August 2025 Bike Adventures

Riding Through Wonder: Bicycling the Mickelson Trail in August 2025

Each month, I set out on a new adventure—not for the medals, not for the miles—but for the experience. During August 2025, I’ll be l pedaling up and down the legendary George S. Mickelson Trail, a 109-mile ribbon of crushed limestone that winds through the heart of South Dakota’s Black Hills.

And what a great ride it is.

The Mickelson Trail is more than a rail trail, it’s a journey through time and terrain. Built on an old railroad bed, it’s a gently graded, soul-stirring ride past ponderosa pine forests, sweeping meadows, towering granite outcrops, and over 100 converted railroad bridges and four rock tunnels. Every turn reveals something new, a herd of deer grazing at dawn, a breeze whispering through aspens, the quiet hum of your tires on the gravel reminding you: you’re here, fully present, fully alive.

August is a perfect time to ride. The mornings are crisp. The wildflowers still dance in the sun. And the summer crowds thin just enough to let the solitude sink in. From Deadwood to Edgemont, every mile offers a blend of challenge, calm, and awe.

What I love about adventures like this isn’t just the movement—it’s the mindset that’s required to complete the daily rides. It’s waking up and choosing adventure over routine. Choosing effort over ease. It’s remembering that fitness isn’t just about reps or races, it’s about what your body can carry you through. And most importantly, it’s about joy.

So here’s to the Mickelson Trail, a ride worth taking, a memory worth making, and another chapter in a life built on motion, curiosity, and courage.

See you next month on more adventure rides on trails in Kansas, Colorado and Iowa.