OK so here we are in Beautiful Downtown Hill City South Dakota. "Beaverbrook" premieres on Saturday at 1pm, local time, here at the Black Hills Film Festival.

I flew in to Rapid City, SD yesterday and the airport's simplicity is quite confusing to a city boy like me. The baggage claim was a direct and easy 30 second walk from the jetway, one and only one carousel.

The drive into Rapid City and then through the Black Hills was stunning. Though grey overcast and rainy, this is clearly beautiful country. Rapid city has a life size bronze statue of a U.S. President on every street corner. While taking a photo of President Clinton, a passerby spat on him. I wanted to point out to that local kook that Clinton was a two-termer, but thought it might start a riot here in a red state.

I lunched at Sanford's Grub and Pub where the menu is HUGE! (see photo) No kidding. Everyone here is very friendly and the waitress at Sanford's was no exception; she offered to wash my car.

Arriving in Hill City at 4:30pm, I napped for about an hour and then hit the Alpine inn for dinner. One item on the menu: bacon wrapped fillet mignon (6oz or 9oz) with iceberg wedge, potato and Texas Toast. I opted for the 6oz and the bill, including dessert was $14.00. It's the nicest place in town.

FILM FEST NEWS FLASH!!: I received a call from Janna, the president of the film festival at about 8pm. She invited me to pick up my film maker information packet and press a little pre-festival flesh at the Harley Daividson screening room. A two minute drive from the Holiday Inn Express and I was there. It is a very nice facility and serves double duty as the VIP room for VIPs. In order to get to the VIP registration table, you have to buy a motor bike; brilliant marketing ploy.

I met some other bigwigs and picked up my packet, said goodnight and made my way back to the H.I. It snowed overnight.

I am on my way to the day's seminars at the Crazy Horse Memorial visitors' center.