Mickelson Trail Bicyle Ride - Introduction and Day 0

Between August 30 and September 4, I drove to the Black Hills of South Dakota to spent a few days bicycling the Mickelson Trail. This is a 108.8 mile crushed-rock surfaced trail on a converted railroad line between Deadwood and Edgemont, SD. The trail is maintained by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks.

I took my mountain bike and touring bike as the recommended bicycle type for this trail is a mountain bike. However, I've ridden my touring bike on gravel in the past (Katy Trail in Missouri twice) and did not have any problems and it is more comfortable to ride than my mountain bike. I figured I'd start with the mountain bike and see what the trail surface was like then decide which to ride for the remainder of the trip.

Since I had the van, I decided to SAG for myself starting at the southern end of the trail in Edgemont by parking at a trailhead then riding one or more sections then turning around and riding back to the van. Once back at the van, I would load up the bike and drive to another section and repeat the process until I had covered as much of the entire 108.8 miles of the trail as I could and still be back in Iowa Friday for the start of the Labor Day weekend.

I left Altoona Sunday morning, August 30, with a plan of camping at Randall Creek Recreation Area campground on the Missouri River the first night then driving to Edgemont on Monday morning and bicycle as much as I could on Monday afternoon.

After reaching I-29 in western Iowa, I followed what I could remember of the Adventure Cycling Association Lewis and Clark bicycle route to see what the road conditions are like for a future ride on this route. I visited Lewis and Clark SP just outside of Onawa, IA and walked through the small museum building. A few photos are included below.

Dugout canoe

 

I reached Randall Creek Recreation Area just before 6:00 PM and checked in to get a shady camping spot. This campground is immediately downstream of the Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River. After setting up camp (got the lawn chair out and inflated my air matress in the back of the van) I made a few adjustments to my mountain bike then rode it around the campground. A couple of photos of the downstream view of the dam and the bluff along the eastern bank of the river are included below. I wasn't there long, but really enjoyed the campground and conversation with a couple of families camping nearby.