Meet Me on Euclid!
Internet site brings us
‘back in the day’
By Jeff Bunn
Capital Journal staff
Published/Last Modified on Friday, Feb 26, 2010 - 11:38:27
am CST
PIERRE —
A
former way friends in Pierre got together has made its way
to today’s most popular strip — the Internet.
In less than two weeks, more than 800 people have joined a
Facebook group dedicated to the pasttime of rendezvousing on
Euclid Avenue.
“It was a social network like Facebook and texting now,”
said Dave Osterkamp, creator of Euclid Ave. Cruzin. “It was
the best way to get a hold of your friends, ‘Meet me on
Euclid.’”
The Web site, which had 826 members as of Thursday, has
group discussions on what music people listened to while
joyriding on the street, pictures of hangouts — most no
longer around — and the cars that made the trip.
“It reminds them of all the good times we had back in the
day,” Osterkamp said.
One person writes about getting his first and only speeding
ticket on Euclid while others have posted pictures of old
cars and motorcycles.
Osterkamp, 39, said he did his driving on the city street in
the ‘80s and ‘90s and the group has members who go back to
the ‘60s. He said the idea came after a friend posted
pictures of his old car on the social networking Web site.
“I remembered seeing that car,” he said. “That’s how the
whole page started.”
Osterkamp said he’s been surprised by the number of people
who have become members of the page.
Joyriding up and down the stretch of road is not what it was
years ago, partly because of police activity and
generational changes, Osterkamp said.
“They shut Euclid down a few years ago and kind of kicked
everyone off,” he said, in reference to policing. “But it
was a whole culture — the culture around cars. My business
pretty much comes from the car market — stereos for cars — I
noticed when cruising stopped. It has taken a dip.”
A weekend gathering drew 20 to 100 cars, Osterkamp said.
“We’d be going five miles an hour up and down Euclid bumper
to bumper,” he said.
He said he and others would like to organize another drive
this summer during Oahe days.
Dave Erickson, a page member and cruiser from 1968 to 1978,
said the Web site allows people to celebrate a part of
American life less vibrant today.
“I had a ‘60 Impala sport coup, but I also rode with one of
my friends — he had a ‘71 boss 351 Mustang,” Erickson said.
“There were a lot of muscle cars cruising — Trans Ams,
Barracuda, Chargers. It was just that generation. That was
what you did. Euclid was the place.”
Visit the "Euclid Ave. Cruzin" group
here.
August 25, 2009
Fort Bennett to Fort Pierre Casey
Tibbs Memorial Trail Ride
(Article produced for Class of '64, I hope
will be of interest to many in Class of '65! /larry.k) This trail ride is of interest to the Class
of ’64 because a couple of our classmates are involved. Our own
Mike Pellerzi was involved in the planning, and rode the trail
in the heat of August with about 300 people, horses, mules and
around 34 wagons. This ride covered a route from a site near
old Fort Bennett (the fort is now under water in the Oahe
reservoir) to Fort Pierre, about 60 miles. Darby Nutter and
Gary Grittner (famous for last year’s Fort Pierre to Deadwood
Trail Ride) organized this ride for benefit of the Verendrye
Museum. The following narrative was provided by the
ride historian John Duffy:
_________________________________________________________
The Casey Tibbs Memorial Ride, sponsored
by Verendrye Museum, Inc., of Fort Pierre, traveled
approximately 60 miles along a route common to Indians, the U.S.
military, and settlers into the area. The remote trailhead at
the Donelan Ranch in northeastern Stanley County took
participants' breath away before their pickups were parked.
Over four days of riding, hundreds of horsemen, muleskinners,
and teamsters saw scenery otherwise not accessible to the
public. Highlights included the confluence of the Cheyenne and
Missouri Rivers, the 50,000 acre Triple U Buffalo Ranch, a
stampede of 300-400 bison, the endless waves of grain on the
Haskins Wheat Farm, as well as the many rugged creeks that feed
the Missouri River from the west. This in addition to sunrises,
sunsets, dark night skies, meteor showers, abundant wildlife and
the general beauty of western South Dakota.
Participants were also fed, educated and entertained at evening
camps. Local non-profit organizations fed between 300-400
attendees each evening and Verendrye Museum hosted historical
presentations by expert speakers on topics including Fort
Bennett, the Cheyenne Agency, St. John's Mission, Oahe Dam,
Mission Ridge, prairie ecology, schools, public lands, Fort
Pierre, historic trails, etc. The gatherings also included
poetry readings and live music until sunset each evening. These
night camps, complete with water, garbage collection, and
toilets were usually bigger than three-fourths of the towns in
South Dakota!
The ride concluded Friday morning when 34 wagons carrying 104
people and 205 riders on horses or mules descended the Missouri
breaks along Verendrye Drive to the Casey Tibbs South Dakota
Rode Center. From there, the 304 people and 269 head of
livestock paraded down Deadwood Avenue in Fort Pierre before
camping for the evening at the Stanley County Fairgrounds. The
ride concluded in downtown Fort Pierre with a supper, auction,
and dance in downtown Fort Pierre on Friday night.
___________________________________________________________
Thanks John for your report!
Check out the coverage from the
Capital
Journal:
“Celebrating
western life”
“Gearing
up to ride”
“Trail
ride, activities start next week”
“Trail
ride saddles up”
“Trail
ride heats up”
(Thanks to Lisa Johansen, Associate editor,
Capital Journal for helping me find these articles in the
archives!)
Check out the Dakota Radio Group press
coverage at:
http://www.dakotaradiogroup.com/mydailynews/MDNMondayAugust_17.htm
Don’t miss Greg Latza’s wonderful trail
photos:
http://www.greglatza.com/trailgallery/
(Oh, note that Greg is the son-in-law of our
classmate Dianne Markwed Olander!) Mike Pellerzi is featured in sunset
silhouette between two wagons, in photo number 12 of this
gallery.
larry.k
March 18, 2009
Mary Kay (Van
Camp) White, passes at age 61.
(from CapJournal)
Published/Last Modified on
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2009 - 09:18:59 am CDT
Mary Kay (Van Camp) White, 61, died
Sunday, March 15, at NC Little Hospice in Edina, Minn., with her son and
daughter-in-law at her side.
She was preceded in death by sons Chaffee and Taylor; brother Edward; and
parents Royal and Charlotte Van Camp. She is survived by her son, Nicholas,
and daughter-in-law, Jessica.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 19, at The
Timbers in Apple Valley, Minn., 14018 Pennock Ave. A graveside service will
be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 28, in Pierre, at Riverside Cemetery (far
southeast corner); with reception afterward at Faith Lutheran Church, 714 N.
Grand Ave.
Jan. 26, 2008
Mrs. Carl Passes
Gladys Evelyn
Carl, 90, passed away Jan. 26, 2008, at Fountain Springs Health Care in Rapid
City. Mrs. Carl served as
Riggs High School Guidance Counselor from 1963-1980.
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.capjournal.com/articles/2008/02/07/news/obituaries/doc47a73f0dedd96108198392.txt
June 24, 2007
Nancy Neiber
retires! Her
career has spanned 37 years and practically every
significant advancement in interscholastic female athletics
in South Dakota Sports!
January 19, 2007
Pathways: Paintings &
Drawings by John Rychtarik
John has a new exhibit at
The Washington Pavilion of Arts
and Science located at the intersection of 11th and Main,
downtown Sioux Falls. It's open January 19 through
April 29, 2007. Please pay a visit if you can!
Check it out at:http://www.washingtonpavilion.org/VisualArtsCenter/Exhibitions/Rychtarik.cfm
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