South Dakota, Black Hills bound

[Pdog shooter]

Jiffy,

I've done that loop on a Tiger 955i not loaded and a fully loaded KLR.

I've got a back pack I can put some water and a sandwich in. Am I getting in over my head here?
Here's what I'm use to:
Drive the truck to the off road trails.
Ride hard for an hour or two (20 or 30 miles of tight single track, fast as I can go).
Water break back at the truck.
Ride for an hour.
Lunch and a nap.
By the end of summer maybe another hour then I'm usually done.
Usual attire includes MX boots, MX pants and shirt (not because of ability, but for visibility), chest protector, neck brace, helmet, gloves.
Tried the camel back thing once, resulted in a off balance high side 2 broke ribs.
Looking forward to it, whatever the outcome.

[greatbuffalo]

You'll have a blast. Just slow down from what your used to and save yourself. You'll be fine.

[Pdog shooter]

Reservations in Newcastle WY, May 29 thru June 11. Lets ride!
Keep the black top to a minimum, lunch on me.

[Fletch]

Jiffy,

I've done that loop on a Tiger 955i not loaded and a fully loaded KLR.

I've got a back pack I can put some water and a sandwich in. Am I getting in over my head here?
Here's what I'm use to:
Drive the truck to the off road trails.
Ride hard for an hour or two (20 or 30 miles of tight single track, fast as I can go).
Water break back at the truck.
Ride for an hour.
Lunch and a nap.
By the end of summer maybe another hour then I'm usually done.
Usual attire includes MX boots, MX pants and shirt (not because of ability, but for visibility), chest protector, neck brace, helmet, gloves.
Tried the camel back thing once, resulted in a off balance high side 2 broke ribs.
Looking forward to it, whatever the outcome.

If you can ride 20-30 miles of tight single track in an hour or two I can't keep up. 

[Pdog shooter]

No problem, I'll wait.

OK, let me define my definition of "single track".
Work with me here, not a senior citizen yet but in this particular type of recreation I'm pretty darn close.
If my bars hit trees then its not meant for motorcycles. Broken ribs and 2 weeks sleeping in a recliner convinced me of that 20 years ago.
Hats off to you enduro guys.
If a four wheeler could fit, but not necessarily does. Thats my single track.
Got me on a technicality.
15 years since my last race and don't need to wear a movie camera to confirm that Im not the rider I used to be.
If only I had this bike 25 years ago,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I probably wouldn't be here.
When and where can I meet somebody to ride with? I was in the black hills last year, confined to my truck or walking.
Man what a place to ride! You all have to keep the eastern and the west coast tree huggers away.
I did see a logging crew with a portable out house??? Will I get locked up for relieving myself in the forest?
This is for the older riders.
Remember being at the start of a hare scramble and that one guy standing on the left side of his bike (you KTMers know what Im talking about)? That was me, the darn thing was so hard to crank.
Exhaust valves locked open, near TDC, excitement at the unknown just ahead. Always started at or near last but never finished that way.
Traveling to the black hills to ride, just thinking about it, kind of gives me that same feeling

[Fletch]

Hopefully we can get together for a ride. I'm way slower than I used to be too, not that I was ever fast. Was a mid pack B class enduro guy, probably couldn't finish one now, but I still have a lot of fun!

[Pdog shooter]

Where to park? Looking at the forest service maps it seems that parking the truck in the area of Lake Pactola would be good for a full day of riding and then some. Is there a particular place to park where I could be in the company of likeminded riders? I see the trail heads on the map but not sure. Map coordinates or road intersection would be much appreciated. May 30 or 31st I'll be there.

[Bogus Jim]

If you're driving up from the south, Pactola would be a good starting point. The single track south east of there (Pactola / Victoria area) is really fun. Downed trees might still be an issue this time of year.

Sugar Shack (breakfast and burger joint) is a popular meeting place. It's at the intersection of highway 385 and F.R. 208, just a few miles northwest of Pactola. There's some trailer parking on the north side of the highway and also at the Pilot Knob trailhead nearby.

There's a ton of ATV trails in the Deerfield area, maybe you want to spend a day there. It's all fairly mild but still fun. There's parking south of Lake Deerfield at the end of 465, which intersects Deerfield road. 1/2 mile south, there's a small store with gas and a restaurant.

[Pdog shooter]

Current plans put me at the pilot knob TH, Sunday 5/31. Anyone interested?

[Pdog shooter]

Rode the area north of sugar shack today. Headed for nebo area tomorrow. Heard it burned over, should be good scenery.
Mud up here is pretty much like mud in Georgia, just a different color. Rocks, however, are much friendlier they are all flat or at least square sided. Im sure they are just as hard but didn't test that. At home, if there were that many rocks on an uphill grade it would be nearly impossible.  One MC trail had too many saplings laid over, another was just too tight so I came from the other end, accidently.
The others were a lot of fun, some pretty gnarly hill climbs with a surprise at the top. A good day.

[Pdog shooter]

"nemo" was kind of a disappointment. Lots of trails closed, the single track that was open either had a lot of timber and debris, or had a creek flowing down it. Rocks in this area were more familiar, slightly rounded and polished by 4 wheeled vehicles.   Have yet to test the hardness, just lucky I guess. Thinking about trying the trails along the mystic road, believing that the further I get away from Rapid City the better, not sure. If anyone wants to know about the Garmin Montana, I have one and its works very well for me.

[BCB1080]

Cool stuff. Glad somebody is getting out. Did Newcastle get a nasty storm last night too? I'm off work 6/6 but on the 990 I doubt I'll do much exploring you like.

[Pdog shooter]

Newcastle had a storm, didn't seem all the bad to me. Went to the area south of deerfield lake today. There were several trails blocked with down trees, don't tell, I got off the trails and went around. Found a couple of mc only trails but they were grassed over and I really had a hard time staying on them. Found a new kind of mud. Now I'm no expert but the several hundred mud puddles so far, I could judge, go around, or front tire up. This one had grass growing on it until I detonated it at 30+ mph. 30 to 0 in five feet. Only damage, left hand and knee, but I stayed on. What were the 3 mine shafts for, pretty cool, literally.

[Pdog shooter]

[Pdog shooter]

900 pdog bullets fired, 250 in the can. 7 gallons 93 octane Georgia no ethanol gas burned.  Got to find a little more good gas to complete my vacation. My time in the black hills will soon be over.