O Come, O Come, Immanuel

1. O come, O come, Immanuel

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.

7. O come, O King of Nations, bind

in one the hearts of all mankind.

Bid all our sad divisions cease

and be yourself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.

About 2,700 years ago, the prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus.

About 2,000 years ago, the disciples Matthew and Luke told of the birth of Jesus.

Today, we eagerly anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Oh come, Oh come, Immanuel!

Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel, Skillet (2026).

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NIV).

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel -- which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV).

Addendum. The name "Immanuel" in the Book of Isaiah (Old Testament) was originally written in Hebrew. The name "Emmanuel" in the Book of Matthew (New Testament) was originally written in Greek. They are different spellings of the same name, which means "God With Us." 

More Black Hills Bounty

Thank you, sir, may I have another?

Chip Diller, Animal House (1978).

In 2021, at the request of cycling buddy Paul Brasby, I created a 5 day bikepacking ride through the Central Black Hills of South Dakota for him and some out-of-state friends. I dubbed it the "Black Hills Bounty" due to the treasure trove of remote, rough forest service roads through unique scenery. That route hit what I believe are some of the very best bikepacking roads in the Black Hills. Six of us rode it in June 2021, calling a few audibles and taking a few detours along the way. It turned out great because the guys riding it were great. 2021 Black Hills Bounty - Wrap & Map Links.

First day of the first Black Hills Bounty.
With a missed turn, a crash, and an audible in the first mile, we started something!
(image by Lane Bergen)

At the time, I thought that was it. These are active, experienced cycling enthusiasts who ride and race many events all over and have so for years. With so many other options, I had no reason to think they'd choose to drive all the way back to the Black Hills for another bikepacking trip.

And yet they did. Again, and again, and again, and again. Indeed, much of the core group has ridden every year since, making 2025 the fifth, now annual, Black Hills Bounty.

The routes change. Some riders change. Every year some newcomers join. But the mission lives on.

Black Hills Bounty routes on RideWithGPS (2021-2025).
This represents the routes for 30 riding days over those 5 years.

In 2021, we rode through the Central Black Hills, based out of Custer, including a Bucket List ride up Iron Mountain Road, into Mt. Rushmore, up Sylvan Lake Road, and down Needles Highway.

2021 Black Hills Bounty.
Paul Brasby, Lane Bergen, Craig Groseth, Jeff Hoffman, Ben Cooper, Jeff Bloom.

In 2022, we rode through the Southern Black Hills, again starting from Custer but turning south into Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park en route to the railroad town of Edgemont and Jewel Cave National Monument.

2022 Black Hills Bounty.
Jon Naaf, Craig Groseth, Kevin Fox, Lane Bergen, Jeff Bloom.

In 2023, we rode through the Northern Black Hills, with a swing into Deadwood and then out to the Bear Lodge Mountains and further west to Devil's Tower National Monument.

2023 Black Hills Bounty.
Jeff Bloom, Peggy Waite-Bradley, Kevin Fox, Jon Naaf, Ben Cooper, Jeff Caldwell, Paul Brasby, Craig Groseth

In 2024, we rode from the Nebraska border to Spearfish, including the Mt. Rushmore Alternative, along a big chunk of my cross-state BackBone Grande route.

2024 Black Hills Bounty.
Craig Groseth, Paul Brasby, Luke Gerstein, Jeff Caldwell, Ben Cooper.

In 2025, we rode into the far reaches of the Western and SouthWestern Black Hills, based out of USFS White Tail Campground at Deerfield Lake. 

2025 Black Hills Bounty.
Jeff Caldwell, Jeff Bloom, Kevin Fox, Mark Almer, Ben Cooper,
Craig Groseth, Paul Brasby, Rob Foudray, Brit Flinchbaugh (not pictured Paulette Kirby)

As shown in the collection of Bounty maps, we've covered the length and breadth of the Black Hills, and beyond, over the years. And there's so much more out there to explore.

So, we'll be back out there in 2026.

Maybe that Collection map of Bounty rides will someday just be a swarm of lines covering all the green background of the Black Hills.

For an index of posts about each year's ride, go to the Black Hills Bounty Page (2021-present).

Collection of Black Hills Bounty routes on RideWithGPS (2021-2025).
This represents the routes for 30 riding days over those 5 years.

A Not-So-Random Black Pickup

Last week I drove to Jerry's Cakes & Donuts for a weekly coffee gathering of friends from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. Usually I ride a bike to coffee, but that day I drove.

My heart weighed heavily, as thoughts drifted to memories of my Dad and his daily routine of making the rounds at local coffee and breakfast spots. He knew everyone in that small town and everyone knew him, one way or another, as a neighbor, farm implement dealer, farmer, car dealer, city councilman, and mayor, among many other things. As his mobility and health gradually declined, those morning rounds of coffee stops kept him engaged.

Dad died three years ago on November 30, 2022. Seems like yesterday. Seems like a lifetime ago.

Moving through morning traffic my thoughts drifted to those final days. Then a vehicle pulled up next to me. A shiny, black GM pickup, resplendent in bright chrome everywhere.

Oh, my. That pickup looked every bit the same as the last pickup Dad drove. Every bit.

Maybe he was thinking of us, too.

God bless each of you missing loved ones. May you find peace and hope in this Christmas season.

Clifford G. Groseth, at age 88 in 2022.

The Obituary I wrote in 2022 is reproduced here. Clifford G. Groseth (1934-2022).

Also, here's a blog post I wrote as a Father's Day gift to him in 2018. The Best Coach I Ever Had.

2025 Black Hills Bounty (Day 3) - Gravel Goodness

On Day 3 of the Black Hills BackBone, we awoke at our Red Bird Canyon dispersed campsite to a layer of frost on everything left outside. A chilly morning on a short day, more like a half-day, not surprisingly made for a slow moving, late start involving multiple cups of coffee. 

Once back on the route, we pedaled uphill right from the start, but today that meant just a mile on a relatively benign Low Standard Road and another mile on a USFS Primary Road. After that, we simply rolled on a mix of Forest Service roads all the way back to Deerfield Lake. Just a relaxing, peaceful spin through the bucolic western Black Hills on a delightfully sunny autumn morning.

Nothing crazy, after the last two days, other than the occasional rancher rounding up cattle. One rancher even stopped to chat with us for awhile, as he was marshaling a posse of cowboys on horseback, UTVs, and trucks. He noted that his losses this year were higher than normal, which he attributed not to predation, but rustling. Yes, rustling is still a thing in the New West.

The first stage of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty was complete.

Ready to roll up the rest of Red Bird Canyon on USFS Low Standard Road 284.5A.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Thick layer of frost on our tents on the morning of Day 3.

A frosty morning.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Everything moves a little slower on a brisk morning.

More movement around camp as the sun peeks over the canyon wall.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Final check before leaving our dispersed campsite in Red Bird Canyon.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Cruising toward Deerfield Lake on Boles Canyon Road (USFS Primary Road 117).
(image by Mark Almer)

Homeward bound on sweet Boles Canyon Road.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Final uphill stretch on South Castle Creek Road (USFS Secondary Road 294)
(image by Kevin Fox)

Riding alongside Deerfield Lake, closing in on USFS White Tail Campground.
(image by Kevin Fox)

RideWithGPS map of Day 3 of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty.

2025 Black Hills Bounty (Day 2) - We're Going Ballistic!

On Day 2 of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty, we shook off the effects of overnight thunderstorms and readied for a day of climbing. From the outside, it would not appear to be a big elevation gain day, but numbers on a screen don't account for the surface conditions, or where the climbs come during the day, or even the fact of a loaded bike. The day hit hard.

From camp, we meandered down a rough Low Standard Road that led to a vintage ranch and a dead-end. We veered onto barely used two track back to a water tank fed by McKenna Spring and turned to face a rocky, steep, heft-a-bike pitch up an abandoned two-track. Good Morning Black Hills! Clawing up that pitch, we emerged onto a cowpath to reach a welcomed stretch of open prairie gravel.

With that warm-up, the main group climbed an increasingly steep Low Standard Road to the top of Elk Mountain Fire Lookout for drop-off-the-earth 360 degree views, followed by a white knuckle descent on another abandoned two-track. After a short recovery on some pavement, we powered 14 miles up gorgeous Red Bird Canyon to disperse camp by an unnamed spring.

It was a legitimate Black Hills Bounty type of day.

Here's our story of Day 2, as told by our collection of images.

Group effort to find the leak in Jeff Bloom's air mattress, with an assist from the cattle tank.

Preparing for the day.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Rob Foudray rolls down USFS Low Standard Road 277.

Heading south on USFS Low Standard Road 277, a couple of miles before it dead-ends.

Jeff Caldwell storms up USFS Low Standard Road 277.2A toward McKenna Spring.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Craig Groseth and Rob Foudray on USFS Low Standard Road 277.2A.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Ben Cooper reaches the end of Low Standard Road 277.2A and looks up.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Jeff Caldwell likes what he sees of the nasty pitch ahead.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Rob Foudray gears down, and bears down.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Brit Flinchbaugh and Mark Almer riding into it.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Paul Brasby and Jeff Bloom are determined to stay upright.
(image by Kevin Fox)

I got this! says Jeff Bloom.
(image by Kevin Fox)

OK. Now that abandoned road gets serious.
(image by Kevin Fox)

That shows the grade better, but it felt even steeper.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Multi-stop heft-a-bike, less than a mile.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Everyone is off the bike on this one.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Re-grouping and recovering at the top.
(image by Paul Brasby)

A pleasant little cow path led us out.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Gatekeeper Jeff Caldwell awaits riders emerging from that abandoned road.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Recovery spin on fast gravel on Mann Road (USFS Secondary Road 270).
(image by Kevin Fox)

Stretching out on Dewey Road (Custer County Road 769).
(image by Kevin Fox)

Re-grouping as we're about to turn north into a headwind.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Dewey Road looking northwest.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Craig Groseth chugging up Dewey Road.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Kevin Fox looking to start the climb up to Elk Mountain Fire Lookout Tower,
(image by Mark Almer)

If Jeff Caldwell is standing on a pitch, you know it's steep.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Jeff Caldwell, Rob Foudray, and Ben Cooper atop Elk Mountain.
(image by Paul Brasby; Jeff Bloom is also up there somewhere)

That's a climb. And the descent lies ahead.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Elk Mountain view.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Elk Mountain view.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Elk Mountain view.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Early on the descent of Elk Mountain.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Renowned landscape photographer Paul Brasby in action.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Still descending Elk Mountain.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Low Standard Road 818.1A off Elk Mountain starts innocent enough.
(image by Rob Foudray)

Similar view of Low Standard Road 818.1A.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Mark Almer dropping off Elk Mountain on another abandoned road.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Brit Flinchbaugh and Mark Almer negotiate the final descent off Elk Mountain.
(image by Brit Flinchbaugh)

Craig Groseth starts up Red Bird Canyon on USFS Secondary Road 376, before it turns to Low Standard.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Kevin Fox and Craig Groseth meet Christy, a local who "has never seen a bicyclist up this canyon."
The backcountry is full of kind, generous, caring people like Christy.
(image by Kevin Fox)

The canyon walls start to close in on Red Bird Canyon.
(image by Kevin Fox)

The road up Red Bird Canyon turns to Low Standard, which translates to High Reward.
(image by Kevin Fox)

As the creek bed drops, we find ourselves riding along the rim.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Kevin Fox powers up Red Bird Canyon.

Further north on Red Bird Canyon, the terrain and foliage continue to change.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Jeff Caldwell and Ben Cooper roll up after their ascent of Elk Mountain.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Craig Groseth and Ben Cooper roll to camp in Red Bird Canyon.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Dispersed campsite near an unnamed spring at the northern part of Red Bird Canyon.
(image by Kevin Fox)

Another view of the Red Bird Canyon dispersed campsite.
(image by Paul Brasby)

RideWithGPS map of Day 2 of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty.

Topo map showing the steep grades of Elk Mountain.