Woke early, didn’t want to crawl out of warm bed. Sprint to turn on radio and spark up heater and back into bed for warmth & slumber.
Drove thru heart of Black Hills, I could get my arms around living here. No mountains but big hills enough to break up horizon. Passed MT Rushmore. Focus is on riding.
Into Rapid City looking for ACME cycles, home of famous Tim who was written up in a bike mag as a trail developer here in BH. Shop sometimes open but mostly closed due to outside interest. No stop. Power of cell phone.
Hit another shop for tires & ride info. Rides I want to do are in Northern half of BH.
Drive ol’ I-90 to Spearfish, SD, passed Sturgis, home of the Harley. Again no stop.
Find Spearfish Cycles on Main, owner Jesse was helpful w/ ride info.
Ride to do is Trinton Trail right out of town. It is a part of the Big 5-0 ride last weekend. Fun tight ST. Trail tread is dirt as in mud. Tight & twisty. The tuned shock is justifying the chunk of change for the tune: I climb stuff I never did before. The shock works w/o bouncing me off on the compression. Very happy w/ performance. Sets me up for paying for the fork tune now.
A bit of trail:
Started to rain & did. Some slippery slimy turns that were fun to counter steer slide thru. Bike really needs washed.
Forest is mix P-pine & oak and then birch & aspen up higher.
More trail:
Out & back 15.75 miles, 2 hours, even got some vert here in the “flatland”. My ride is finally here. The living & riding @ elevation is paying off as is just getting into condition. Getting powerful pedal stroke & attacking.
Their XC trail, note height of trail marker:
Met Brad @ bike shop & we struck up a conversation. He really liked my van. he rode a rain shortened ride and left a message on my windshield inviting me over for a beer. He’s an engineer. Visited w/ him for a beer.
Drive up to XC ski parking lot for camp. Late night again.
Left knee hurts. I raised the seat a bit more for new shoes & it doesn’t hurt riding.
Safeway prepared food for dinner.
Found first non CXT outhouse and this was made of wood at Big Hill, the XC ski trail head
Tell me more about the comment “Drove thru heart of Black Hills, I could get my arms around living here.” What is the appeal of SD? I’ve never heard of anyone falling in love there.