In June 2023, Paul Brasby and I rode the length of the BackBone Grande, my new 400 mile bikepacking route across the State of South Dakota along the spine of the Black Hills. For links to all my blog posts on the BackBone Grande and a RideWithGPS map, go to the
BackBone Grande Page.
We approached the first through-ride essentially as a final recon to confirm and document the route. Among other things, Paul captured hundreds of fantastic images along the way. He publicly shared many on his daily social media posts and I posted some on my blog.
Paul just took so many great images. To tell the overall story of the BackBone Grande visually, I chose five of them for each day of our ride and collected them here in one gallery. Scroll through for a glimpse of this journey through Paul's lens.
DAY 1 (NE Border to Oelrichs)
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| Buffalo Gap National Grasslands Road 7022. |
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| Buffalo Gap National Grasslands Road 7022. |
DAY 2 (Oelrichs to French Creek Horse Camp)
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| Oak Draw Road (CSP 3). |
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| Lame Johnny Road (CSP 4). |
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| Fisherman Flats Road (CSP 2). |
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| Trail #1. |
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| Trail #1. |
DAY 3 (French Creek Horse Camp to Hill City)
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| French Creek Horse Camp. |
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| Unnumbered, unnamed single track connector to Hazelrodt Picnic Area. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 341. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 341. |
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| Reno Gulch Road (USFS Secondary Road 303). |
DAY 4 (Hill City to Rochford)
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| Mickelson Trail. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 389.1F. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 389.1D. |
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| Mickelson Trail. |
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| Castle Peak Road (USFS Low Standard Road 181). |
DAY 5 (Rochford to USFS Timon Campground)
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| South Rapid Creek Road (USFS Primary 231). |
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| Black Fox Camp Road (USFS Secondary Road 233). |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 189. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 631.2. |
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| Roughlock Falls Road (USFS Secondary Road 222). |
DAY 6 (USFS Timon Campground to Spearfish)
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| Roughlock Falls Road (USFS Secondary Road 222). |
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| Unnumbered, unnamed connector to Old Baldy Road (USFS Low Standard 633.1). |
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| Unnumbered, unnamed connector to Old Baldy Road (USFS Low Standard 633.1). |
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| Unnumbered, unnamed connector to Old Baldy Road (USFS Low Standard 633.1). |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 130. |
DAY 7 (Spearfish to Battle Creek Wetlands Project)
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| Lookout Mountain Road. |
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| Lookout Mountain Road. |
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| 196th Street. |
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| Crooked Oaks Road. |
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| Old U.S. Highway 85. |
DAY 8 (Battle Creek Wetlands Project to Buffalo)
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| Harding Road (County Road 897). |
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| Harding Road (County Road 897). |
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| Gilbert Road. |
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| Gilbert Road. |
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| Gilbert Road. |
DAY 9 (Buffalo to ND Border)
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| Old U.S. Highway 85. |
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| Brown-Johnson Road. |
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| South Cave Road. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 3120. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 3123. |
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| USFS Low Standard Road 3123. |
THANK YOU PAUL!
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| Paul Brasby with Craig Groseth at the end of the first through-ride of the BackBone Grande. |
Thanks for sharing !
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