with the group not knowing if it was doing the right thing in moving forward. Shutdowns began on March 16, 2020, with the group continuing to take precautions.

Some of those changes continue to this day. Individuals not feeling well are encouraged to stay at home. Hand sanitizer is available in great quantities, and food items at the aid station are individually packed. Volunteers also wear synthetic gloves while serving the food items.

“The returning of all my fat-biking friends,” Jewett said when asked what he most looks forward to this year. “The gathering of the 28 Below fat-bike family, and the volunteers.”

Jewett also thanked the volunteers and sponsors who have lent their efforts over the years.

The race that started it all in the Northern Hills, the popular Dakota Five-O, celebrates its 23rd event this year. The iconic single-track mountain bike race/ride/tour, takes riders on a course from Spearfish to the Old Baldy Trailhead, Iron Creek Lake, and some of the Northern Hills most iconic trails. Pioneer file photo

Black Hills Trails, Sturgis, continues to add scenic new trails in 2023

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B y T im P o TT s Black Hills Pioneer

STURGIS — More than 40 miles of scenic trails have been built in the Sturgis area in the past 10 years and Black Hills Trails (BHT), Sturgis Zone, has plans to continue expanding the trail system in 2023.

Samuel Greear, a board member of the group, said the trails are for the community.

“The really cool thing about our trail system, is it started within the community, we are at a point where it will take big investments in the infrastructure from the municipality to take the next steps, but for now what we have, has been built by the community for the community,” said Greear.

For 2023, there are a couple of projects that are approved and a couple of little connecter trails at various points throughout town that are planned for this year. The organization is also working with the city and the developer of the future site of the Sturgis Lakeside Adventure Park.

path. “Features made out of steel and wood that mimic what you would find on a trail, a little bit of a trail experience and a bike park experience, beginner and youth friendly.”

“To build modern, engineered, sustainable, single track through varying terrain, hiring a pro trail building firm would have cost $5 to $8 a foot. We have typically been able to do it for $2 to $3 a foot because of reduced labor costs as we have done it largely with a team of dedicated volunteers,” said Greear.

Bill Phillips, a volunteer for BHT an mountain bike enthusiast said it is truly unique and special about the Sturgis Trail System is you get to live in the middle of your playground. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast and you enjoy hiking, trail running, or mountain biking you don’t have to drive to a trailhead somewhere unless you want to. The trail system almost completely surrounds the community and has access points in every direction.

Fun from the ground floor up, the Midnight Star casino and restaurant complex, located at 677 Main Street, is home to Diamond Lil’s Bar & Grill and Jakes Fine Dining.

The Star Bar and Midnight Star’s casino slot gaming area are located on the first floor.

Table games featuring Black Jack, Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em are located on the mezzanine floor.

The third floor of the complex features Diamond Lil’s Bar & Grill, offering a unique menu in a casual, sports bar setting with plenty of 75-inch televisions.

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“Our big interest there is that it will create an amazing corridor between the city bike path and existing trails on federal lands and could be one of the better connections in town,” said Greear.

The mission of Black Hills Trails is to connect communities with trail.

Greear said some new trails are on hold due to funding.

“We have a couple of projects approved right now and some prospective projects as well, but we currently lack the funding to do them.” What they would like to do alongside some bike paths throughout town, as they are an integral part of the trails, is to create a more cohesive in-town and out-of-town experience, and they have been working with the city to add some bike-specific equipment to the parks where there is other playground equipment and adjacent to the bike

“I feel pretty fortunate to be able to leave from my office on a mountain bike and within a couple minutes be on some great trail with amazing views and scenery, and I have the option to take a different route almost every day of the week! The trail system really has added a whole new dynamic to the community through quality of life of for the residents, added economic opportunity to the downtown through the Music on Main summer race series, along with becoming a destination for the outdoor enthusiast. Working in real estate I get to see firsthand the impact and attraction a trail system like this can have when it comes to individuals and families deciding where they want to live, and for some it’s the main reason they want to live in Sturgis,” said Phillips.

Jenn Bush, an area runner and mountain biker, and

One of the small excavators used in shaping the trail above Woodle Field in 2022. Courtesy photo

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Midnight Star Features Four Floors of Food and Fun!

The Midnight Star casino and restaurant complex is home to Diamond Lil’s Bar & Grill and Jakes Fine Dining. Located on the first floor is the Star Bar and Midnight Star’s casino slot gaming area, while table games featuring Black Jack, Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em are located on the mezzanine floor.

677 MAIN STREET, DEADWOOD |

BLACK HILLS TRAILS

a volunteer said the trail access is awesome.

“We have the advantage of being able to access a trailhead within one to two miles from almost any front door in Sturgis. There is no need to load bikes or drive somewhere to “get away” for a solid run or ride, you are already there,” said Bush. “After experiencing a good chunk of trails in the area, I can honestly say that, in my opinion, Sturgis trails are a bit more feral, and I like that.”

Ben Petrocco, an avid mountain biker that logged over 3,000 miles in 2022 said the scenery is incredible.

“Sturgis is a hub for over 200 miles of connecting single track with great easy access and incredible scenery and views. The area is also rich with western military history you can expect to encounter along some of the trails. You can find all different skill levels of trails from easy, mostly flat segments to leg burning, lung busting climbs that reward with fast flowing and rocky descents,” said Petrocco. “There are a lot of options for shorter loops and also several shuttle point to point options that offer a mostly downhill experience all within a 15 minute drive from downtown. Sturgis is truly one of the best kept secrets for trail lovers in the Black Hills.”

In the Sturgis zone, there is a 50mile system, with 40 miles newly constructed in the last decade.

“This is pretty cool as it means the system is really modern, built to modern design standards for biking, hiking, walking, bird watching, dog walking, and horses too, everything we design is for multiple use,” said Greear. “We have the rough dirt work complete on a new trail above the football fields in Sturgis, it is about one mile long, and we will be finishing the trail this year, with commemorative benches for Keith Smit and Bob Davis along it.” The benches will overlook the football field and track and the trail will be named in honor of Davis.

Contributions are always needed to improve the trail system and to donate you can go to – blackhillstrails.org and select the donate tab. Another way to help that is popular with the Sturgis trails are commemorative benches. Six have been purchased so far that are located along the trails or soon will be. The BHT organization, Sturgis Zone, has created an endowment that started in 2021 to make sure funds are available for maintenance of the trails in the future.

To date, the fund has $110,000 endowed for the long term with a goal of $250,000.

One of the biggest challenges BHT faces is that it has created in

the last 10 or so years, a nearly $1 million-investment in the infrastructure of the Sturgis community, and when the group started, in terms of a letter grade, the trail system was a solid ‘F’.

“Right now our system could probably be graded ‘C+’, maybe a ‘B-’, or just slightly better than average compared to towns known as a destination trail town. We have done everything that is easy to do, a lot that isn’t so easy, and we have done that largely without spending any public dollars, 95% or more of the funding has come from private sources. To get to an “A” and really compete with other

trail destinations, and see the economic benefits that go with that, it is going to take the city to recognize we have come a long way, but we still have a ways to go and we need to double down on what we have got,” said Greear.

If you wonder how to volunteer on the next trail build, you can talk with Greear, reach him at sjg@blackhillstrails.org, or watch on Facebook for announcements on the next builds.

Black Hills Trails organization has four area zones that are under their organizational umbrella, including Rapid City, Sturgis, Spearfish, and Hill City.

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A group of volunteers work with trail building tools finish one of the trails to the Sturgis dams several years ago. Courtesy photo

Northern Hills high schools awarded CTE grant funds

By amanda WolTersTorff

Black Hills Pioneer

BELLE FOURCHE — Belle

Fourche High School and Sturgis Brown High School were two out of 17 South Dakota recipients of the Innovative Equipment Grants, with Sturgis receiving $174,442 and Belle Fourche receiving $250,000 of the total $3 million allocated.

Belle Fourche High School plans to use its grant to purchase two truck simulators and one real vehicle, giving students the opportunity to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL).

“Our first goal (when writing this grant) was to be the first school in the state of South Dakota to offer

a CDL course. We will actually be the second in the nation to offer a CDL for secondary education,” said Tony Musilek, the Belle Fourche career and technical educator who will teach the course, beginning in the fall. “We also wanted to offer night classes for adults in our community to get their CDL. It was also important for us to expand our CTE program to meet the needs of our industry partners and satisfy the needs of our workforce.”

There is a nationwide need of CDL drivers.

This course will be taught to students who are already 18 or will turn 18 within the semester that they take

the course, per CDL test requirements.

“We will be offering this course as a dual credit. The course is called CDL written preparation, which is taught at Lake Area Technical Institute,” said Jim Hartwell, a career and technical educator at Belle Fourche High School. “Students will save up to $5,700. Our students get to take the course for free, which is included in the grant.”

The course will utilize two simulators, which will find their home next to the school’s current five equipment simulators.

“While students are getting ready to take their learner’s permit, they

CTE GRANT FUNDS Pg 14

60% of jobs that our students are going to be filling in their lifetime haven’t even been created yet.

Cyle Miller Belle Fourhce Career and Technical Educator

Belle Fourche High School partners with Rolling Hills Healthcare

By amanda WolTersTorff Black Hills Pioneer

BELLE FOURCHE — Belle Fourche

High School received a $35,000, threeyear grant, which allows students to conduct an apprenticeship.

The grant, Start Today SD Pathway Partnership, allowed the school to begin partnering with Rolling Hills Healthcare, a skilled nursing facility in Belle Fourche, in September 2022. This gives students the opportunity to gain experience in healthcare.

Although Mary Day, a career and technical educator at Belle Fourche

High School, has been leading an internship program for 19 years, she decided last summer that there was a need for an apprenticeship program as well.

The difference between the two is time and pay.

“The internship program is offered to juniors and seniors, and they can go out and get an internship for one semester at a business or in a field or career that interests them. That is generally unpaid,” said Day.

Rolling Hills Healthcare willingly participated in the internship program in the past, so after consulting

with the Department of Labor, Day decided to ask the skilled nursing facility if they’d like to partner with the high school for the apprenticeship program.

“When we had initial conversations with Rolling Hills, it was determined that there was a definite need for increased employment in the healthcare industry due to a shortage of nursing assistants,” said Day. “They (Rolling Hills Healthcare) provide on the job learning, training, testing, and certification for students at Belle Fourche High School to be licensed as a certified nursing assistant (CNA).”

Day said the number of students who can participate in the program is dependent upon how many positions Rolling Hills Healthcare can accommodate each school year and how many students take interest in the program.

“CNAs are in very high demand. We will always have job openings,” said Rolling Hills Healthcare Executive Director Tracy Harwood. The program is designed so that the apprentices will be paid by the healthcare facility.

“This grant was put out to challenge us career and technical teachers to do something innovative and new,” said Cyle Miller, a career and technical educator at the school.

will be able to practice with the simulator. The school will help prep them for that test, too,” said Hartwell. “When they get their learner’s permit, the rest of their time will be in the truck. If they are having troubles with a certain scenario in the truck, then they can practice more on the simulator.”

The students will take their CDL learner’s permit at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Belle Fourche, and once they have had enough time behind the real wheel, they will be able to take their CDL test with Roger Stevens, a CDL examiner located in Spearfish.

“Getting a CDL will open a lot of doors for them. Any truck that has a commercial tag on it, you have to have a CDL to drive it,” said Hartwell. “So if they work for a plumber, a carpenter, anything like that, it will open a door for them. That’s better pay, too.”

Mathew Raba, principal of Belle Fourche High School, recently ordered the two simulators and is awaiting their arrival. As for the semi-truck, the school is currently searching the market for one that will meet their needs.

Tony

CTE GRANT FUNDS “ ”

Students can register for the course in the fall, and Raba hopes to have around five students enrolled in the course during the first year of the program.

Sturgis Brown High School also has big plans for its grant.

Its staff plans to teach a new automation course, starting in the fall.

PARTNERS

“They have been some of our best staff,” said Harwood. “We bring them on as our actual employees, and it’s an actual career for them”

Because Rolling Hills Healthcare employs the apprentice, the money from the grant can be put towards other expenses.

“We can use it (the grant) to assist apprentices with training costs, uniforms, and safety equipment,” said Day. “It can be used to help reimburse the partner or for our school district to increase participation in the program and to expand into different career areas.”

Day said that the school does plan to expand their program to other career fields in the future.

“This (automation course) is new in the region and the state.”

“The reason I selected to go down this road is because they tell us that around 60% of jobs that our students are going to be filling in their lifetime haven’t even been created yet,” said Miller.

While it is hard to guess what careers students will be in in the future, Miller hypothesizes that the job market will be largely dominated by automation. He believes it is important to teach his students how to make a living in that arena — building and maintaining automation.

“We are seeing automation in everything from agriculture, to food service, to manufacturing, and everything in between,” said Miller. “This course will be designed to introduce students to those possibilities.”

To make his automation class as broad as possible, Miller purchased five products, which he expects to be delivered in the next few months. The equipment will be divided into three major course sections — agriculture, electric vehicles, and manufacturing.

The first section consists of two FarmBots.

“It’s a robotic garden that comes as a kit. My students will build the garden, build the robot, program it, and then from there the robot will plant the seeds, monitor the soil for proper conditions — when it needs water, it’ll water it, when it needs fertilizer, it’ll fertilize it. It keeps track of where you planted

In order for a student to be chosen for the program, they must be at least 16 years old and participate in a series of interviews with their parents. They may also opt to have referrals from their teachers, counselors, and principal.

“Our apprentices will attend school for part of the day and then go and work at the partnering business for the other part of the day,” said Day.

“Currently, our youth apprentice (Aubrie Hobbs, a senior at the high school) attends class in the morning, and works at Rolling Hills Healthcare in the afternoon.”

Harwood said that, because the school was so willing to change the student’s class schedule around, the student is able to work full shifts at the facility. In fact, she works around 20-30 hours each week.

In order for the student to become a

every plant, so it weeds itself,” said Miller. “It monitors the plant health, and it’ll tell you when its time to harvest it. I bought two of those, one of which will be set up and will run continuously, and one will be constructed and taken down by the students at the end of the course.”

“The extra produce from the gardens, the produce we don’t consume in our class, will go to our culinary arts program,” Miller added.

The second section uses a Switch Vehicle.

“It’s a full-on electric car. It comes to the classroom in a box, and students build the car,” said Miller. “It teaches students how an electric car works and why the controllers work the way that they do. Students can get in it, drive it, and tune it. At the end of the year, the students will take it apart and put it back into its boxes for the next students to build it again.”

The third section involves a manual mill and a manual lathe, two machines typically used in manufacturing.

“The students will convert the machines into a computer numerically controlled mill and lathe,”

CNA and complete the apprenticeship program, they must complete training and testing that the healthcare facility provides and pays for.

“The apprentices do 52 hours of online classes. Then they complete 16-24 hours of clinical training with our instructor, and then they take a skilled and written test,” said Harwood. “She (Hobbs) went through the classes quicker than our adult employees do.”

“She passed the test the first time, and now she works there as a CNA,” added Day. “If she wants to stay there, they are offering incentives. They offered to help with college tuition if she agrees to stay and work while going to nursing school.”

Day hopes to have her apprenticeship program registered with the Department of Labor by the end of

said Miller. “The students will put it all together and learn what each mechanical part does. They will run that equipment and tune it.”

“The program is set up so that each group of students gets that full exposure to that entire process, and yet, from a cost basis, there is a single upfront investment,” Miller summarized.

Any student who has taken the introduction to technology class and has received their OSHA 10 card (a type of safety certification) will be able to sign up for the automation course.

“There will probably be much more interest than there will be time or space,”

Miller said in regard to the number of students who will be interested in learning automation.

Miller hopes that the school can get more equipment for CTE courses in the future.

“These kinds of classes are expensive. If the public wants this kind of education, and this type of education is critical, then they need to voice that opinion to all the powers need be,”

2023.

With a registered program, the students will also get an actual credential after completing the program, which will be valuable in America’s competitive work force.

“Rolling Hills has been a very good partner in our registered apprenticeship program, and we are very grateful for their participation in this program,” Day concluded.

While Harwood said that they hope to encourage more students to get into healthcare, they also hope to teach students other valuable lessons.

“My ultimate goal is to teach these younger kids that they (elderly people) are people. They were parents. They had lives as well. They were working before. They have great stories to tell,” said Harwood.

Miller said.

Our first goal (when writing this grant) was to be the first school in the state of South Dakota to offer a CDL course. We will actually be the second in the nation to offer a CDL for secondary education

Musilek Belle Fourche Career and Technical Ecucator

Belle Fourche High School has five equipment simulators, soon to be joined by two truck simulators to help students get their commercial driver’s license, thanks to a grant it received on Dec 1. Pioneer photo by Amanda Wolterstorff

from Pg 13

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