BackBone Buffet Update v.2 - New Single Track

I won't cry for the past

For I've re-found my freedom at last

I won't shy from the strife

What doesn't kill me will fill me with life. 

Moving On, Rod Argent (2015).

Heading up Hell Canyon in search of another abandoned road connector for the BackBone Buffet.

As much as I love my various BackBone routes, I'm always looking to improve them.

Earlier this month, I announced a change to the BackBone Buffet route that replaced some relatively conventional miles with an abandoned road that connects to a rough Low Standard Road that climbs abruptly to a lookout tower. I consider it a major character add, both for the route and the rider. See, BackBone Buffet - It Gets Better.

Scouting that day led me to explore other roads in that area around Jewell Cave National Monument, which is southwest of Rapid City almost to Wyoming. I seem to find something new and fun every time I get back in those remote canyons and hills, many of which are still recovering from the 2000 Jasper fire that burned over 83,000 acres. See, e.g., Red Bird Canyon.

Original BackBone Buffet section from Hell Canyon Trail (green icon) to Bear Spring Creek.
About 3.5 miles of paved U.S. Highway 16 and 3.5 miles of USFS Low Standard Road 681.

Same route as directly above, but shown in Google Terrain view.

One road I love to ride in that area is USFS Low Standard Road 681, which meanders off U.S. Highway 16 before turning onto USFS Low Standard Road 284.2L to enter a small canyon along Bear Spring Creek. To access those USFS roads, the BackBone Buffet follows U.S. 16 near Hell Canyon Trailhead for about 3.5 paved miles (see map above).

Of course, I wondered if I could find a more fun way to enter that small canyon without riding those 3.5 miles of pavement and then 3.5 miles of USFS developed road. Unfortunately, my maps show no such road, perhaps due to the rugged terrain and limited timber. I don't know. Maybe there's a way. I sure would like to avoid that pavement. 

Time for another road trip.

Possible 4.3 mile single track cut-through from Hell Canyon Trailhead to Bear Spring Creek.

Same route as directly above, but shown in Google Terrain view.

At the Hell Canyon Trailhead, I saw signs noting non-motorized use on the marked trail loop. However, that day featured wind driven rain at 37 degrees, so I chose not to ride or hike up the muddy single track. Save it for another day.

Back home, I found the Hell Canyon Trail from satellite images on RideWithGPS. Almost a mile from the Trailhead, the popular hiking trail angles northwest while a small canyon opens eastward. It looks like some kind of trail may wind along the bottom of that easterly canyon. The apparent trail appears and disappears on the satellite images, likely due to vegetation cover, but looks that it may eventually connect with USFS 681 after about 3.5 more miles. Maybe.

USFS hard copy maps show hints of an abandoned road from USFS 681 into that canyon, but do not clearly show it connecting through to Hell Canyon Trail. But it sure looks possible.

So, I created a RideWithGPS map for that trail/abandoned road to show what it would look like, if a trail indeed flows along the bottom of that canyon (see map above). If passable and rideable, it would link U.S. 16 at the Hell Canyon Trailhead to USFS 681 via 4.3 miles/529' gain of single track/abandoned road. It would also eliminate 7.5 miles/1,100' gain of pavement/more developed road.

This trail may be hard to follow when the ground cover turns green.

As soon as the final spring snows had a reasonable chance of clearing, I hustled back to Hell Canyon Trailhead. Several hikers there enthusiastically described the popular loop trail that climbs up and out of Hell Canyon, but none knew anything about a little trail snaking east into a side canyon.

Now thoroughly intrigued, I started up the main trail as one would hike the popular loop counter-clockwise. Less than a mile later, I spot a break in the surrounding hills and the looks of a small canyon to the east. A hint of single track veers off toward the unknown, right past bold signs emphatically directing one to continue northwest on the main trail. This must be it.

One of the final rock walls on the north side, as the south side mellows.

Yes. This is it. After a short stretch through a meadow, the trail winds atop the surface of what appears to be a long since abandoned "road" of some sort. The old road bed is discernible, here and there, but mostly has weathered back into the hillside. Birch trees of all sizes fill the gaps. Only the makings of a rarely traveled trail remain. 

The trail climbs gradually and steadily, as the canyon walls close in. Tree downfall occasionally blocks the way, but I find hiked-in work arounds, sometimes chainsawed cut-throughs, and other times neither. None are difficult to overcome.

The trail twists and turns with the floor of the canyon, crossing dry drainages that must have carried significant water at some time. Around every corner, an ever changing kaleidoscope of rock walls burst from the earth and reach for the sky. My spirit lifts, with each passing moment.

I've found yet another hidden jewel in the treasure trove of the Black Hills.

USFS Low Standard Road 284.2L, at the end of the unmarked, unnumbered little trail.
More small canyons lie ahead along Bear Spring Creek.

About 3.5 miles from the main trail and 4.5 miles from the Trailhead, the little sketch trail runs smack into the intersection of USFS Low Standard Road 681 and USFS Low Standard Road 284.2L That's on the original BackBone Buffet route, right where I hoped to reconnect to enter the next small canyon. See, BackBone Buffet - RideWithGPS Map.

Single track connector complete.

Once again, the Black Hills deliver.

And the BackBone Buffet moves a bit more remote.

Moving On, The Zombies (2015).

Happy Easter 2025

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. He is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell the disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Matthew 28:1-10. 

BackBone Buffet Update - It Gets Better

I'm going up the rough side of the mountain on my way home, meet my people (Trying to get home)

I'm going up the rough side of the mountain on my way home, oh yeah (Trying to get home)

I'm going (Climbing)

Up the rough side of the mountain (Climbing)

Oh, Jesus (Climbing)

On my way (Climbing)

Climbing Higher Mountains, Traditional.

Contrary to the sign, USFS 818.1A is not a "DEAD END" for those on a bicycle.

Last month I introduced the BackBone Buffet, my new rough road bikepacking route showcasing the best of the Central Black Hills of South Dakota. I've ridden all the roads on the route, although not in one ride put together this way. I look forward to bikepacking it this summer. See, Introducing The BackBone Buffet.

Starting the climb up to Elk Mountain Lookout Tower on USFS Low Standard Road 818.1A.

The BackBone Buffet started with the idea of creating an easily accessible 4-5 day rough road bikepacking loop smack in the middle of the Black Hills. With all my riding, scouting, and routing throughout that area over the years, I decided not to start from scratch, but rather cherry-pick favorite sections of my original BackBone, DoubleBackBone, BackBone Grande, BackBone DoubleGrande (not yet released) and even some Black Hills Bounty roads and combine them in a single 200 mile loop out of Hill City.

Those existing routes occasionally intersect, e.g., the original BackBone and the BackBone Grande meet on Black Fox Camp Road, but connecting the chosen sections often required some distance of different roads. Eventually, I fashioned together and published the loop. BackBone Buffet - RideWithGPS Map.

Looking back on the climb up USFS Low Standard Road 818.1A.

Analyzing those new connectors more closely over time and coffee, I unearthed a couple of areas to improve. For example, I did not particularly like the connection from the bottom of Red Bird Canyon (about Mile 103) to Dewey Road (USFS Primary Road 769) (about Mile 108) and beyond. That stretch required over 5 miles on paved U.S. Highway 16, followed by more miles on highly developed Dewey Road before finally reaching some primo Bounty roads to McKenna Spring. There must be a better way.

So, from USFS paper maps and RideWithGPS satellite images, I pieced together a possible re-route that turned off U.S. Highway 16 a couple of miles short of Dewey Road onto an unnumbered, double-dashed, apparently abandoned "Road Closed Yearlong To Motorized Traffic." After about a mile, that "road" t-boned into USFS Low Standard Road 818.1A for a suck-it-up steep pitch to a fire lookout tower and then a gradual descent over to Dewey Road. What's not to love about that! 

It looked to be an awesome add to the BackBone Buffet, and possibly to the BackBone DoubleGrande, if that first mile of abandoned "road" is public. However, I could not determine that from home, since it was not clearly labeled and passed through private land. Time for a road trip.

Elk Mountain Lookout Tower, with 360 degree views from the top.

Score! That little unnumbered, double-dashed "road" is a public road that actually does connect with USFS Low Standard Road 818.1A. It is closed to motorized vehicles yearlong, but is always open for travel by foot, horse, and bicycle. Sweet!

Know that it's not easy. From the paved highway, the route climbs over 700 feet in the first 2 miles and another 400 feet in the next 2.5 miles, with at least one pitch of 19% (according to RideWithGPS). But the 360 degree views from atop the lookout tower are breathtaking, as are the sharp elevation drop views along the relatively long, gradual descent.

Uffda! 

Absolutely I added it to both the BackBone Buffet and the BackBone DoubleGrande.

So, for anyone riding any of my routes, check the RideWithGPS file for the latest update. 

I'm always looking for the best.

Updated BackBone Buffet map on RideWithGPS, showing the climb up Elk Mountain Lookout Tower.
The new section leaves U.S. 16 to climb to the tower and then descend to Dewey Road.

Same map as above, but in "Google Terrain" mode to show relief. Would you look at that!

Climbing Higher Mountains, Aretha Franklin (1972).

A Short Recovery Story

I'm better now, almost my normal. But it was a long 10 weeks.

Traveling to spend Christmas with family, I returned home not feeling well. I didn't think much of it, other than a seasonal bug of some kind. At the time, I was 10 weeks into a 20 week structured training program for another self-supported, solo race at the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. I built some down time into that schedule, so I suspended training to get healthy.

However, a week off the bike did not improve anything. Not one bit. Now, I was stumped. I considered covid, but did not have some common symptoms such as high fever, massive headaches, dry cough, or metallic taste of food. I just felt tired all the time, didn't feel like doing much of anything (including riding or writing), and felt short of breath very easily. I took off another week.

Nothing. For several more weeks, I continued to struggle with unusual fatigue, utter lack of motivation, and shortness of breath and never did return to my training program, or anything remotely approaching it. More time passed. What to do? With the weekend race but a small part of a planned 18 day road trip, I decided to go for it and work through it. The road trip turned out great. The race did not. See, 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo (2025).

Back out there. Rolling across the prairie on gravel and dirt.

When I returned home in late February, not much changed. After a couple more weeks of uggh, I took to the internet to search possibilities. Almost immediately, I learned about something called Long Covid, with primary symptoms listed as chronic fatigue (feeling tired all the time), malaise (not feeling like doing anything), shortness of breath (short of breath very easy), and "exertional fatigue," defined as feeling significantly greater fatigue than normal at a given level of exertion (every lap at 24 HOP). Reportedly, the symptoms can last for weeks, months, and even years for some people.

Hey. That's a start. I read about various treatment options, including Ivermectin, both alone and together with other over the counter pills. One study showed promising results for Long Covid with a dosage of 12 mg per day for 5 days. Perhaps not coincidentally, I found in our medicine cabinet a single blister card of Ivermectin, left over from the recent past. Yes, exactly 10 pills of 6 mg.

I decided to take one 6 mg pill every 12 hours, which would be 12 mg/day for 5 days.

After taking the first pill at about 9 pm on a Sunday evening, I awoke the next morning after my best sleep since Christmas. Surprisingly, I did not feel that pesky generalized fatigue. More significantly, the oppressive malaise was completely gone. It was as if bright sunshine had burst through heavy cloud cover to burn off a long lingering fog. 

Since completing that 5 day protocol, I am back on the bike, with vigor, and back on the blog, with acuity. I am again studying maps and venturing out into the Black Hills to scout more back roads, improve existing routes, and create new ones. I even rolled out of town onto prairie gravel for over 3 hours, my longest single ride in six months. The winter fog is gone.

This is my experience with a 10 week, undiagnosed ailment. I really don't know what it was or how it's gone. I don't even care if it's all a placebo effect. It doesn't matter. 

This is what happened to me.

And I'm back.

A Week On The Bounty

It ain't no use, we're headed for disaster.

Our minds say no, but our hearts keep beating faster.

Ah! Leah! Here we go again.

Ah! Leah! Is it ever going to end?

Ah! Leah! Here we go again.

Ah! Leah! We ain't learned our lesson yet.

Ah! Leah!, Mark Avsec & Donnie Iris (1980).

Ready to roll on Day 1 of the inaugural Black Hills Bounty (2021).
Paul Brasby, Lane Bergen, Ben Cooper, Jeffrey Bloom, Craig Groseth, Mark Hoffman.

For the fifth consecutive year, Paul Brasby and his aging crew with reconstructed joints are preparing to return for another weeklong bikepacking tour of the Black Hills of South Dakota. See, Black Hills Bounty Page.

While the miles and smiles of prior rides linger fondly, deeper reflection reveals a consistent pattern to the group dynamics of this weeklong bikepacking trip. 

It goes something like this, regardless of the actual difficulty of any day.

Day 1 - This is awesome!

Day 2 - Why do I do this?

Day 3 - This sucks!

Day 4 - I suck!

Day 5 - I might be OK.

Day 6 - This is awesome!

Day 7 - Next year! For sure!

Takeaway? Stick with it. It's always worth it.

Ah, Leah! Donnie Iris (1980).

Introducing The BackBone Buffet - A 200 Mile Bikepacking Sampler

Introducing the Black Hills BackBone Buffet.

A new bikepacking route that cherry-picks the best rough roads found on the original BackBone, DoubleBackBone, BackBone Grande, BackBone DoubleGrande, and even some Bounty routes to showcase the best of the Central Black Hills in a memorable 200 mile loop.

If you're looking to bikepack more than an Overnighter, but less than a week, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, here's a 200 mile loop that samples a sweet smattering of each of those BackBone routes. At 40-50 miles/3,200'-4,000' gain per day, that's a tantalizing 4-5 day tour. Great all on its own, or a shake-down for something bigger.

Of course, one could more aggressively tackle the BackBone Buffet as an Overnighter of back-to-back centuries or even a through-ride of a double century. It's just a route, after all, not an event. You do you.

For the RideWithGPS file, go to Black Hills BackBone Buffet.

Here's an overview.

Start at Hill City riding north on the Mickelson Trail. Follow the BackBone Grande route north to Black Fox Campground (Gold Mountain, tunnels, Castle Peak, Moonshine Gulch). See, BackBone Grande Page.

Continue on the original BackBone up Black Fox Camp Road, over Flag Mountain (taking the spur to the lookout), down to Deerfield Lake (with a short stretch of single track Trail 40L), and down Williams Gulch Road. See, BackBone & DoubleBackBone Page.

Jog a bit west on the DoubleBackBone and some Bounty roads (Jasper fire area) to pick up the BackBone DoubleGrande (a route not yet finalized) over to and down Red Bird Canyon. See, Bounty Page and Red Bird Canyon.

Continue south on the BackBone DoubleGrande, veer off on Bounty roads to McKenna Springs (abandoned road), and pass Jewel Cave National Monument. See, Connecting.

Take more Bounty roads back to another part of the BackBone (overlook view of Crazy Horse Memorial) and drop into Custer. 

Finally, Custer to Hill City on the BackBone Grande Mt. Rushmore Alternative (Sylvan Lake, Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, Mt. Rushmore). See, BackBone Grande - Mt. Rushmore Alternative.

Total = 202 miles/16,200' gain.

Here are a few approaches.

1. 4 day tour (50 miles/4,000' gain average):  Day 1 = Hill City to USFS Whitetail Campground at Deerfield Lake (60 miles/5,300'); Day 2 = Whitetail to McKenna Springs (62 miles/3,500'); Day 3 = McKenna Springs to Custer (38 miles/3,200'); Day 4 = Custer to Hill City via Mt. Rushmore (42 miles/4,600').

2. 5 day tour (40 miles/3,200' gain average, for a Bounty-type experience): Day 1 = Hill City to USFS Black Fox Campground (40 miles/3,400'); Day 2 = Black Fox to disperse camp (40 miles/3,500'); Day 3 = disperse camp to McKenna Springs (42 miles/2,200'); Day 4 = McKenna Springs to Custer (38 miles/3,200'); Day 5 = Custer to Hill City via Mt. Rushmore (42 miles/4,600').

3. 2 day ride (100 miles/8,100' gain average, early training for a Tour Divide-type racer): Day 1 = Hill City to McKenna Springs (122 miles/8,800'); Day 2 = McKenna Springs to Hill City (80 miles/7,800').

+. One also could add 50-60 miles by riding from Rapid City to the Hill City start and then back to a Rapid City finish.

With many miles of solid Black Hills National Forest Service roads, the BackBone Buffet route may seem pretty tame. While some miles roll fast, others do not. More than a few miles of Low Standard roads await, along with abandoned roads and some single track. Also, those miles from Deerfield Lake (mile 60) to Custer (mile 160) offer no services and no resupply. Cell service is spotty or non-existent. On the other hand, there is a reliable spring at McKenna Springs (mile 122) and some surface water. So, it should be a nice bikepacking challenge, without being too much for most. When loaded for multi-day bikepacking, I prefer a bike with 2 inch or wider tires for this route.

For introductions, ride reports, images, maps, and other details of the routes that contain most of the roads on this BackBone Buffet route, here are links to the Black Hills BackBone & DoubleBackBone Page, the Black Hills BackBone Grande Page, and the Black Hills Bounty Page.

Not Today

The end is inevitable, Maverick. Your kind is headed for extinction.

Rear Admiral Chester "Hammer" Cain.

Maybe so, sir. But not today. 

Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. 

Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

My rigid steel 2018 Jones 29+, built 2x11 for geared bikepacking.

E-bike this. E-bike that. E-bike whatever.

You do you. 

Not for me.

The current e-bike trend reminds me of racing mountain bikes in the 1990's, when you could outright buy better performance.

Front suspension, and then full suspension, developed at dizzying speeds in chaotic forms, fueling an arms race for the latest, greatest technological breakthrough. Buy the new, shiny gizmo and, if it didn't break, rocket past all your friends and boost your weekend warrior status. Talk about a performance enhancing drug.

Other innovations piled on, promising to make one even faster, smoother, more in control, and more cool.

My 1997 Specialized StumpJumper Pro (circa 2014, when finally sold).
Original frame & cranks, practically everything else replaced after breaking/wearing out.
Final mountain bike with any suspension.

After racing with lighter, better suspension for awhile, I decided not to be the same guy who simply bought technology to ride faster. Or easier. Or over more difficult terrain.

For example, I didn't want suspension to carry me over obstacles. I wanted to ride the best line. If that put an upper limit on speed or the difficulty of the trail, so be it.

So in 2003, I converted to fully rigid, and never turned back.

Yes, I rode slower, crashed more often, and walked more technical stretches than I would have on the latest, greatest suspension wunderbike. But I rode. The bike didn't carry me.

Whatever my level of performance, absolute or relative, I earned. I didn't buy.

My steel 1991 Specialized RockHopper, set up for commuting (circa 2020).
Repainted, rebadged, and re-configured several times, never suspended.

That's where I'm at with e-bikes. They're just not for me.

Now, I ride even slower and over less difficult terrain than a few years ago. I'll probably ride even slower next year. And walk my bike more.

No worries. If you're bikepacking with me, I'll catch up on the next pass, or over lunch, or at the campsite, or sometime the next day, or maybe the next week, or not.

No matter. I know that I'll get there. And that I'm powering my bike. 

E-bike for me?

Not today.

Not today. Maverick Top Gun (2022).