EPIC

I think I blinked and the week went by.The trip went well and had an awesome time riding in the black hills.Sunday and monday of the trip we did Needles,Iron mt road and the road from Keystone and Hill City to make a loop from camp.Did the loop and reversed it the next day.60 miles with 6,000ft of climbing per day.Just leg stretchers for the big horns.We got to see a massive rv try to squeeze through the tunnels down Iron Mt.Too funny,can't these people read the signs before they turn onto the road.Monday night the fireworks at Mt Rushmore were fabulous.Tuesday we drove to the big horns and just scoped things out a bit and plan some rides.This was our first time in the big horns and there are trails everywhere.We camped at Meadowlark Lake resort because they had showers.I wouldn't recommend it though,its a bit run down and I would rather use the lake or a stream before I would use those bathrooms.Nasty.The next day we did our 5 hr epic.We started on a dirt rd and rode along the west side of some mts.After going over a ridge we heard a plane comming and I had the camera ready.But it stayed on the side we just went over.A little while latter some atv'ers were like did you see that B1 that just flew over,it was so low to the ground.Crap!thats something I've always wanted to see.We hit some horse trails at the end of the road and it was hike a bike for a bit through the boulder fields.We got turned around a bit because the trail disappears when we got to some mt meadows.We then back tracked a few miles and took an atv trail up to Lilly Lake.Mostly it was hike a bike for what seemed like miles.Its totally different riding in the mts.You can't expect to do 40 miles in 2.5 hrs like around here.Granted we did some sightseeing and alot of map reading but it took us 5 hrs to do 40 miles.When we got to lilly lake I thought we were pretty much done climbing.Wrong,more hike a bike here and there, followed by a long granny gear climb to Bald ridge.After taking in the sights for a bit we started the decent.It was nothing short of epic.The trail flowed beautifully and had rocks strewn about to keep you on your toes.One section had little kickers every 50 meters or so for a 1/2 mile or so to add to the fun.I almost had to rest on the downhill from the forearm pump.Great fun.I was beat after that day.
That was the end of feeling good though.I got sick that night and was forced to sit out all day thursday.I think I had a cold and flu which my dad had a couple weeks before we left.We camped at Sitting Bull campground which is right across hwy16 from Meadowlark Lake.Its a National forest campground and is the best one I've been at.Highly recommended.You can pitch your tent right on the edge of a meadow in the pines with an enormous view of the mts.Thursday night we played night frisbe with our neighbors at the campground.They were from Blaine,MN and one of them works at Guidant in Arden Hills.It was two brothers with their parents and kids.They've stayed at the same site every year for the last 8 years.Fun people to be around.For me, meeting new people is always a highlight of a trip.
Friday before leaving the Big Horns I wanted see if I could ride one last time.I felt like crap and the power meter was agreeing.I could hardly squeeze out 200w.I climbed from the bottom of tensleep canyon to the campground.I climbed about 1,000ft less than Sam.Sam went all the way to the summit of powder river pass and I picked him up there with the truck.5,000 ft of climbing in 21 miles.It was about a half hr down and 1:45 to climb it.We drove to Spearfish and camped for the night.The next day we went to Sioux Falls and I sat in the air conditioning at the motel in front of the tv.I still had no appitite and had to force myself to eat something.
Sunday I was in no condition to race so I sat it out and watched.Sam started out slow but turned on at the end and finished 9th.Brendan took his first MNSCS win beating out Jay Richards by 2 min.Dave Meyers took an impressive 3rd on his singlespeed, thats power.
The good news is I'm working in air conditioning and my legs are feeling the best they've felt in months despite having the cold still lingering around a bit.Thats enough typing for now-E.O.