6,000 feet and rising

Dear Reader, today's blog is about hills and cycling.

We are passing through the Black Hills of South Dakota.    Greener, hillier and again this country is so beautiful.  We are being lead by local guide and cycling expert Jim Books. He has taken through some of Dakota's hidden cycling gems while still heading toward DC.


The Black Hills of Dakota are bound to be hard and so they are. As a taster here is a short video to give an idea of country and roads.

The hill in question is 3 miles long and climbs 1200 feet to 6,000 ft elevation.

At the top here are our bikers...

Jim Books

Tom finds a signal....

Alvon finds a Che moustache...

The country is beautiful, this the route South Fishspear, so called Dry Creek Canyon.

The area was, in the late 19 century, a the centre of a gold rush, lots of old buildings and places still look as though the rush was not that long ago....

So its a hello and a goodbye from South Dakota for today, more tomorrow I hope, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse as the ride continues.