D1 Lead to Pringle

Day 1 Lead to Pringle

Ride Video

The Hitchrail in Pringle is awesome! It just seemed like your average small town bar and grill, but you walk in and feel instantly welcome. It's Friday evening and it seems like the whole town is here. I went in to buy some bottled water and stayed for dinner. The place where I'm going to pitch my tent is just outside of town. A guy at the bar says there a good spots. It might be getting dark by the time dinner is done, but absorbing the good vibes is worth it. 

The day kicked off in Lead with me tossing my bike box in the dumpster behind the Town Hall Inn. Then there was fiddling with my front rack and my warped brake rotor. I left town at 8:06 with brief stop to grab a croissant at the Rustic Nook Bakery. 

(Setting off!)

Once on the trail I immediately met Craig Kerry, a retired engineer who does trail patrol. They have a trail patrol. Craig's ridden a lot of rail trails, including the Cascades to Palouse to the Beverly Bridge. We rode about 5 miles chatting. 

(Craig)

The trail itself is amazing rolling up and down gently graded hills through pine covered hills with grassy valleys. There's a lot of gates because there are a lot of cows. In nearly hit a black Angus standing on the trail in a deep shadow!

After parts ways with Craig, I had the trail to myself until the first tunnel when I spotted a fellow cyclist coming the opposite way. We chatted. He was road tripping from St. Louis. After that the flood gates opened. Cyclists were everywhere. The way the trail is set up it's easy to do day trips on a rental. One couple were finishing leading a bike tour for Rhodes Scholars! 

The only thing breaking my reverie was my still rubbing brake. It started going "ting, ting, ting". I'd stop to futz with it until a cool guy at a trailhead on a motorcycle offered to help. He improved it enough to the point it made a gentle, "tsk, tsk, tsk". I googled for a bike shop. I learned in the Black Hills that's a motorbike shop, but I found an acoustic bike shop in Hill City. Alas, when I got there the mechanic was gone. He had to pick up his daughter at school. Where are his priorities when I need to be served! Bummed, I tried a bike rental place. They had no mechanic, but found a brake rotor truing tool! Using it, I got rid of the last "tsk". It's still not perfect, but it's quiet.

(Helpful bike rental shop)

After lunch in Hill City I climbed a long hill with a peek at the Crazy Horse monument at the top. The weather was iffy so I snapped a pic from the trail and rode down into Custer. I found a place to buy organic figs and rode the last thirteen miles to Pringle where I planned to camp in Forest Service land just outside of town. 


Pringle boasts a cool bike sculpture. The story I heard was that the sculpture is a regular Jane who had a couple of junky bikes in her yard. The mayor complained and she responded by adding more bikes until you get the pictured.


I stopped in Pringle's only bar/restaurant, the Hitchrail to by bottled water for my dry camp. It seemed like the whole town was there. It was like a big Cheers except for being in rural South Dakota. I was warmly welcomed by a couple guys nursing their Coors. They told me where to find a good camp spot. The place was so fun I stayed for dinner. Went I left there was a guy showing off his DIY flamethrower. Pringle.


Just before dark I headed a mile or so down the trail, found a spot and tucked in for the night. 





Comments

  1. DebbieOctober 26, 2023 at 9:07 PM

    Wow, that is a serious flamethrower! I guess regular flamethrowers weren't powerful enough for Pringle-guy! And I love the story of the sculpture. What a fun day!

    ReplyDelete

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