A bike ride on the Mickelson Trail

Hadn't gotten any exercise in the past couple of weeks so we decided to go for a bike ride on the Mickelson Trail to Hill City (16 miles 1 way).  It passes thru fields, streams, tunnels and over several bridges

It was an old rail road bed and extends over 100 miles from Edgemont up to Deadwood

Sometimes there are surprises under the bridges 

And then there are the Toll Keepers

The first 6 miles to Crazy Horse was a gradual uphill run. 

Not a lot has changed over the past 100+ years 

It's a long wait for the next train 

Almost there! 

Guess we weren't the only Bikers who thought of coming here today.

Went to the Alpine for lunch.  Good food as usual, Monte Cristo Sandwich and Grilled Chicken with Gorgonzola Cheese, Grilled Onions and Bourbon Sauce.  I had the Cinnamon Pastry with Ice Cream, roasted Fuji Apples and Caramel Sauce for Dessert, Gary had the German Potato Salad - that's just wrong.  I didn't share!

We met a couple Steve and; Sharon who host at a campground a couple miles south of Hill City, we stopped in to say hello, and they offered us a ride back to Custer if we needed it.  After Lunch my legs were crying out so we stopped by on the way back and took them up on their offer.  We cut about  6 miles out of the return trip which was mostly uphill - Steve gave us a lift back to Crazy Horse.  Still we did about 20 miles. 

Got home and rested and then remembered that the Custer County Fair was going on in Hermosa so off we went.   Along the way we finally saw some Bighorn Sheep well, maybe Little Big Horn Sheep

 The Fair was free and when we got to the food court looking for a cold drink we found $1 Root Beer Floats.  The lady then told us there was a free Buffalo BBQ going on - so we got in line.  A BBQ Buffalo Sandwich, Chips, Drink and Cookie - what a deal!

The Fair was mostly 4H stuff and a rodeo.  The first event was the Horse Catch.  All the cowboys unsaddle their horses and let them go.  The first team to catch their horses, saddle them and ride out of the arena win. 

At first the horses all came back to their owners and had to be shooed away

Once it started it was Mayhem

The last event we stayed for was the Cowboy Sled Ride.

It didn't last long as the Sled got a flat on the 2nd run.



Till Later,

Meanwhile we keep on Trek'n

Melissa and Gary