2023 Black Hills Bounty (Day 6) - All Too Soon

The final day of a week long bikepacking trip always elicits a mix of emotions. Day 6 of the 2023 Black Hills Bounty is no different. We linger over breakfast at our idyllic camp site by Cook Lake, relishing the relaxed vibe. A few hours of steady climbing on good USFS Secondary Roads will deliver us to our waiting vehicles for the drive home. Of all days, this is no day to hurry. 

Here are a selection of images from Day 6, as captured by our riders. For prior photo galleries of the 2023 Black Hills Bounty, go to Day 0 - Gathering At Roubaix Lake; Day 1 - Mining Camp Ghosts Lead To Deadwood; Day 2 - Up Ski Trails & Down Rock Chutes; Day 3 - Active Recovery; Day 4 - Tower to Tower; Day 5 - Back Up To Bear Lodge. 

Slowly packing up at Cook Lake. (image by Paul Brasby)

Jeff Bloom, Craig Groseth, Jon Naaf, Ben Cooper, Paul Brasby, Peggy Waite-Bradley.
Start of Day 6 from Cook Lake. (image by Peggy Waite-Bradley)

Climbing on good Forest Service gravel most of the morning. (image by Paul Brasby)

Glimpse into a hardy lifestyle. (image by Paul Brasby)

Through yet another birch tree choir. (image by Paul Brasby)

Local traffic on the move. (image by Paul Brasby)

A back road in the Black Hills. (image by Paul Brasby)

Even with the colors and the company, it's still up. (image by Paul Brasby)

Ben Cooper and Jon Naaf refuel one last time. (image by Peggy Waite-Bradley)

One final hill. (image by Paul Brasby)

The Riders on Day 6 of the 2023 Black Hills Bounty.

Ben Cooper leads the way. (image by Paul Brasby)

Jon Naaf. (image by Ben Cooper)

Jeff Bloom. (image by Ben Cooper)

Paul Brasby. (image by Ben Cooper)

Peggy Waite-Bradley. (image by Ben Cooper)

Craig Groseth. (image by Ben Cooper)