Lake Sheridan

"Big Thrill's in the Black Hill's" By: Art Pasley Looking at Rapid City South Dakota from the Rapid City airport looks like a city with a rock wall behind it. You can't possibly know what beauty and majestic scenery is on the other side of that rock wall without driving through Rapid City and into the Black Hills. Tara Piper and her fellow Rapid City Bureau of Reclamation employees hosted their first ever C.A.S.T. for Kids event on Lake Sheridan, located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. What an event it was! If you read all the event reports for my region, you are probably asking yourself, does this guy ever go to a normal mediocre event? No, no, I don't. They're all great, but some are in areas of the country that just take your breath away. This was one of those events.   "We are so excited," stated Tara. "Everyone is excited," she continued. As I drove into the Black Hills, I received her directions to Sheridan Lake and soon I was out of cell phone range. It makes you wonder why anyone would want to go to the moon if we can't talk across town on a cell phone. Oh well, I'm not going to the moon, so enough of that.   The following morning everyone arrived at Sheridan Lake Marina, and as the registration and pairings began, the participants got more and more excited. As Rapid City BOR Manager Jeff Nettleton welcomed everyone, Smokey the Bear walked into the crowd and I knew then we were in for a grand event.   As with all Bureau of Reclamation events, everything was well planned and executed to perfection. Not only was the event going great, the trout were biting good too. All but 2 participants caught fish. With the use of two way radios, we were able to have play by play reports from the lake each time a fish was caught. "Kangas to food tent, Kangas to food tent, we have fish on-over!" "Go ahead Kangas" was the reply as we continued to get reports all morning.   As the day of fishing ended everyone, including the local elk and big horn sheep, began to arrive at the food tent, and what stories they were telling. This was by far one of the most grateful groups of participants I have seen. They all wanted to meet everyone and thank everyone for a fun day of fishing. They really were a great group and everyone I spoke with looked forward to another event next year.   The awards ceremony began and Tara and her crew passed out plaques with the help of the boaters and posed for pictures as the event ended.   I always reflect back on every phase of an event but as I drove back to the Rapid City airport, my thoughts were on the Black Hills and how beautiful an area it was. You have got to make a trip to Rapid City and the Black Hills of South Dakota. If you have never been there, you're just not living. Who knows, you may see an image of me carved on the side of a mountain out there.   Tara, Jeff and everyone in the Rapid City Bureau of Reclamation, thank you for a wonderful day in the Black Hills. You truly are Special People, Helping Special Children, "Catch A Special Thrill".

(Click on a picture to enlarge)