George Michelson Bike Packing
George Michelson
Bike Packing
July 2018
The Mickelson Trail, in South Dakota, was originally the Burlington Northern line that carried trains from Edgemont to the northern Black Hills and the gold mines of the Deadwood area. The trail meanders through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. The original track was built in 9 months and 22 days, and was abandoned in 1983. With the support of Governor George Mickelson, a group of outdoor enthusiasts converted the length and it became the state's first rails to trails project.
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Grace and Bryan started in Edgemont SD at the trailhead and headed to Deadwood SD as the final desitination of 109 miles. They used a trail guide to plan the trip!
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The first day was tough. It was uphill and they had more than they needed in their packs. Unfortuntaely after a long day of battling the hills and miles, the highly desired rest at the campsite, which they had reserved, was a complete bust. It was abandandoned!
