August 4, 2018
Day 2
Dennis is great friend. Knowing that I had another sixty mile day ahead of me, he offered to save me another eleven uphill miles to where I left the trail at Hill City the day before. A quick ride up and over those hills took me back to Hill City and the George S. Mickelson Trail where we said goodbye and I put foot to pedal. The day started gray but was comfortably warm as I hit the uphill miles to Custer City. If you are used to other rail trails, you may have surmised by now that the George S. Mickelson Trail is of a different breed. Do not expect a long flat ride. In fact, there are very few flat sections and the hills, while gradual, are long and demanding. Added to this is the fact that you are riding at no less than 3500 feet above sea level and joining the mile high fraternity a number of times along the way. Be forewarned.
George S. Custer led what some would call an expedition into this area back in 1874. Others will have another name for it and I will leave the politics out of this blog and keep my opinions to myself in the interest of staying on topic. However, he did discover gold in them darn hills and launched a gold rush in the process. You can still see remnants of old mines and the works of present day optimists throughout the 109 miles of the trail. The entire history of this region rests upon the earth and what can be extracted from within its depths.
My first stop was at the top of my first long climb and under the underpass into the Crazy Horse Memorial. I had been here before so there was no need or desire to stop in again. It is a daunting project undertaken by private funds and donations to build a mountain sized monument to this Oglala Lakota warrior who helped put a few arrows into General Custer at Little Bighorn in 1876. It represents the combines vision of Chief Henry Standing Bear and Polish-American sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. If you decide to go there is an extensive museum describing the project, its status and history as well as containing information and displays about the Lakota culture. If you actually want to view the monument any closer than you can from the parking lot, there is a bus ride up to it for a few dollars more than the seven or twenty four dollars you already paid depending upon you mode of transportation. I decided to view from afar.
From the memorial it was mostly downhill miles to Custer City which is touristy, but interesting place with some nice places to browse if that sort of activity is to your liking. It was at flood tide with motorcycles on this day so I gave it a quick pass by. However another eight miles took me to Pringle and one of the strangest sights along the trail. Just off the trail along a dusty side street you can find what may be the world’s largest collection of old bicycles. Bicycles, tricycles in every style, size and color have been heaped into a small hill of metal, wheels and gears with an honor guard mound of still more bikes on either side. You can walk a short path through a wheel studded gateway around and even into the pile if you dare. In a state where monuments tend to be on the large side this one could truly use some explaining. It remains a unique mystery to me for now.
South of Pringle the trail flattens out and becomes a bit less interesting until after the Minnekahta Trailhead at milepost 16.2. Still the scenery was pleasant and my path was decorated with clusters of small yellow moths that broke apart and fluttered around me every so often. With this portion being a “false flat” in my favor, I made great time with easy pedaling.
Half way between Minnekahta and Edgemont I came upon the Sheep Canyon Trail Stop and the site of an old trestle bridge so rickety that it was said that engineers would hop off the train before crossing it and only jump back aboard once safely on the other side. Sadly, that trestle is gone today replaced by a safer and far less interesting earthen breastwork across the canyon. If you look closely at the canyon walls you can see small tunnels blasted through to allow ranchers and their cattle access to the rich grazing lands at the canyon floor.
The town of Edgemont looks as though it has see better days. It is primarily a railroad town located at the end of a segment of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad network, the largest in the USA. Here, crews on this freight line lay over for the night in a local motel that is completely devoted to their needs. This is so much so that despite it being listed as a Travelodge and sporting a Travelodge sign, I found it hard to get a reservation there. Yes, they were open and yes, they had room available but they seemed reluctant to take a reservation. The person I spoke with was adamant that no reservation was needed and that I could just show up anytime. She went on to say that they were not your typical motel and that the rooms were small. Knowing that motorcyclists from around the world descend upon every room within a hundred miles or more of Sturgis during the annual rally, I was determined to have one reserved to ensure that I would not have to sleep in some cow pasture or under a bridge. With reluctance she took my reservation and it was well that she did.
I arrived mid afternoon on a Saturday. There was not much motorcycle activity in this dusty little town but I was told that the Fall River County Fair was on at the local arena. From the outside the Travelodge looked like a motel but inside had a look more common to a college dormitory. There was a small reception window, a long bench loaded with duffle bags and coolers. A large, dorm style lobby with comfy chairs and a big screen TV was just around the corner as well as a locker room. Once the desk clerk was rounded up I tried to check in. She seemed confused that I would want to do so and I was told by her and some railroad workers who happened to pass by that this was not a motel but only a place for railroad workers to stay. There was only one other motel in town and with the fair and rodeo being on I doubted my chances of finding a room there. I was just about to ask where there might be a cow pasture or bridge I could use for the night when the desk clerk decided to call her counterpart who worked the window when she was off. Her name was Debby and she knew all about my request and reservation. Why yes, they did offer rooms to more than railroad workers and in fact they had a policy of not turning anyone away so long as they had a room available. She had a nice room put aside for me and the key was in the cabinet above the phone. For little more than the cost of a campsite I had a comfy bed, a spotlessly clean room, hot shower and the prospect of a good night’s sleep.
My dining options seemed limited when I rode down Edgemont’s dusty but interesting main street. There was a place called the Victory Steakhouse and little else open that afternoon. Near to the motel were two gas stations with some groceries and food as a sideline but I had little appetite for reconstituted gas station pizza, roller dogs or whatever they served at the Fresh Start Casino and Cafe. A short walk with some music courtesy of the Fall River County Fair took me back to 2nd Avenue, the Victory Steakhouse & Lounge and my best meal of the trip; Thick juicy steak, salad bar and fries. All a calorie burning old guy could want with a lot of friendly folks to make the experience complete.
One last interesting fact about Edgemont: If you are looking for a place to wait out Armageddon or the zombie apocalypse, you may want to plan a visit. Just south of town sits an 18 square mile compound formerly know as the Fort Igloo Munitions Depot. Inside are 575 hardened concrete bunkers now owned by the California survival company Vivos, comprising Vivos xPoint “the largest survival community on Earth.” For as little as $7,500 (US) down you can have your own, personal bolt hole if you are willing to share some space with others. Or you can spring for a $25,000 down and $1000 per year personal cavern rated to withstand a 500,000 pound blast or brain eating hoards. While you are waiting for the feces to hit the fan, you can relax in this vacation mecca and have a great steak dinner at the Victory Steakhouse. Hurry, these babies are going fast!
