Bad Devil Tour: Day 3

A hearty breakfast at Spearfish's Secret Garden B&B enabled our merry band of bicyclists to leisurely pedal 31 miles to Sundance, WY, arriving shortly before noon yesterday. More sustenance preceded the 30 mile and 3000'+ grind up to Devils Tower amid blue skies framed by semi-lenticular clouds. Ice cream at the DT Trading Post topped off our tanks for the final 3 mile, 350' climb to the Devils Tower Lodge.

A layover day today allows exploration of the Tower and recovery for the legs before our last day of the tour Friday takes us back to Beulah, WY via Hulett, WY and over Bear Lodge Mountain Pass -- a bonafide 2 mile 8 percenter.

Bad-Devil Tour: Day 1

Nearly nirvannic our ride today began in Wall, SD, traversed Badlands National Park all the way to Cactus Flat where we turned around and finished at the Circle View Guest Ranch outside of Interior, SD. Our guests enjoyed the ride, the scenery and the camaraderie.

As Dakota Bike Tours last tour of the season enters its second official (actually our third consecutive day of riding) day tomorrow I'll be driving the van while Jim, owner, visionary and all around tour guru leads our intrepid group of seasoned bikers 28 miles from the Circle View to Scenic where we load bikes and van to Rapid City for lunch before re-saddling up at Dumont for a daring 30 mile descent through Spearfish Canyon. It doesn't get any better than this.

Details: 54 miles
1600 feet climbing
outstanding NNW tailbreeze of sailable strength.

Black Hills Classic

Last week I guided a bike tour for Dakota Bike Tours. We had 14 guests -- 3 groups of 4 (couples) and another couple spanning 51 to 73 -- and they nearly all rode the entire ride every day. Several experienced (world) tourers and 2 couples were firsttimers. The world tourers all exclaimed that our little Black Hills Classic was the best tour they've ever done. A more enthusiastic and fit group of homo sapiens would be hard to find.

The Twitter Dream Ride

Last night I dreamed I rode with Lance. He had tweeted a ride in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for 2 pm on October 29, 2010 and I was the only person to show up. Seems noone else in Sioux Falls has heard about Twitter nor the fact that Lance routinely tweets rides in various locations around the world.

Upon seeing me Lance shrugged and said "Let's ride," and off we went touring side-by-side around Sioux Falls following the bike path past the historic Big Sioux River Falls and other scenic venues. Lance maintained a chatter that matched his cadence as I struggled to evince an occassional "yup" while gasping for air in the cool late fall temperatures.

Lance wanted to know about riding in South Dakota and I explained that my home town of Pierre has the Best Dam Loop Ride in the State and that the Black Hills has the absolute best riding in the state and maybe even the country. Intrigued, Lance checked his schedule and the weather forecast and immediately tweeted "We are riding South Dakota tomorrow, see you in Pierre at 2pm!"

Then, like all dreams that are too good to be true, I woke up...(may be continued)...

Best Dam Loop Ride in the State -- Part 1

Few loop rides offer so much variety in such a short distance as the one-hour plus Pierre/Ft. Pierre/Oahe Dam Loop Ride. Starting from LaFramboise Island Causeway in Pierre, an idyllic riverfront bike path follows the billiard table flat bottomland to the base of the dam affording an adequate warm-up before tackling the short but oh-so-steep Stilling Basin (aka Little Ass Kicker) Hill. Cresting the top of the dam allows the speed-afflicted rider a chance to "air it out" across the nearly 2 mile perfectly flat Oahe Dam . Conveniently placed at the east end of the dam the Oahe Visitor Center offers public rest rooms, water and a view that can only be described as AWESOME.

After refueling, saddle up and grind the nearly continuous 2 mile long hill past historic and cultural attractions while recovering on the half mile slightly downhill section before climbing the deceptively difficult Snake Butte -- the highest point of the ride at 1870 feet. Congratulations, it's all(most) downhill from here to town.

Blast down Snake Butte maintaining speed to climb the short roller and ease in to the adrenalin-laced smoking downhill into Pierre, through three traffic lights and two 90 degree turns and on to Main Street.

Sip some coffee from Main Street's Pier 347 Coffee Shop, or, visit Pedal and Paddle Bike shop (605.224.8955) conveniently located near the south end of Main Street then follow the river back to the causeway.