Black Hills BDRX

[eemsreno]

I rode out to the Black Hills to do some camping, then right before I left I put the BDRX tracks on my GPS just in case I could check it out. If I had it to do over I would have reduced my load. I really didn't start getting ready till the night before.
So when I got out near the Hills I had to call my wife and have her look up where I was supposed to start on the BDRX and what direction to go on it. They recommend going counterclockwise and there is a steep rocky downhill on section 2 over west of Castle Peak that probably would put a stop to going clockwise.
On the way out I set up camp on the rim of the Bad Lands for the first night.

The next morning I rode to Keystone for the start of the X
The BDRX was very nice riding from the start with perfect weather.

I met a couple guys on the trail from Colorado and rode with them for the rest of section 1.

Then we ran into two guys from Minnesota that I would run into again later and ended up camping with and riding the first part of section 2 with.

From Nemo to Spearfish the BDRX was pretty lame , All the rest of the X was much better, and I'm ready to go back.
The Colorado guys were getting a motel in Spearfish so I road through the canyon to find a campground I wanted to see again.

My wife and I camped right here 44 years ago on our honeymoon riding the XS1100.
That evening the two Tiger 800 guys rode in and camped next to me.

It stormed a lot through the night, but the X was still pretty good riding the next day.

Then the Tigers headed west over to Devils Tower so we parted ways.

 

[gapmtn1]

If I had it to do over I would have reduced my load.

Nice report! As a serial overpacker, curious what you would have jettisoned.

 

[eemsreno]

There is a lot of this on the trail and one huge mudhole I came up to covered bank to bank so I went right through. When my muffler went under and sounded like a boat motor I knew it was getting deep.

That night near the end on section 2 I just camped in the forest. It rained all night long.

I stilled tried to ride section 3 the next morning but most of it was unrideable.

When I rode into Custer, I found a carwash and that was the end of mudding for me.
On the way home I rode highway 2 in Nebraska and camped at the National Forest, $7.50 with great showers.

I wanted to try a different route through Nebraska so at Burwell I headed east on 91. What a great surprise, So secluded with no traffic and very scenic.

The rain made me cut off some, but I still seen enough that I want to go back and ride the whole thing. The grandkids and all of us are planning a vacation in Colorado dirt biking so it might have to wait till this fall.
Thanks for viewing.
Steve

 

[eemsreno]

Nice report! As a serial overpacker, curious what you would have jettisoned.

I have camped off of dirt bikes in Colorado with almost no luggage capacity, so I know it's possible. I needed to just lay everything out and cut it in half.

 

[Chav]

I’m planning on trying an easier section this summer 2 up. Sounds like the first section is the easiest.
Also I’ve been trying to convince the guys I ride with to take rt2 through Nebraska for 3 years and now I heard you like it I’m going to just go and they can find there own way lol.

 

[eemsreno]

I’m planning on trying an easier section this summer 2 up. Sounds like the first section is the easiest.
Also I’ve been trying to convince the guys I ride with to take rt2 through Nebraska for 3 years and now I heard you like it I’m going to just go and they can find there own way lol.

Section 1 was the easiest but it might not look like it for the first half. The 790 rider went down on a rocky up hill and was pretty sore. I'm wanting to get my wife to ride with me around some of it.
Highway 2 in Nebraska is very nice for the plains. I80 is completely out of control with traffic, I would avoid that at all costs.

 

[Chav]

Section 1 was the easiest but it might not look like it for the first half. The 790 rider went down on a rocky up hill and was pretty sore. I'm wanting to get my wife to ride with me around some of it.
Highway 2 in Nebraska is very nice for the plains. I80 is completely out of control with traffic, I would avoid that at all costs.

We avoid 80 until we get back to the IL IA border. We zip across 90. I have much more slow paced and exploring style of riding but the guys I take this trip with every year live to ride the interstate so I’m trying to get them out of their comfort zone.
The wife is an excellent pillion as she has done about 99% of the miles I’ve done over the last 10 years and a lot of those on very different machines that required determination lol. I have been taking her on rougher terrain recently to open up exploring roads out in the area.