2024 Black Hills Bounty (Day 1) - Baked In The Grasslands

Boy, you sure took me for a ride,

And even now I sit and wonder why.

Feelin' alright?

I'm not feeling too good myself.

Feelin' alright?

I'm not feeling that good myself.

Feelin' Alright? Dave Mason (1968).

Seemingly endless ocean of grass in Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Day 1 of the 2025 Black Hills Bounty. 

We plan a solid first day ride from High Plains Homestead RV Park to Limestone Butte Reservoir, which lies deep into a challenging expanse of Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. On this mid-September day, the forecast calls for mild winds and no rain, but temperatures well into the 90's. Uffda.

Just to reach the Grasslands, the route rolls across 55 miles of ranch land that is seriously exposed to the elements. County gravel roads down there ride pretty fast with long sight lines, but are utterly without cover. Do not underestimate those miles.

Then 12 miles of dirt two-track in the Grasslands add a much rougher surface, heightened attentiveness to navigation, significantly slower speed, and zero shade. See, The Challenge Of Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.

Ye doth not trifle thuruh these lands. Certainly not this day.

Ready to roll from High Plains Homestead.
Craig Groseth, Paul Brasby, Luke Derstein, Jeff Caldwell, D.B. Cooper

At the onset, we adjusted our logistics for the trip. With a point-to-point, weeklong trip planned for a dozen or more riders, we tackled a series of logistical issues over the summer and into the fall, such as water, re-supply, lodging, and transportation for that many riders. Then rider cancellations chiseled our numbers down. One here, two there. With a final rush at the end, our suddenly much smaller numbers mandated changes.

The result? The four out-of-state riders would ride the route as planned, although unloaded at the beginning. I would drive a shuttle truck to the night's campsite and ride what I could. After all, I rode the entire BackBone Grande as a through-ride in 2023 and have ridden most of those miles several times on shorter trips over the years. And I'm just out playing in my backyard. This trip was their vacation.

As it turned out, it was a good thing to have a shuttle. And that we started with unloaded bikes.

Starting the day on good gravel through an unforgiving landscape.

Off to a flying start.

Yield to on-coming traffic.
(image by Paul Brasby)

So, we all left High Plains Homestead on a glorious mid-September morning. After a brief stop at the South Dakota border for water and pictures, I drove ahead to Limestone Butte Reservoir to claim a dispersed campsite. Then, I rode my unloaded bike back to the entry into the Grasslands, grabbed a sliver of shade cast from a small tree, and plopped down to wait for the crew.

Eventually, much later than expected, they dragged in, strung out along the now-overcooked prairie. That first 55 miles of fast, solid county gravel had become an oven. They were cooked.

At the South Dakota border just south of the near-ghost town of Ardmore.
Still 32 miles of county gravel just to get to the two track in Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.

I'll spare the gory details. One was done, reduced to sprawling in the shaded ditch unable to keep anything down. Finally upright almost three hours later, he somehow managed to soft-pedal 4 miles of paved highway to the nearest air-conditioned C-store. But that was it.

The other three decided to plunge into the Grasslands for the remaining 12 miles to the Reservoir. But they underestimated the toll extracted by the oppressive heat and rough roads. Speed plummeted and water vanished, while the winding two track stretched beyond the horizon. There seemed to be no end to the ocean of grass smothered in heat. Desperately dismounted for yet another break atop yet another hill, they finally spotted the shuttle truck in the distance. One bee-lined down to it and drove back up the route to retrieve his compatriots.

It was that kind of day. 

Sharing the road on BLM Road 7026.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Seemingly endless ocean of grass in Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Eventually, we all re-assembled at that C-store. With everyone over-cooked, and two in need of immediate cooling, we simply could not disperse camp at the treeless, still smoldering Reservoir. Instead, we drove to a nearby KOA campground with a swimming pool, showers, cold drinks, pizza, and shade.

We survived the day. And learned a hard lesson on respecting the brutality of heat in the open prairie.

This is no country for young men.

Feelin' Alright? Joe Cocker (1968).

Here's a link to the Black Hills Bounty Page, which describes and links all blog posts for every post for every year of this ride (2021-present). Black Hills Bounty Page.

2024 Black Hills Bounty (Day 0) - Back On A Grande Scale

It used to seem to me, that my life ran on too fast,

And I had to take it slowly, just to make the good parts last.

But when you're born to run, it's so hard to just slow down,

So don't be surprised to see me back in the bright part of town.

I'll be back in the high life again,

All the doors I closed one time,

Will open up again. 

Back In The High Life, Steve Winwood & Will Jennings (1985).

Stunning sunset from High Plains Homestead.
(image by Paul Brasby)

The Black Hills Bounty is an annual weeklong bikepacking trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota that I create for cycling buddy Paul Brasby of North Platte, Nebraska and a growing assortment of his friends from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado. We started with a tour of the Central Black Hills (2021), then the Southern Black Hills (2022), and then the Northern Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains (2023). 

Now in the fourth year, Paul decided to take on a chunk of the BackBone Grande route, which crosses the entire state of South Dakota on remote, rough roads smack through the best of the Black Hills and surrounding prairie. See, BackBone Grande Page. We're going back in the high life, again.

Jeff Caldwell and Luke Derstein soak in the pre-ride vibe at High Plains Homestead.

Gathering his forces at the High Plains Homestead RV Camp just south of Toadstool Geological Park in northwestern Nebraska, Paul sought to ride gravel a bit north to the South Dakota border and then follow the BackBone Grande route all the way to Spearfish, with a couple of wrinkles. Over many conversations throughout a long winter, we mapped out a pretty straight-forward schedule, certainly one that these seasoned cyclists could handle.

All told, we planned 7 riding days, including a day to swing down Needles Highway, up and down Iron Mountain Road, and into Mount Rushmore National Monument, with overnights along the way in a variety of cabins, campgrounds, and dispersed sites. A gourmet smorgasbord for any bikepacker.

Pre-ride dinner inside the High Plains Homestead Saloon.
(image by Jeff Caldwell)

From an initial group of thirteen enthusiastic bikepackers, five ultimately arrived at High Plains Homestead on the eve of the ride. The relatively small number did not diminish our chattered anticipation or bursting exuberance as we packed gear, prepared bikes, reviewed maps, shared a meal in a saloon built in the Old West, and joyfully relaxed in a swimming pool overlooking a brilliant sunset. 

A start worthy of the ride ahead. And one to remember.

Old West town features buildings built in the 1800's.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Secure housing at the High Plains Homestead Jail.

Addendum. Here's a link to the Black Hills Bounty Page, which includes a description and link to every post for every year of this ride. Black Hills Bounty Page.

Back In The High Life, Steve Winwood (1985).

On The Back Roads Again - Red Bird Canyon

On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been

Seein' things that I may never see again

I can't wait to get on the road again.

On the Road Again, Willie Nelson (1980).

Can't wait to see what's around that corner on USFS Low Standard Road 376.

I love to scout back roads and near-roads. I'd be out there at very opportunity, no matter where I lived.

But I'm fortunate to live in Rapid City, South Dakota, the very gateway into Black Hills National Forest. The number and variety of public gravel and dirt roads here is staggering. I regularly set out to explore them, by Jones and by Jeep, and still find new-to-me gems. I love it.

Earlier this week, I scouted an area for my developing BackBone DoubleGrande bikepacking route and for a possible 2025 Black Hills Bounty ride. This area, north and west of Jewel Cave National Monument, still shows scars from the 2000 Jasper fire that burned more than 83,000 acres of forest. The spider web of roads and two tracks resulting from that fire fighting, and the on-going ranching and logging, create virtually limitless possibilities for riding. Every time I go back there, I find something new and amazing.

This time, I ran into dead-ends, where the maps showed that the road went through to connect with another road. I also encountered roads that went through, where the maps showed dead-ends. It was a challenging day to make some sense of it all and to sort through possible routes.

Then, late afternoon, after hours of annoyance with inaccurate maps and unmarked roads, I stumbled into Red Bird Canyon. Stunning. Simply stunning.

One way or another, this canyon will be part of the BackBone DoubleGrande and the possible 2025 Black Hills Bounty. And this is yet another reminder to keep at it. Eventually, it's all worthwhile.

Pictures fail to express the beauty of this 13 mile stretch of gold. But I felt compelled to share some here.

I can't wait to get back out there.

Climbing up to the ridge line above Spring Canyon on USFS Low Standard Road 280.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.3B tries to connect with Red Bird Canyon Road (376).

Entering Red Bird Canyon from the south on USFS Secondary Road 376.

A little further along northbound on USFS Secondary Road 376.

Canyon walls closing in on USFS Secondary Road 376.

Road roughens on what is now USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

USFS Low Standard Road 376.

On The Road Again, Willie Nelson (1980).

24HOP - Back At It!

Yeah, you go back, Jack, do it again,

Wheels turning round and round,

You go back, Jack, do it again.

Do It Again, Walter Becker & Donald Fagen (1972).

Deep into the night, much closer to sunrise than sunset, winding through a cholla forest
on yet another lap at the 2024 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo.
(image by SportoGraf.com)

I'm going back, Jack!

The 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo last winter was just too much fun. I loved everything about it. See, 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo-Back At It; 24 HOP-Sticker Smiles; 24 HOP-Race Report; 24 HOP-Whiskey Tree; 24 HOP-People Make The Place. And a post about the experience of Tyler Pearce (vlogger VC Cyclist) as a first time solo racer. What A 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race Feels Like.

To have a chance to return in 2025, I had to decide now, over 4 months before the event, as the field fills notoriously quickly once registration opens. So, at 6 am Arizona time on October 1, I stood at the ready to take a shot at scoring a solo entry. Every step required several minutes to process and a fair amount of patience, but I received entry confirmation about 15 minutes later. I'm in! About 50 minutes later, the field filled and registration closed. 

Still smiling on my second lap at the 2024 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo.
(image by SportoGraf.com)

This year, I'd like to extend the experience beyond the race itself. On the Tuesday before race weekend, I plan to set up my camp and help the organizers with venue set up. I also volunteered for the early packet pickup in Tucson on Wednesday and as a greeter at venue check-in on Thursday. On Friday, I plan to connect with other racers and re-connect with some folks I met last year. Then Saturday noon to Sunday noon, it's race time.

Today, it's all fun memories and excited anticipation. Tomorrow, it's time to amp up my riding, with but 19 weeks to race weekend.

2025 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo. Can't wait.

Do It Again, Steely Dan (1972).

Morning Wakeup

Don't it always seem to go

That you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone.

Big Yellow Taxi, Joni Mitchell (1970).

A kingly breakfast at the base of M-Hill.

I miss my early morning commutes to work. It's one of those things that you really don't know what you've got 'till it's gone. See, A Final Commute.

This spring my cycling drifted a bit. Then Weston Neiffer and Evan Walterman of the Black Hills Bike Hub raised the possibility of starting some group bikepacking rides, which eventually were introduced at the Bikepacking 101 Social Gathering. See, BHBH Bikepacking 101 - A Brief Report. For the "Show & Tell" element of that event, I loaded my Jones 29+ bike as it would be for a multi-week remote road ride and rode it around town one morning. 

That simple act rejuvenated my mornings. 

Since then, almost every morning when in town, I pack up some makings for breakfast and pedal out. I usually spin toward downtown on a gentle tour along Rapid Creek, although not much is on the paved bike path. Rather, I seek adjacent or nearby gravel alleys, two tracks, and foot paths. I love to ride through the Jackson Park disc golf course, along the top of the dirt levee by Sioux Park, across the overgrown two track between Raider Park and Mary Hall Park, and around the Little League baseball fields. Sometimes, I'll veer upwards to ascend single track on M-Hill or Skyline Drive. 

Then I find a nice spot to stop, brew coffee, make breakfast, and spend some quiet time with a devotional. Often friends, acquaintances, and even strangers stop to chat for a moment. Eventually, I'll ride home.

Typically, that morning outing results in 1-2 hours of riding and 30-60 minutes of chilling. Sometimes those numbers are longer, sometimes shorter, and sometimes even reversed.

I'm home by 8a-9a and ready to start the day in earnest, which may include a longer bike ride later. 

If you see me at a picnic table in a park some morning, you're welcome to stop. I'll make some coffee.

Big Yellow Taxi, Joni Mitchell (1970).

2024 Black Hills Bounty - Gear LIst

Here's my gear list for the 2024 Black Hills Bounty, a 7 day bikepacking tour of the Black Hills of South Dakota along the BackBone Grande route, with a couple of wrinkles. As this will be a mid-September ride, I included a few things for cooler nights and mornings. Including the bike, this all weighs about 68 pounds, with 3 days of food and 4 liters of water.

Like my bike, and me, this kit's built for comfort. It's not build for speed.

68 pounds fully loaded for the Black Hills Bounty, with 3 days of food and 4 liters of water.

Sleep Kit:  Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1 Bikepack tent, Brooks Range Mountaineering Alpini 30 sleeping bag, SeaToSummit Reactor Extreme liner, ThermaRest NeoAir Xlite NXT pad, Outdoor Vitals UL Stretch pillow.

Clothes:  2 pair Voler bib shorts, Voler jersey, 2 pair SmartWool socks, Pearl Izumi X-Alp Summit shoes, Voler arm warmers, Voler knee warmers, Voler wind jacket, Showers Pass Refuge rain jacket, Marmot down hoodie, SmartWool camp shirt, nylon camp shorts, SmartWool liner gloves, Bontrager cycling gloves, Voler skull cap, SmartWool 250 stocking cap, Oakley Aero5 helmet, Oakley M-frame prescription sunglasses, Oakley athletic prescription glasses.

First Aid/Hygiene/Personal:  Ace bandage, gauze pads, large & small bandaids, butterfly bandaids, alcohol wipes, zinc oxide, Neosporin, lip balm, aspirin, ibuprofen, Tums, toilet paper, hand towel, toothbrush/paste, soap, phone, wallet, Spot X tracker/messenger, battery, cords.

Tool Kit:  Lezyne Micro Floor Drive HV pump, Lezyne SV-16 multi-tool, spork wrench for brakes, Lezyne Tubeless CO2 Blaster tubeless repair kit, 2 ounces of sealant, 1 tube, 2 valve cores, 1 valve stem, patch kit, 2 tire irons, LeatherMan Skeletool CX, Jones derailleur hanger, 4 chain links, 2 quick links, chain lube, duct tape, zip ties.

Navigation:  Garmin 530 GPS device, USFS Black Hills National Forest paper maps, Stem Captain compass, CatEye cyclocomputer, Lezyne MicroDrive Pro 800XL head light, Mountain Miser thermometer, Gideon's pocket Bible.

Documentation:  Paper journal, pencil.

Hydration (about 4 liters):  2 x 38 ounce Soma Further water bottles, 2 x 26 ounce water bottles, Sawyer Squeeze filter, iodine tablets.

Food (1-2 days): instant oatmeal/coffee (breakfast), peanut butter/honey/tortilla (lunch), nutrition bars/Hammer Gels/Snickers/trail mix (during the day), ramen/tuna/freeze dried entree (dinner).

Kitchen: Jet Boil MiniMo stove, fuel, matches, lighter, 2 SeaToSummit collapsible bowls, 2 sporks, GI Joe can opener, salt/pepper.

Although I make some modifications every trip, this gear list is much the same as that for the 2023 BackBone Grande, the 2023, 2022 & 2021 Black Hills Bounty, the 2021 Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and the 2020 Cloud Peak 500. See, e.g., 2021 GDMBR Gear List.

The Challenge of Buffalo Gap National Grassland

A common question when cyclists learn about the BackBone Grande route: What's so challenging about riding through Buffalo Gap National Grassland?

BLM Road 7045 enters Buffalo Gap National Grassland.

From the inception of the BackBone Grande bikepacking route, I know that it must wander through at least some of the remote, open prairie in Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Digging deeper, I learn that creating such a route may not be so straight forward. Pockets of this protected prairie dot the Southern Black Hills area, but most are relatively small and many are land locked by private ranches. Larger blocks of this public land look more promising further to the East and North toward Badlands National Park, but may not offer rideable paths through to public roads.

Eventually, I pick a sufficiently large block to explore and piece together a 12 mile stretch of two track "roads" that connect to a county road that drops into the village of Oelrichs. After driving and riding it, I included that stretch in my original BackBone Grande route and rode it with cycling buddy Paul Brasby as part of our 2023 through-ride. See, BackBone Grande Introduction (Miles 0-46) and BackBone Grande (Day 1) - Right Vibe Right Away. Amazing. There's nothing else like it on the entire route. Or in any other route around these parts, at least of which I know.

Our experience of riding that short section of Grassland, the feedback from others who rode it, and the reactions from those reading about it prompt me to find more. In July, I find another Grande-appropriate section and add it. See, BackBone Grande - More Grassland! And in August, I add yet another one. See, BackBone Grande - Even More Grassland! Altogether, the BackBone Grande now offers about 45 miles of rough two-track and short connectors through a pretty substantial chunk of Buffalo Gap National Grassland.

So, what? What makes this experience so unique and so challenging?

Rugged BLM Road 7026 meanders across the prairie in autumn 2022.

Road Surface. The road is not graded or built up, but mostly looks like it was created by ranch trucks compressing the grass to form a path. For practically all of the miles, I see no discernible road bed or other sign of construction. In mountain bike parlance, the trail looks ridden in. There is no gravel or any other added material. Although the ground itself is not rocky, it is often soft and lumpy from cattle traffic. If wet, low areas can be a quagmire. Maintaining a pedaling rhythm is difficult on the rough surface.

That's BLM Road 7026 during our June 2023 through-ride of the BackBone Grande.
(image by Paul Brasby)

Navigation. Rolling to the horizon in all directions, the relentless hills of waving grass offer few landmarks. Only a couple of signs mark the Grassland roads and many other, similar looking two track paths veer off the route. When the grass is tall, the two track simply disappears. Navigation here is never easy.

BLM Road 7045 looks like this for much of 15 miles.

Exposure. This is prairie. The highest cover is grass and an occasional water tank for cattle. There is no respite from the full force of the elements. Be physically and mentally prepared to directly engage every combination of unfavorable temperature, wind, and precipitation. 

The occasional tank may or may not contain water.

Resupply/Water. The Grassland offers no commercial or even residential development. There is no resupply of anything, except surface water at a couple of small reservoirs. If desperate for water, the route passes within sight of a handful of cattle tanks, which may or may not contain some form of water. Count on nothing. 

No sign of civilization on BLM Road 7043.

Remoteness. Within minutes of crossing into the Grassland, the vastness obliterates sight of the county gravel roads behind, leaving but a few numbered two track "roads," a few cattle tanks, and some barbed wire fence ahead. In Spring, even the roads seem to disappear, with nothing in sight but the rolling hills of grass. It feels really out there. Even Great Divide bike packer Paul Brasby noted some apprehension after a couple of hours into the Grassland during our 2023 through-ride, "I thought that if we got lost, we may not get out of here."

First gate off Wilcox Road onto BLM Road 7026.

Bee-lining to Buffalo Gap National Grassland, the BackBone Grande dives into the vast remoteness of the open prairie. There's nothing quite like it. Pedaling a bicycle through it is stunning and humbling. 

Barely two-track "roads" meander across undeveloped prairie to the edge of nowhere. Other than the occasionally visible two-track, the views here likely have changed little for hundreds of years. The mind wanders. The spirit soars. 

This is why the Grassland is in the BackBone Grande.

This is why I scout to find roads and create routes. 

This is why I ride.

BackBone Grande Page with links to all posts