50+ Mile Bike Ride on the Michelson Trail, SD

Last week, my father, one of my friends, and myself packed up and decided to bike 60.7 miles on the Michelson Trail. The Michelson Trail is a beautiful trail that runs 108 miles from Deadwood to Edgemont in South Dakota. The trail winds through the scenic black hills, from aspen trees and pines, down to the southern hills where the dirt turns red and the cacti bloom.

Our adventure began at the trailhead in Hill City and ended where the trail actually began in Edgemont.

The night before we organized everything we needed for the next day:

• Snacks (mostly fruit, granola bars, and nuts)

• Sandwiches for lunch

• Lots of water (2 Liters each)

• Bike repair tool kit

• Bug spray

• Sunscreen

• Rain gear plus a towel

• Bike gloves and bike shorts

• Change of socks

• Helmets

• Emergency first aid kit

• GPS and maps

• Cell phone

• Pepper spray (just in case)

We began the bike at 6 a.m. We tried to stop every half hour or so to stretch or legs, drink some water, and snack. The first twelve miles were uphill, gradual at first then steeper at the top. The morning was bright, but nevertheless it was a relief when we started to coast downhill. After about a six-mile downhill, we were back at it again with pedaling hard. There were a few long stretches of downhill, a couple flat places, and a few more uphill. The one at the end was especially rough.

My father had the bright idea of putting panniers on my bike, so I was weighed down with about 20 extra pounds of gear packed into the side bags compared to the others 5 or 10 pound loads. I was definitely feeling the extra weight at the end.

The forecast was scheduled for rain, and indeed it did, but that did not deter us. Thrice it rained, once when we did not have our rain gear on, but we persevered. The trail was muddy and hard to pedal in some places (especially on the uphill).

Last fall, before school started, my father and I biked the first 50 miles of the Michelson Trail from Deadwood to Hill City. Compared to last time, I had about 10 extra pounds from the panniers plus the muddy trails and another 10 miles, so this ride was certainly harder for me than the first one. Now I have biked the entirety of the Michelson Trail, I am proud to say.

My advice to those who decide that they would like to do a super long bike ride, is definitely to wear bike shorts, drink a lot of water, and routinely stop and stretch. Bananas help, it’s not a myth. Your body will thank you in the next few days.

Also, if you cross train or normally are a runner like me, don’t be shocked and horrified if you run slower the next few days after the bike ride. It is really good to do a light shakeout run the next day, or some other physical activity that is not riding a bike.

I hope you enjoyed this post, leave a comment below on how far the longest bike ride you've ever been on was!

Adventure!