This is a specially arranged event only for the Symposium. If you have never been on a "world-class" hunt on a game preserve, then this is the time. Five bird maximum. Your game is dressed, wrapped, and shipped home for you. We start early and return in the evening. Lunch, dinner, and transportation included. Everything is supplied by Big Shot Pheasant Fields.

PGA golf pro Ted Countee will join us again this year. If you missed out on a private lesson, a golf clinic, or the golf tournament last year, try not to miss a stroke in 2008. Even if you have never held a golf club, come play. Ted will be available at the driving range of the Municipal Course which is within walking distance of the Ramkota. Club rental available.

Sign up required before September 15th.

For exercise and fun, join master dance instructor John Kirstin on Friday afternoon and Saturday to tweak your natural talent. Ok, so your talent needs a little tweaking too, so what? Come for the fun, come for the exercise. Then, put what you have learned to use on Saturday night.

Sign up required before September 15th

Come join personal trainers Tony (you've seen him on the cover of "Muscle Magazine") and Marla. Have them design a personal workout program for you or show you some new routines to spruce up your existing program. Get fitness tips to keep that body of yours in great shape. For those of you who had sessions with Tony and Marla in 2007, come back for an update of your program. See how far you have advanced in a year.

Sign up required before September 15th

Come and see and feel the majesty of the Black Hills, the unbelievable wildlife, and the culture that helped to shape the prairie and our nation. This trip will bring the true meaning of the prairie, the phrase "where the buffalo and antelope roam", and the awe inspiring feats of man to a new personal level.

On Thursday, September 25th, our stagecoach, a modern climate controlled bus, leaves before dawn. Snooze as we head to the first stop: Wall Drug Store-the epitome of American kitsch.

This store started on its way to fame by offering free ice water to motorists in the 1930's, and it has grown every since. Watch for the road signs as we approach Wall, South Dakota. We will stop here for breakfast and peruse the offerings.

Our next stop is Custer State Park: the wildlife loop. A park ranger will be our guide through one of the rarest and most unique state parks in the world. Custer State Park is overflowing with a plethora of natural and cultural history. Here the Buffalo and the Antelope roam. You will probably get a very close look at these beautiful creatures from the comfort of the bus. Hopefully the elk, "big horn" sheep, burros, wild turkeys, and prairie dogs are also about.

After Custer State Park there's time for a gourmet lunch at the Sage Creek Grille in Custer, South Dakota. Then it is on to the Crazy Horse Memorial. This breathtaking work in progress in honor of Chief Crazy Horse is inspiring. Learn the tale and the plans for completion of this project.

From there, we visit our four presidents memorialized at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. Join a guided tour with a Park Ranger or take a self-guided audio tour. There are films about the construction of Mt. Rushmore and a hiking trail. Find your state flag as you walk under the flags of our Nation's states.

For the movie buffs among us, the recently released film "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" was filmed at Mt. Rushmore. However, there is not a lake at the top of Mt. Rushmore. The lake in the film is a lake in the Northern Part of Custer State Park above the wildlife loop.

Upon leaving Mt. Rushmore, we will have dinner in Rapid City. Great food and a wonderful way to relax at the end of your Black Hills experience.

Bring your camera, curiosity, and questions. Wear comfortable shoes.

Sign up required by August 27, 2008
Registration limited to 40

That's right. South Dakota has the only vinegar museum in the United States. The Vinegar Man, one of the foremost vinegar experts in the world, will be present to guide you though your vinegar tasting experience. The complexities, subtleties, and taste of an exquisite vinegar are just as complex as a rare wine. Pared with some fine wines, this is an event to get your taste buds dancing. Friday afternoon from 4 to 6 at Best of the West, Best of the Dakotas at the Ramkota.

Relax and have fun. This eighteen-hole event is open to everyone from beginners to the more advanced players. Put in practice what you leaned in the golf clinic. Golf pairings will be done by our PGA golf pro. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams. Prize for the longest drive, and closest to the pin. Come, enjoy, and unwind. We'll need to know your handicap when you sign-up. You don't have a handicap? Oh, my, my.