I had never been out there before. There was a break in the weather on Saturday, and Chickenhauler dialed me up for a ride. We meet at Rice Honda (just to tell them we got our bikes at dealers out of state) and walk around a bit. BTW, free ice cream on weekends! We found RR Buttes no problem. Took some dark dry trails and then I spotted the bluffs on the other side of the road. I had heard about the SD "Gumbo" and it took no time to find it! 100 yds into the stuff and up the hill and I was down....mud stuck to the boots, bike, everywhere. Thick doughy snotty. It looked perfectly dry and rideable, but just beneath the surface it was like ice on glass. no fun, real fast. Got out of there unscathed, headed west on gravel and wound our way to Hermosa. We both had to be back by 5 ish, but made good time and went up thru Hayward, Playhouse Road and over Iron Mountain and the Pigtails. I have been thru there many times in a cage, but never a bike. What a hoot. Should have gotten more pictures, but I know I will be back there again. Also found a cool old church (Folsom) and stopped for the that. Good ride, 120 +/- loop, lots of twisties and fast gravel roads!
Just a few pics..............
(http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q800/Robmicgrn/photo2_zps73f26b44.jpg) (http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/Robmicgrn/media/photo2_zps73f26b44.jpg.html)
(http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q800/Robmicgrn/photo3_zpsbf4c56fa.jpg) (http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/Robmicgrn/media/photo3_zpsbf4c56fa.jpg.html)
Dark colored stuff good. Light colored bad............. very bad...........
(http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q800/Robmicgrn/church_zps389a5813.jpg) (http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/Robmicgrn/media/church_zps389a5813.jpg.html)
(http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q800/Robmicgrn/church3_zps043b4c98.jpg) (http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/Robmicgrn/media/church3_zps043b4c98.jpg.html)
I love riding in the Buttes but it gets mighty hot there as spring turns to summer. It is a great feeling though, to ride over that formation a few days after a rain and has time to bake in the sun. It gets real crusty. In the middle of the summer, the grass can be a slick as the snot you were on.
Lots of cactus too, in the cross-country riding areas. Be careful where you crash, but I think you already know that Rob, if you used to ride the desert southwest I don't have to tell you about cactus. ;D
(http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx177/photoquark/Miscellaneous/P1000095.jpg)