by 
Just got back from BIKE Week with the industry derilicts much like myself who all told their bosses they were off to “network” with other industry types for a week off the grid.
I begin this post with props of the Mt Rushmore scale to our man Perry, (what up Spearfish can I get a whuh!) who built about a jillion miles of singletrack in the Black Hills and then towed us around for four days riding them. This may have been the most killa dirt ribbon my tires have shredded.
With a pontoon boat’s worth of beers and high grade tequila still gurgling through my liver, it was with a tear that I departed Rapid City, even though I was headed back to another bad ass mtb town, home.
All I can say is that I am headed back to SD for the Dakota 50 to ride those trails again and bro down with Perry for another session.
Thanks to Simon, Megan, and Mark (as long as he doesn’t think I mean it) for another fuckin all time adventure.
Even though our prowess around the horseshoe pits left something to be desired (mine in particular), I would like to inform all of you that I have installed a UHPA United Horseshoe Pitchers Association certified training center in my backyard. So all of you who come through town can come and get your game polished up, because you are going to need it next year!
Perry kept telling me to tell everyone about the Black Hills mountain biking because he is lonely and no one rides there, so I don’t feel like I am selling him out to say, “You have to ride the Black Hills.” I mean it. Everyday is a powder day down there and the Dakota 5o would be the perfect time to sample the goods.
To all of the mucks I got to hang with out in SD, it was the best trip ever. Thanks for making it so.
by 
I’m headed up there this summer, July to be exact. Can you shoot me some more info on who to get maps from?
Hey… we all up here in the frozen wilds of western canada trend down to the black hills every spring in defiance of the general spring migration northward… though I gotta admit we’re all roadies… but Custer, SD has to be one of the prime up and down spots on the continent… though I gotta admit that the prairies are a tad flat (like completely) so my impressions may be a tad naive.
canadian dave.
The Dakota Five-O is the way to go. Sign up. Ride. You will leave Spearfish well satisfied. Afterward, follow the Western Spirit truck up to the Maah Daah Hey for 110 miles of single track in NoDak. It’s a can’t miss trip.
the thing to do is pack your bike, some brews, a huge fuckin grin (cuz yer gonna need it) and drive to Spearfish. start askin around and maybe peruse the Dakota 5o site and you will stumble on some goods. Ask a local homeless dude where to find Perry and he will point to the firestation. If you head over to rapid city hit up acme bikes, one hell of a shop owned by one helluva a guy. if he doesn’t have it, you don’t need it. nation’s largest rivendell dealer too if that means anything to you. he doesn’t have t shirts though so ask him for one so he will nut up and make some.
word.
The locals are used to seeing guys pop out of the woods on bike around Spearfish, but it is good to try to stay to the more established trails. There’s a decent bike/coffee shop downtown, brilliantly utilizing the hotties from BHSU. This is a small town, but is huge on experience. There’s even a sick Mexican restaurant, can’t get that in Mandan.
If you’re already in Spearfish, it’s only a short jaunt up to the Maah Daah Hey Trail. The badlands are a real mindfuck.
* Please keep a look out for this Stolen Steamroller:
http://t-n-t.us/2007/06/stolen-steamroller.html
i road the 5-0 last year
it is a must do
and there is a ton of other riding in the area
right on brother
We’re actually already hooked up with Dakota Cyclery to do the MDH when we’re done in the Black Hills. Thanks to Perry who perused the website and called me, we’re set to go when we get up there. Not going to be there around the 5-0, but maybe next year…
Thanks guys.
Ryan