Tonight I am camped in a crowded XG in Badlands NP in South Dakota. Back into 80 degree days and elevation of 2467′. Strong internet signal in the park.

Again catching up.

On the 14th rain fell on Bozeman again making another rest day as my back is still unhappy. I slept on the street.

On Thurs I did my wash for the 3rd week at the same laundromat. Then I headed east to Billings, MT. I googled bike shops and picked Spoke Shop in Billings to learn local info. Very giving guy told me about the Back 9 and camping at Acton rec area. I asked about a fav brew pub to learn Uberbeer downtown. I walked in, saw an empty seat at the bar. Next to it sat a man who was wearing clipless shoes. I called him a cowboy because I could tell by his shoes. He called me cowboy because of my dress. He is from near Akron, OH which lead to talking about Ohio and Mohican. I invited him to join me on the Back 9 the next day. We made a rendezvous. I headed out of town to the Acton rec area. I chose this spot because it is BLM land and legal camping. Turned into a 9 mile each way gravel road drive. I arrived at dark. I leveled my van and went to bed.

Friday I got under way in time to arrive at rendezvous spot in plenty of time which I used to get my bike ready. Never heard from the guy. Stiffed. I studied the GPS route in MTBProject. I pedaled away. A guy caught up w/ me. We visited. Local and gave info. Singletrack nomad.com, makes documentary films. Ride out was easy as it was on the flat above the cliffy technical return route. Seems Billings has this cliff face running above town. I strayed from the gps route.

Lots of chunk stuff I walked. Someday I will stay at a feature I walked to work out a riding solution. Someday. Ride went 13.56 miles climbing 1316′. Challenging ride.

I drove back into town to an Anytime right in downtown. Shower cleaned. I headed east out of town. I stopped at Ashland, MT at a FS station seeking a map of camping spots. An FS person exited the closed station. I listened to her recommendations. I found an empty spot at Red Shale XG, free, but no water of garbage service. She said that about a third of their forest burnt.

Sat after bfast and clean up I drove on into Spearfish. I stopped at a bike shop. They sell Trek electric assist bikes. I listened to an employee telling a customer about the bike. He said they were not considered motorized because they lack a throttle. I spoke up saying that yes, they do have a throttle which is your legs: as you pedal the bike motor turns on. I might have pissed him off. Selling a bike that can’t be ridden on heart propelled trails.

I headed out to Tinton road to pick up a piece of the locally famous Dakota 5 0. I remembered riding here back my first year. I parked at a small parking lot just off the busy road being dusted by every rig that went by, seems the faster the vehicle the more dust. My plan was to ride up the trail which parallels the road but quite removed then get over to Dakota Ridge to enjoy a new piece of hand built trail. The first time I rode this I was on my TNT 5 Spot w/ stock Fox fork and shock that had just been tunes by PUSH. I rememeber climbing up and over a root on the trail and the shock allowed squish. This bike is so much better. The trail has been reworked to get it out of the creek bottom with added bridges where required. Big climb. I arrived at Big Hill TH then droipped down a gulch to pick up the start of the ridge trail. Challenging ridge line trail.

Lots of relief. This is in the Black Hills Forest.

16.17 miles climbing 2402. I walked a few pieces as they were too long steep. Nasty razor back ridge riding. Back at the TH I spent the night.

Sunday AM. Amazing self loading logging trucks were hauling. I drove up the road to Big Hill TH for my start. Plan today is to ride a good chunk of the southern end of the Dakota. I put my smart phone on my handlebar so I could follow MTBProject GPS track. Needed the track for route finding. Having the route visible on the bar solved navigation. No ridge riding, just single track winding up and down and around. Mixed in were gravel roads open or closed.

My energy was being depleted. I rode a piece of trail that cut a corner off the race course. I needed the less miles but didn’t enjoy the newly constructed mini ex constructed trail that solved sustainability issues. Not finished. To me you don’t block off an existing trail before the new one is completed. Lots of cows and manure on the trail. I bailed on an open FS road and rode back to the TH. I was beat. 22.51 miles climbing 2959′, topped out at 6,000′. Another riding improvement is to take breaks and eat. I tend to not do either and I run out of steam.

I drove into town and took a shower at the rec center. Next up was  a beer at the only brewery.

I left after a mexican dinner heading past Deadwood, SD. Big tourist town, famous for a gold mine(?). I found Roubaix XG a ways down the road.  A short rain squall fell during the night , forecast called for only dry days and nights.

Today I drove to the start of Victoria Lake ride, still int he Black Hills near Rapid City. I found the trail in MTBP. Another GPS route following. Again, cows and manure. Mixed in was thinned out forest.

15.73 miles climbing 2224′. Fun trail. I am riding more aggressively trusting my bike. Lots of sharp rocks. I’m now running 19 psi in the rear and 18 on the front. Softer ride and no damage. Fun riding. Enjoyable in that it is all about pedaling, none of that 2hrs of climbing a resource extraction road for a short downhill. Not here.  Another worth riding again trail.

I found an Anytime in Rapid City for a shower and nearby grocery store. I headed east on rt 44 to Badlands NP for the night. Packed XG. no trees. 83 degree day.

So, tomorrow I drive the rest of South Dakota into Minnesota.

I am working my flat pedals much better. I am placing my foot with the pedal axle under the arch of my foot which changes the pedal stroke making it so much more powerful than clipless pedals. I am learning where friend Steve’s power comes from.

Thanks all for the birthday wishes. Swammi, I just started another batch of probiotics. Abe, I’ll find a table that I can sit on to follow your advice.

Bed time.

 

 

Again, so much time has passed since writing that events get mingled.

Let’s get started.

Will picked me up and drove us tot he TH for Corbly creek trail. Road in would have destroyed my van. Nice fall weather and late in the afternoon which flattened the light. Just gorgeous. Corbly trail was rebuilt 2 years ago correcting previous execution. Nice climb on sustainable grade. Woods dirt and rocks up higher. We climbed to where the new joined the old then turned around for our earn your turns downhill.

View out over valley:

I usually ride during the heart of the day because I have all day and like to have afternoon for clean up and getting ready for decent dinner time. Will has his publishing co to tend to which made for the late afternoon which gave us this incredible fall light. shorter ride w/ all the benefits: 8.34 miles round trip climbing 1680′, that’s 1680′ in 4.17 miles. Descent smoked. To me a trail that can be climbed is also a satisfying speedy return.

Will took pics for the cover of his revised map. I don’t know if this will make the front piece:

We ate a late dinner at the Ale works. Sitting beside Will was Mason, an owner of Alter bikes shop in town. I checked his shop on the next day and he hooked me on their vibe, my now got o shop in town.

I slept on the street in town near the rail road tracks and I90. At least I was not bothered.

Thurs I did my laundry at the same laundromat. I drove down to Big Sky for a ride Will proposed. I stopped for a soak at the hot springs.

At Big sky i checked out bike shops, Grizzly Outfitters shared lots of info. Dispersed camping is limited. I chose south of down, up river. Before I made Taylor creek road I saw Red Cliff, a USFS XG. Senior pass means half price which is affordable. I found a spot in the almost empty XG. 3 guys from WA on a road trip stopped for conversation, 1 hand around a beer bottle and the other in the pants pocket. They drank beer while I did my dishes.

A free public bus route stopped in the Big Sky Village and drove up to terminus at Moonlight lodge. From there i rode down the easier Otter Way which is a machine built downhill w/ berms and table tops, blue color run. I was route finding using MTBProject to find the friendly Mountain to Meadow trail back to the village. I dropped down to the base area at the bottom of a chair lift that was carrying riders up mountain. I chatted w/ the liftee about how to get to the M to M trail. He ended up giving me a free ride up the chair with instruction to ride Snake Charmer which is a blue downhill run. I found the trail. Table tops, bigger berms, and loose rock connected me w/ another trail that connected w/ M to M. I rode a piece of Coolridge that friend Shane had connections to. M to M had its man made challenges. I made it back to the Village w/ sore knees from soaking up the contrived features. I hung around under the sunshine till I convinced myself to take another go at a free shuttle to ride just M to M. However when I arrived at the bus stop to no bus then read the schedule, the next bus was not for another 2 hours at like 4:30. I baled on the ride. I ate some bison meat at local brew pub. I sat at the bar between men. Wasn’t long b4 I had a conversation joining the 2 groups. I left just b4 dark to drive back to the XG. SO nice having a saved spot.

Plan for Sat ride was to meet Will at The Corral for a late Bfast. From there we drove down to Taylor fork road where there is dispersed camping. The start of the road was deemed too nasty by me to drive my van. We drove to a TH way back almost at the end of the road and parked amongst the hunters’ ATV trailers. Nice fall day. A solo rider pulled in and Will invited him along as this is Grizz country and solo riding is not always a good thing. The first part of the ATV trail had been remade making it a climbing traverse till it joined the old less steep trail. Place looked familiar but I couldn’t name the tune. Visions started flashing and I recalled my ride here back the first year of my travels named Blowout. We turned right and continued the ATV trail on the Oil well trail. Our high point was Pika Point at 9475′.

We reached the end of the ATV trail right where the fun stuff downhill started. Only dirt bikes were permitted.

 

Trail was steep and loose rock chunder causing to error on the safe side and walked several short pieces, other wise is was aiming the bike and letting gravity pull over the rocks. tech trail. Down towards the bottom Will stopped to check out this tree:

Our bear spray cans remained in our holsters. My van was parked way out just off the highway. I had 3 beers chilled in my fridge that I shared w/ Will and Kyle the other rider.

I left to drive to the Spanish Creek TH for a back pack trip.The drive from the pavement was about 6 miles of stutter bumped gravel and threading my way thru massive herds of ted Turner’s bison. None of them contested my right to be on the road as cows do. he has around 5,000 bison that he raises as income producing. I had been paying attention to the weather forecast whenever I received internet which called for weather going to shit on Sunday night: rain starting then cold temp turning wet into solid. i was enticed by Spanish Lakes way up in the alpine about 8 miles in. This would be my first backpack trip on non work hardened body. I wanted to spend a night out. I hiked listening to my body. The lake goal became more of a pipe dream to obtain. Skies were turning mean hinting that the forecast was actually going to happen. I saw an old campsite just below the trail and right on the river bank. I scrambled down to check it out. It was the old trail and there was a smooth flat spot for my tent. Good enough for me. I set up camp.

I have a thermorest  air mattress and I have a new chair setup that I had not looked at  since I bought it last summer. Turns out the chair was made for a 20″ wide pad and I sleep on a 25″: not a  good fit. I hiked a ways up stream to another trail junction sort of looking for other camps pots. Trail is in narrow canyon w/ slope and lots of rocks and trees, I got the good spot, I filtered water from the creek and threw a rope over a leaner tree to hand my food. I fixed, ate dinner,and cleaned up while watching threatening clouds and dropping temp. Just before dark became too dark to  read sprinkles started. I climbed into my tent and switched on my head lamp and kept reading. Sprinkles became more persistent changing to real rain. I was snug as a bug in my tent . i was also sleeping for the first time in my new Feathered Friends blanket sleeping bag rated to 20 degrees. I zipped up. Bag is so light weight by design that the zipper needed finagling to zip closed. I tossed and turned a bit,I was never too cold or too warm. Just before light I no longer heard rain falling on the tent. I looked out and saw white: sure enough Snow was falling. I was faced with packing a wet camp and hiking back down in snow. I camped at just under 7,000′ the lakes were 9,xxx” and would  have had more snow to contend with. I packed up my wet tent, spread almond butter and honey on a bagel, then shouldered my pack. All of a sudden my back like froze up not allowing me to stand completely upright. WTF? I was fine packing up then bang: froze up. Snow fell all the way back to the van.

I wore rain pants.

Back at the almost empty TH I crawled into my van and started the heater. I made a cup of coffee. I changed into city clothes then drove out. The solar panel was too covered by snow to absorb the weak sunshine. I drove thru not as many bison

I wonder how bison are wrangled?

6 miles of stutter bumps brought me back to US 191 and I headed back to Bozeman. I was focusing on soaking in the hot springs hoping that my back would loosen up. At the parking lot I walked  stooped over to the 104 degree pool. I soaked for what I could stand of 13 mins. A bit of relief that didn’t last.

Back in Bozeman I stopped at the PO for my blood testing supplies and my new sandals compliments of Bedrock sandals. No test strips. I called customer service where they told me  the meter I am using is being replaced hence no strips. New meter is to arrive UPS in 2 days which means hopefully Thurs. I gave Alter as my shipping address. Ia m here around town till Thurs.

Driving I spotted a large sign for massage. Perhaps if my my back still wasn’t happy I would seek one today.

I ate dinner and drank 2 beers at the Ale works while sitting at the bar. Wonderful mix of customers. One was from MIssissippi and I asked about segregation. He left for his reserved table. The woman to my right has moved to South Africa and I asked her about apartheid. Give me people and i will find subjects to discuss.

I street slept at same spot. I lay in bed putting off standing up and learning how my back felt. Finally at 8 I slid my legs onto the floor and  stood up: no go: still stooped. Massage appointment today. Made one for 12. She worked me over for an hour attempting to loosen muscles. Seems muscle tightness is compensating for something unhappy in my back. I can stand just a bit straighter.

I am parked at a city park in partial sun and 50 degree temp drying out my wet gear.

Weather forecast calls for shorts weather by this weekend.

During my hike I pulled Black Hills from my memory. Rapid City, SD and Spearfish will be my next stop.

I gave my failed  Raceface Turbine dropper post to ThatBikeLife shop to send in for repair and had not heard anything from the repair shop. On Friday during my Big Sky ride my phone rang: RaceFace. He said they were shipping me a new post as the repair shop was  backed up. Cool. Only the size I need is not in stock. They will call me when available and we will play find a RaceFace shop somewhere done the road. I am using the KS LEV post that works but is slower on the rising up.

Seems to me I “hurt” my back last summer after a  backpack trip near Bend.

Check out new issue of DirtRag. Great cover pic of Sue Haywood and an article. Bama wrote 2 articles about his stuff.

On Friday I added a higher number to  my age: I am now 67.

 

 

I was able to ride a short piece of bangtail divide before the weather changed.

I found this spot to sleep before the rain set in. I returned after the rain sopped the ground and was greeted by this:

Sloppy loose mess. Bad guys destroy the property of all of ours. I kept my wheels close to the all weather road hoping for short distance to firm traction. During the night more rain fell. In the morning I was concerned about getting out. I slid around a bit witht he differential lock engaged thus allowing me to escape.

Sunday I sought med attention at an Urgent Care for my ailing digestive system. Another stool culture was ordered. Monday I dropped it off.

Ground is too wet for me to ride on as I can pick better riding days. Sunday it rained. Monday not as much. I checked out Battle Ridge FS XG uphill from the Bangtail TH. Free. Sites all had some grade to them, I selected the levelest and used blocks to level. Monday the breweries were closed. What’s up with that?

Tuesday I hiked up to Ross Pass. I started from Bangtail TH hiking up past where I had stayed. I didn’t want to drive the road for fear of ending up some place where I would have to back down. I wanted to hike to see how I handled walking and to wear my hiking boots. Turns out that the road continued past where I had stayed and dead ended at a TH for where I was going to hike. I hiked 1.7 miles extra each way for the lesson. Once on the trail which down low was overgrown with water laden plants that I brushed sending the water onto my wool knickers and down into my boot socks. The tread was cupped which caused my feet to twist outward. Nasty walking. Up high the trail became a nasty double track. I saw bear prints in that mud. I turned a corner in time to see the rear quarter of a black bear leaving the trail. I needed an additional 12 feet on my hiking pole and I could have poked it. I told the bear to keep on moving as I hiked thru.

I made the pass where strong winds cause me to seek shelter just down from the pass.

I looked east to Bangtail Divide trail across the valley

I retraced my steps missing the bear and wetness. The boot uppers bruised my ankles from like sidehill hiking. I limped a bit. I checked out the TH passing and decided that it was good enough for a sleep spot last night. I hung at bangtail TH chatting w/ whomever. A solo woman pulled in. She is from Tonasket, WA and we shared some of the same places.

I drove back up to the TH. I planned on riding Bangtail today but more rain fell last night. Darn, no dryness. I ahve been running the heater at night, Temp hit 40 outside.

Today I drove back to town.

The med clinic left a message. I called today. results were completely clean, nothing living inside me. A colonoscopy would not find whatever is causing my loose stool. Suggestion is to take Nexeum to retard stomach acids. I am 3 days into the doses and my stomach is happier although stool is still loose.

Later today I am riding w/ Will from Beartooth.

I still plan on checking out Big Sky and a backpack trip.