Mickelson Trail Day 2

 Mickelson Trail Day 2

Edgemont back to Hill City

Pro tip:  always look up when you select your tent site. Upon arrival last night to the Edgemont Campground, I called the number and asked where to put my tent. The full hook up RV pads have reservations(no one was there). She said any place in the grass opposite the RV pads. Under the big tree with a picnic table would be fine. So up went the tent in a bit of wind. Showers were available and the water source was probably from the town of Hot Springs. They were refreshing. Then it was off to the Victory Steakhouse and Lounge where we listened to live music featuring a gal that sounded like Mother Mabel Carter. After my house special of chicken fried steak and salad bar, we waddled back to camp. 

Our chairs from our cross country trip were comfortable and worth carrying again.  Did you know that Edgemont sees 60 trains pass through a day? 60 trains in 24 hours and that’s, well you can do the math and then know how much sleep we got last night. Yep, the campground is about 50 yards from the tracks that see those 60 trains a day. And people reserve RV spots for the pleasure! Maybe they love trains. My dad loved trains and chicken fried steak, but he was smart enough to stay in motels across town. 

The trains were hauling coal, east out of WY and returning empty. I may not have had all my facts straight yesterday, as maybe the train I followed fighting fires wasn’t hauling coal and if it was, not back to WY. But remember, I was a newbie 44 years ago. 

Back to camp. As we were tired, we hopped in the tent and attempted to doze off. As it grew dark, an eerie orange glow shown through the tent. Maybe a train jumped the tracks and was headed straight for us.  Directly above us, not far from the tree was the yard lamp turning on. Look up! 

We were tired enough that we got a few winks. 

The sun comes up early here, like dawn starts at 4:45am. I forced myself to stay in bed till 5:30 before I built myself some coffee. 

After some oatmeal and more coffee we set off retracing our route back to Hill City(our plan is to leave the Splinter Van there and do the trail up and back from the middle). Yesterday we experienced a headwind and I did not realize we were riding downhill most of the day. No headwind today but about 50 miles up at a 1-3% train grade before we cruised the last 10 miles down to camp. 

Our first break was in Pringle. 

After college and a couple years proving my self to SDGFP, I was once again a newbie. This time a Conservation Officer(Game Warden) in Mitchell,SD. That’s east river, where folks are considered more agrarian, urban and genteel than the rough, independent, hard scrabble cowboy culture of west river. West river folk look towards east river folk the way most of Idaho views the state of Ada County back home. 

Back in Pringle: As a newbie CO, I was told stories of the Pringle Poacher Club(officially the Pringle Poachers Association).  The details escape me now, but if half of  their exploits of terror were true, there would not be any big game left in the Black Hills. Folklore mostly. The Pringle Poachers are more of a social club, meeting monthly in some dark and musty clubhouse, drinking beer, eating chislick, and telling each other lies while fundraising for the local volunteer fire department. 

After the break in the trailhead shelter while visiting with another biking couple, we saddled up and continued up. Today the first 20-25 mile ticked off fast, unlike yesterday. But as temps continued up with the grade, the miles slowed down. The Mickelson Trail had a series of trail side shelters with repair stands, toilets and hand pump water wells. We took advantage of them all, well no repairs needed but I did look them over real good. I was struggling when we entered the town of Custer. Although Rhonda loved her Mahi mahi lunch( we ordered a pork sandwich but hey), I was left wanting. Maybe it was too much on the bike snacks that included gels and such, but my gut just hurts. After lunch we had one last pull of 600 feet over 6 miles to the Crazy Horse sculpture turn before we cruised down a fast 10 miles back to camp. The Trailside Park and resort is one of the nicest RV parks I have ever stayed at. Very clean, green grass, clean showers, nice owners and camp sites are not packed in like sardines. And it’s just off the bike trail, go figure. 

Well, I’m looking forward to a shower then I off in search of a pizza.