Black Hills of South Dakota - Day 2

Well - quite the thunder, lightning, and rain storm last night!  Although pretty much everything in the tent was damp, nothing inside actually got wet. Luckily we were in to camp in Hill City this afternoon in time to dry everything out.  It was a much cooler day today, but actually quite pleasant for cycling.

Today was 54 miles on the Mickelson Trail. The Mickelson Trail is an old rail bed that was converted into a multi-use trail. The main trail was completed in 1998 and is about 175 km (109 miles) long.  Nearly all of the trail follows the route of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railway built in 1890-91.  The trail’s route is mountainous, forested, and scenic, traversing the heart of the Black Hills and largely within the boundaries of Black Hills National Forest.  The trail includes four tunnels and more than 100 converted railroad  bridges.

It really was a lovely ride and so, so nice not to have to deal with traffic all day.  The early part of the route involved a bit of climbing and took us from Deadwood, past Lead and the remnants of the Homestake Gold Mine; apparently the longest-operating gold mine in the world. 

One might think that an old railroad bed implies a flat day but no - almost 3000 feet of climbing today, mostly in two sustained climbs.  After those climbs, though, the downhills were fun, fun, fun. And - downhill with a tailwind...... even more fun!  Our guides are treating us very well. At our SAG stop this morning they were serving hot beverages and carbo-treats to ward off the rather chilly temps and effects of a cold wind. We stopped in the small town of Rochford and visited the ”Rochford Mall”, which is normally closed on Mondays but stayed open just for us. We did manage to bypass the Moonshine Gulch Saloon, but apparently a few folks spent some time in there quenching their thirsts.

Our final destination today was the Crooked Creek Resort just outside of Hill City. I’m told it is a nice little town, worth a look around.

But - my wet tent called so I continued in to camp. It’s a beautiful and spacious location. Dinner was fabulous again tonight. We’re getting to know some great people and the creek is burbling right outside my tent. What’s not to like?

Stats for the day:
Deadwood to Hill City
54 miles = 87 km
2985 feet up, 2658 feet down
Temps: 9C to 24C. Partly cloudy with just three raindrops after we reached camp.