Two things are always certain about spring in the Black Hills. The first is that you would never plan a weekend road trip without first checking the five-day weather outlook for fear of running into one of those crippling spring snowstorms. The other is that it is a time of rebirth, a time to welcome back things that have been gone but have now returned.
Today, the Fives is dedicated to that theme, beginning, with, of course, the weather.
No. 5 Soaring temperatures and the possibility for snow
The return of spring might be for good this time, with highs forecast into the 70s at least through Tuesday, with intermittent showers on Wednesday. Yes, those are snow showers forecast for the following week, but once you get beyond 48 hours, even the best of weathermen (and weather women) will tell you that the Powerball might be easier to predict.
No. 4 I loves that rock AND roll music
The Reddmen are scheduled to make a return to their old stomping grounds, playing Friday, April 25, at TREA at 1981 E. Centre St. in Rapid City.
The Split Release show with Eyes and Ears fro Denver will cost $5. If you haven't heard of The Reddmen, you're missing out. Check out iTunes for samples of their music or go to their MySpace page for updates (including a mention in the New York Times article about the founders of Tanka bars) and some music as well.
No. 3 Who'll be your huckleberry? Well, it's Val, of course
OK, so it may not be filmed here, but a new movie featuring an Old West theme based in the Hills is more than a century-old tradition in the film business.
This time, Val Kilmer is rumored to be starring in a new movie set in the Old West days of Deadwood, circa 1876. Kilmer starred in another movie based in the area, 1992's "Thunderheart."
The plot line for "The Hard Ride" is a bit thin. At IMDB, the plot outline simply says "Action and death follow a legendary gunfighter and his close friends to 1876 Deadwood, Dakota Territory."
Others on the cast list are Elisabeth Shue, also rumored, as well as Ryan Merriman, Christopher Atkins and Thad Turner, who is also writer and director on the film, which is in pre-production.
The release date is scheduled for March 20, 2009.
The Deadwood Shootout returns May 20-25, but it's returning in its best form to date. Having covered the Shootout for almost a decade through the 1990s, the advent of multiple tournaments throughout the week is a big plus.
On Tuesday, May 20, there will be a $100 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tourney; on Wednesday, May 21, another $100 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em tourney; on Thursday, May 22, a $200 buy-in S.H.O.E. tournament; on Friday, May 23, a $200 No-Limit Hold'em tourney; and on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25, the $500 buy-in main event, No-Limit Hold'em tournament.
I only ever played in one, got Aces cracked about a half-hour in and promptly dumped all my chips. But it's still fun to watch - well, at least for me.
No. 1 Kids, kids and more kids
Back for a 13th year is the YFS Kids Fair, a great event for punks of all ages. I suspect my two punks, Sophie and Brewer, will be making appearances, as will thousands of other area children. The only thing we've ever had a problem with is getting out of there as the kids never seem to want to leave.
