Black Hills Gold Blog

Landstroms Black Hills Gold Ring

So there we were, standing in Landstroms retail showroom having just finished up with the factory tour. It was now time to take the “Clink & Clunk Test”. In the front of the room near the entrance stood a display case with Black Hills Gold rings, from left to right made by the leading Black Hills Gold jewelry manufacturers: Landstroms, Stamper, South Dakota Gold, Rushmore Gold and Coleman. This was the perfect opportunity to compare similar designs from the leading Black Hills Gold manufacturers, for once and for all, and see why Landstroms is considered to be the best Black Hills Gold jewelry. Read More

It comes as no surprise to me that Backpacker Magazine has named Boulder, Colorado as the #1 place in the US to raise an outdoor kid. Boulder has a lot going for it: 300 sunny days per year, relatively low crime rate, beautiful scenery, fairly low taxes, a major university, proximity to a large metropolitan city (Denver) and an international airport, close proximity to the Rocky Mountains allowing a plethora of outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, climbing, rafting – I could go on and on!

Hallet Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park

The only thing is, I’m not the only one who knows this, due in part to the many “Best Places” articles that have been written over the years, such as the one in Backpacker Magazine. But population growth here is nothing new. In fact,  Boulder instituted its first growth ordinance in 1976. I first came to visit Boulder in 1991 and decided to move here in 1996. Since then, I’ve watched the area surrounding Boulder grow at an unchecked rate. Bloated suburbs, congested roads, compromised air quality (oh, that’s right, it all blows over to Nebraska), and the social chill that accompanies overpopulation has made Boulder a somewhat different place Read More

Landstrom's Black Hills Gold Creations

When I became a distributor of Landstroms Black Hills Gold jewelry, I knew I had become involved with something special. However, over this past July 4th Holiday weekend, my admiration for this company and their jewelry has been elevated to a new level. When it comes to Black Hills Gold jewelry, Landstroms is truly the jewel in the crown.

I’ve known about Black Hills Gold for quite some time, having seen all the shops in The Hills on past vacations and climbing trips. But to truly appreciate all that Landstroms is and all that goes into their jewelry, you really have to take the Landstroms factory tour. And that’s what I did with my girlfriend Christa and our friend Tom last week. Read More

Mount Rushmore Fireworks

With July 4th coming up this Saturday, the Black Hills are brimming with excitement. Mount Rushmore has celebrated July 4th with one of the largest fireworks displays in the country for the past twelve years and this year’s event is sure to be another memorable display.

When I saw the fireworks at Mount Rushmore a few years ago, I had been busy rock climbing in the Needles near Sylvan Lake. By the time we got back on the Needles Highway to get to Mount Rushmore, traffic was already heavy. So we decided to turn around and try to come in from the east, but it was too late. People were everywhere and cars had pulled off at every turnout and on the shoulder of the road to try and secure a place with a clear view of “The Faces”.

I decided that I had better do the same before it was too late, but there was just no place to pull over. The air was getting cooler so I knew the sun had begun its descent over the hills Read More

I Love NY

I remember my brother and I growing up in Upstate New York. I mean WAY upstate where everyone there refers to it as central New York. We lived in the suburban town of North Syracuse, a few miles from the city proper but we attended Liverpool Central schools from Elementary through High School. You see, we lived right on the border of North Syracuse and Liverpool, and though our postal address said North Syracuse, our school district was Liverpool. A few streets away Read More