South Dakota, Black Hills bound

[Pdog shooter]

Georgia rider would like to ride with someone when I get there.
Last of May and June (I hope).
52 years old and don't jump any more.
Anything but asphalt.
Lunch on me.
Cant remember when I started riding or the bikes I have owned.
Also, cant hold out like I use to, but still going.

[tannerc]

Pdog,
what kind of bike will you be bringing?
Anything but asphalt leaves a lot of options from smooth forest roads to rocky single track.

ct

[Pdog shooter]

I'll be bringing a 500 exc, best bike I ever had.

[Pdog shooter]

Don't care much for trails that are narrower than my bars are wide.
Got the garmin with the FS maps, hope they are accurate.

[Lonesome Dave]

Don't know if this works for you, but were having our Spring/Summer Rally June 18 - 21st, 2015.  You'll have lots of people to ride with.  If not, depending on when you get here, some of us are usually willing and able to go. 

Check out out the "Custer Loop"  Its a lot of fun, but a very long day.  But hey, you can always do it in two days! http://www.dakotadualsportriders.com/smf/index.php?topic=1314.0

[Fletch]

Sounds fun, I would be willing to show you some decent single track if you like..

[tannerc]

Don't care much for trails that are narrower than my bars are wide.
Got the garmin with the FS maps, hope they are accurate.

The Garmin and FS maps are pretty accurate, a good place to start anyway.
I believe I will have a group out to ride weekend of June 12th.

Sounds fun, I would be willing to show you some decent single track if you like..

Fletch is a pretty decent guide. He does a better job then the FS maps

[Fletch]

I'm actually lost most of the time, but it will be fun.

[Pdog shooter]

I'll be staying in Newcastle, haven't firmed up the dates yet but the 12th sounds doable.
Helping ranchers eradicate vermin, riding the black hills.
Piss-off the animal people one day, the tree huggers the next.
What a vacation!

[Fletch]

I'll be staying in Newcastle, haven't firmed up the dates yet but the 12th sounds doable.
Helping ranchers eradicate vermin, riding the black hills.
Piss-off the animal people one day, the tree huggers the next.
What a vacation!

You'll fit right in

[Jiffy]

Don't know if this works for you, but were having our Spring/Summer Rally June 18 - 21st, 2015.  You'll have lots of people to ride with.  If not, depending on when you get here, some of us are usually willing and able to go. 

Check out out the "Custer Loop"  Its a lot of fun, but a very long day.  But hey, you can always do it in two days! http://www.dakotadualsportriders.com/smf/index.php?topic=1314.0

How technical does the Custer Loop get ? I was looking at it on Google earth and there are a few areas I can't get a good view of. Will we run into any issues on fully loaded bikes ?

[Lonesome Dave]

Jiffy, somehow I messed up on the "quotes."  But to answer your ?   How technical does the Custer Loop get ? I was looking at it on Google earth and there are a few areas I can't get a good view of. Will we run into any issues on fully loaded bikes ?

There's only two places I can think of that might present some problems.  The back side of "Bear Mountain"  and a very short part of the "Power Line Trail."

The Bear Mountain portion is not really too bad.  It just has a hill climb that has a couple of switch backs.  I believe a Tiger 900 (Great Buffalo) went up it when it was muddy.  And, another time I rode with a guy on a 1200GS that didn't seem to have much trouble.  We've led groups of riders with all kinds of different riding skills up and down it in the past without problems.   

The "Power Line Trail" is about 5 miles long.  It's the straight line portion of the Custer Loop track on the west end with a little "~" thing in the middle, about 1/2 way through the straight line.  About 3/4 of the way through the "Power Line Trail" is a small climb and immediate decent down the other side.  Its actually very small with some rocks at the top.  The hardest part of it is your getting pretty tired by the time you get there.  However, I believe there's a go-around.  Bogus Jim can advise better.

It's a great route, you won't be disappointed.  And if your going to do it in two days, you'll have lots of time to explore.

Bogus Jim or Wacked, am I forgetting any tough spots?
LD

[Bogus Jim]

The bypass for the power line climb is 3556... turn north on that, take the next 2 right turns, and you're back on the power line trail.

It's kind of a stupid little hill climb but there is the potential for some cartwheels if you loop it.

[Jiffy]

 Thanks for the info. We plan on spending a week in the hills, planning two days for the Custer Loop and playing the rest of it by ear so if you have any other good tracks I sure would like to see them.
Bikes will be a KTM990 and my G650gs. We'll be camping so they will be loaded up.

Thanks for the Bypass Bogus..

[greatbuffalo]

Jiffy,

I've done that loop on a Tiger 955i not loaded and a fully loaded KLR. The back side of Bear Mountain can be a bit of a pain after a rain. Not sure what you are running for tires. I rode it with my tiger with Anakee 2's. I wouldn't recommend anything like that. I rode with a guy that had a 990 running the scorpions and he did a bit of slipping. My KLR with the Kenda K760 and had no problem. That one hill that Bogus referred to is rocky and can be tricky. As always, its worse after it rains.