South Dakota 2008
Late post I know but this is how our vacation went:
Left Friday the 4th of July, traveled 9.5 hrs and set up camp just outside deadwood. Got in a half hr road ride to clear the car legs.
Saturday we road to down and up Spearfish Canyon and added on a little from surrounding roads to total 4.5 hrs and 80 miles.
Sunday we checked out some "mountain bike" trails just outside of Savoy near where they do the SD50 suggested from a local bike shop but more than half were horrible and could tell that bikes do not ride on it. They are hiking trails and we wondered why the shop would even advertise them as bike able. The Old Baldy trail was the only sweet single track trail we did which was around 6 miles. That and most of the Little Spearfish trail would be considered worthy. The rimrock trail I wouldn't even consider unless only the top section was ridden which they use for the SD50. Staying away from the canyon and on high ground would be the golden rule in the area. With alot of hike-a-bike and map reading it took us 3 hrs to do 20 miles.
Monday we high tailed it to Keystone and took a recovery day. Riding 1hr because storms and lots of rain fell the night before and we dried everything out.
Tuesday we started the road riding we came there for. Hill City back on 244 past Mt Rushmore, passed cars going down to Keystone at 50 mph and spotted a cop/w radar monitoring the 35mph zone ;) up Iron Mt road, down into Custer state park, up Needles Highway, back down into Hill City and back to Keystone for a very hilly 80 miles and 4.5 hrs
Wednesday we gave the mtbs another try and scored big time with the most epic and technical trails we ever rode. First we did 2 laps around Storm Mt and then jumped over to Loop 15 This is what mtbing is all about, the whole trail is rocky and technical, climbs flats and descents. I was glad to have brought the gps because it came in very useful when combining it with the maps. There was an instance when we came upon a logged out section on loop 15 that we would have went down a wrong trail had we not looked around and conquered with the gps. By looking at the tracking on the gps we knew we were taking the right trail because it looked like the shape on the map. Loop 15 was the most epic because we were out in the middle of nowhere and never saw a soul. Pure single track all the way. I can't imagine getting a mechanical or getting injured back there because its a long way out. You can't just walk in a straight line over the terrain to get back quick when there are gullies and valleys to navigate. 5 hrs and 38 miles of pure single track bliss.
Thursday we kind of did Tuesdays ride backwards with the addition of Coolidge pass. A hot 93 degree day and I went through 9 bottles of water. 4.5 hrs and 80 miles again.
Friday we hiked up to Harney Peak which took a couple hrs and is 1,000 vertical feet of climbing. We also hiked around Lake Sylvan and I put my hand into the rock where the lever to open the door to the lost city of gold supposedly exists (see pics below). No luck. I wonder how many people put there hand into that rock before Nicholas Cage did.
Saturday we drove 9.5 hrs back.
Tuesday was the ride and glide time trial. I beat my PR by 1 second. Last year I did a 32:34 and this week I did a 32:33. Very hot and humid out. I would have gone over the 25mph avg I was shooting for but I started to cramp with a couple miles to go and backed off. I came in with a 24.88 avg. Funny thing is both Sam and I were feeling much better on Monday and felt slow on Tuesday. Some times it woks vice versa too. Next time I'm trying a tri spoke front and rear. I was trying the spoked disc in the back but I like a lighter zippier wheel. This is only my 4th TT so I'm still getting the feel for the equipment. Tim Mulrooney posted the fastest time avging 27.7 mph. I witnessed him almost getting smeared by a car when he was passing me before a corner. Some of those drivers out there didn't want to give us any room
the rock that Nicolas cage put his hand in National Treasure 2
The doorway that opened into the lost city of gold
Lake sylvan
Storm Mt's rocky single track
switchbacks on Needles.
Left Friday the 4th of July, traveled 9.5 hrs and set up camp just outside deadwood. Got in a half hr road ride to clear the car legs.
Saturday we road to down and up Spearfish Canyon and added on a little from surrounding roads to total 4.5 hrs and 80 miles.
Sunday we checked out some "mountain bike" trails just outside of Savoy near where they do the SD50 suggested from a local bike shop but more than half were horrible and could tell that bikes do not ride on it. They are hiking trails and we wondered why the shop would even advertise them as bike able. The Old Baldy trail was the only sweet single track trail we did which was around 6 miles. That and most of the Little Spearfish trail would be considered worthy. The rimrock trail I wouldn't even consider unless only the top section was ridden which they use for the SD50. Staying away from the canyon and on high ground would be the golden rule in the area. With alot of hike-a-bike and map reading it took us 3 hrs to do 20 miles.
Monday we high tailed it to Keystone and took a recovery day. Riding 1hr because storms and lots of rain fell the night before and we dried everything out.
Tuesday we started the road riding we came there for. Hill City back on 244 past Mt Rushmore, passed cars going down to Keystone at 50 mph and spotted a cop/w radar monitoring the 35mph zone ;) up Iron Mt road, down into Custer state park, up Needles Highway, back down into Hill City and back to Keystone for a very hilly 80 miles and 4.5 hrs
Wednesday we gave the mtbs another try and scored big time with the most epic and technical trails we ever rode. First we did 2 laps around Storm Mt and then jumped over to Loop 15 This is what mtbing is all about, the whole trail is rocky and technical, climbs flats and descents. I was glad to have brought the gps because it came in very useful when combining it with the maps. There was an instance when we came upon a logged out section on loop 15 that we would have went down a wrong trail had we not looked around and conquered with the gps. By looking at the tracking on the gps we knew we were taking the right trail because it looked like the shape on the map. Loop 15 was the most epic because we were out in the middle of nowhere and never saw a soul. Pure single track all the way. I can't imagine getting a mechanical or getting injured back there because its a long way out. You can't just walk in a straight line over the terrain to get back quick when there are gullies and valleys to navigate. 5 hrs and 38 miles of pure single track bliss.
Thursday we kind of did Tuesdays ride backwards with the addition of Coolidge pass. A hot 93 degree day and I went through 9 bottles of water. 4.5 hrs and 80 miles again.
Friday we hiked up to Harney Peak which took a couple hrs and is 1,000 vertical feet of climbing. We also hiked around Lake Sylvan and I put my hand into the rock where the lever to open the door to the lost city of gold supposedly exists (see pics below). No luck. I wonder how many people put there hand into that rock before Nicholas Cage did.
Saturday we drove 9.5 hrs back.
Tuesday was the ride and glide time trial. I beat my PR by 1 second. Last year I did a 32:34 and this week I did a 32:33. Very hot and humid out. I would have gone over the 25mph avg I was shooting for but I started to cramp with a couple miles to go and backed off. I came in with a 24.88 avg. Funny thing is both Sam and I were feeling much better on Monday and felt slow on Tuesday. Some times it woks vice versa too. Next time I'm trying a tri spoke front and rear. I was trying the spoked disc in the back but I like a lighter zippier wheel. This is only my 4th TT so I'm still getting the feel for the equipment. Tim Mulrooney posted the fastest time avging 27.7 mph. I witnessed him almost getting smeared by a car when he was passing me before a corner. Some of those drivers out there didn't want to give us any room
the rock that Nicolas cage put his hand in National Treasure 2
The doorway that opened into the lost city of gold
Lake sylvan
Storm Mt's rocky single track
switchbacks on Needles.
posted by Eric O. at 3:52 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Eric,
Enjoyed reading about your adventures. Sometimes the route just doesn't pan out or you come to that fork in the trail, but that's the great part about finding your way around in uncharted country. Have you ever thought about Ski Patrol for your backcountry first-aid.
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