howdy

[gullypunk]

I'm very happy to find this site.  My name is Mike Ray.  I've been riding for about 22 years.  Right now I own a 95 BMW GS 1100 and a 02 Yamaha WR 426 that is street legal.   

I also have a 1975 Honda CB 550 Four for sale.  It has just over 10K and it runs great.  A fine little street bike for around town. 

I grew up in the Black Hills and have spent years running around on back roads here.  The family home is on Nemo Road about 3 miles downstream from Steamboat rock.  So I know the Nemo/Piedmont/Stagebarn area very well.     

The best ride I took last year was from Beulah, Wyoming to Cement Ridge following a single track out of Sand Creek Canyon through the network of roads on the Wyoming of the hills.  It was one of those days you don't want to end.

I think a dual sport race from the Edgemont vicinity to Spearfish on gravel/logging roads would be really cool to organize someday.   

I'm looking forward to some more fun rides this spring.   I've been itching to get out to farmingdale one of these Saturday afternoons  - but I think right now the mud would be nasty until it dries up again. 

[fringefan]

Welcome, look forward to the day you show us some of those trails. 

[Hank]

Welcome!  Hope we all meet you in June.

[hayduke.klr07]

hey mike!

i've seen that BMW at curry masala a time or two.
how much for the CB?

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

Glad to have you join us. Look forward to seeing you out on the trail!

I like your idea of a good day riding. My youngest son (known as Number Two on here) and I found ourselves needing to get out of the house for a couple of days a few years back while my wife had to study for some annual nursing exams. We headed up to Spearfish Canyon, turned left at Savoy, headed up to the old Tilton mining area, crossed the Wyoming border up there somewhere and found ourselves back up a turn-off in a copse of aspens next to a small creek in time to get our tent set up for the evening. The clouds came in and covered us. We woke to 3-4 inches of snow by morning. Had a great time! The next day we drove the ranch roads and came out to the west of Beulah. We were actually dual sporting at the time and didn't know it! Dual sporting in a two-wheel drive '85 Toyota pick-up on those slick, icy and muddy ranch roads!!! We made it back to town and didn't leave any ruts either. Sure was a good time.

I had also been talking with my son about starting a ride down near Ardmore, SD to the southeast from Edgemont. Ride from there up the west side of the Hills, round Devil's Tower, back down the center of the Hills, eventually back to our house off of Sheridan Lake Road for an epic Hills journey. I can see where you're coming from about a ride from Edgemont to Spearfish! It would be something else! I ride an '81 Yamaha XT500 and my son rides an '83/'84 Yamaha TT600. If you check out the most recent trips reports. We have one in there called the Laramie Lap II. Two weekends ago I drove down there and we did a 111 mile lap around the Laramie area. It was great to see that the "old iron" was still up to it!

Again, glad you're here!

[gullypunk]

Thanks everyone.

This is a great group.

I am really looking forward to riding with you all. 

Heyduke -   Yea I frequent Curry Masala often.... I know I guy named Chris that stops by there once in a  while on a KLR -  You by chance? I understand that with a name like heyduke you may need to stay incognito.  No doubt if Edward Abby had a KLR he would have ridden it everywhere - in the desert it beats the heck out of an old jeep hands down.

I'm thinking of starting at 2K for the old Honda... they are going for a pretty penny anymore, and it's in good shape.

[hayduke.klr07]

i may measure distance in 12-packs.