SideXSide Action - February 2008 - (Page 65)

*HISTORIC RIDE - BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA The commute the trees. Trying to get unstuck was a different story…They ended up getting out, but in the process they broke a tie rod and had to come back with the part the next day to do some quick trail repairs. Trail stories are the best! Sunday was the poker run and it was my turn to hit the trails. It was gorgeous day in the Black Hills and I was excited to start exploring the area. I rode shotgun with Andre from Trail Armor in his tricked-out RZR. We started with our first poker cards in the glove box and headed out… Amazing! Trees, rocks, ruts, brush, mud, streams, lakes, bridge crossings, and even a little asphalt. The trails were everything from easy, wide, logging roads to tight, rocky, uphills around trees. We started with some rocky but easy trails and then pushed the RZR’s later in the day with some steep rocky uphills. We continue to challenge these vehicles and they continue to perform beyond the drivers’ expectations! and a flushing toilet! (Yes girls, you know what I mean!) Momentum is key when traversing over high center objects. After our stomachs were full, we jumped back into the RZR and headed back to the Top 50 Rally Park. We certainly didn’t want to miss any of the evening events. The ride back was pretty uneventful and made me realize how close we were and how many great trails we were able to go on during the morning hours. As we approached the park, we headed straight to the tent to pull our final card of the poker hand. I pulled mine: trash, nothing to work with. But Andre had a great hand…and he eventually ended up having the best hand of the Poker Run. A great day, with an exciting ending! It was Dane’s and my first time in a RZR on the trails. We were very impressed with the function ability of it. Light, agile, quick, low. We did seem to hit a lot of rocks and had to pay particular attention to where we were driving because it was low to the ground, but it climbed every hill and went through every stream with no hesitation. We sure were able to get through a lot more spots that the wider units weren’t able to. We are both bigger people, so if elbowing your neighbor isn’t in your tolerance level while you are on the trail, then you might want to sit in one with your riding partner first. Overall, it is a great ride! Unfortunately, after two days on the trails, it was time to hit the asphalt again but we decided to break up our drive a bit. We left Monday morning and headed to Stergis, where there were only a half dozen Harleys and two Rhinos rolling down the main street. It is a quaint place, with the exception Stergis Bike Week where over 500,000 bikes roar through town. We just had to say that we had been there! Thank you high er ground clearance Prow ler! 64 SIDE X SIDE ACTION MAGAZINE On the trail with us was Reggie Johnson, whose Rhino we featured in the last issue as having the best set up for the Black Hills area. Also catching up to us in a Rhino 450 was Chris from the Moab UTV Rally. He made for some fun entertainment, especially when the mud puddles and water crossings were in our path. Our group of 10+ stopped for a late lunch at the Nemo Guest Ranch. As a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, and bar, it made for a great stop where we got some really good onion rings! Nothing better than a great trail ride, and then being able to pop out and have a cold drink, a good meal, On to Deadwood. We spent a good amount of time in the only legalized gambling town around. As with all of the small towns of the area, it offered a ton of history and old buildings. Gold, gambling, and gunpowder is what boosted this town more than 130 years ago, and it is gambling taxes that is now saving the antique hotels, brick-paved main street, vintage street lights, and old storefronts of this living gold camp where we even spotted a Ranger in a parking lot. The shooting of Wild Bill Hickok and the Trial of Jack McCall happened right in Deadwood. Several famous Deadwood residents are buried there, including Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock, and Potato Creek Johnny, just to name a few. For you history buffs, this is a sure stop on your list. The Black Hills area is packed with history and beauty on and off the road. We enjoyed the whole experience. We were the tourists where we actually fit in with our cameras hanging around our necks. And then we felt right at home back on the trails. Be sure to give yourself a couple of extra days when you go to the Black Hills riding area because you will want more once you get there! http://www.blackhillsutvrally.com http://www.independentcycleinc.com http://www.nps.gov/moru/ http://www.blackhills.com http://www.sidexsideaction.com/gallery http://WWW.SIDEXSIDEACTION.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SideXSide Action - February 2008

SideXSide Action - February 2008 Contents Mailbox News Tips & Tricks Rhino 700 YFI Join the Club Snowbound Fun Power Upgrade Camping Buyer's Guide Overcoming the Odds Product Reviews HID Light Shoot-Out Company Spotlight: John Deere History of the SXS History & A Ride Places to Ride WPSA Round 10 Clutching 101 New Product Section Calico To Laughlin Project Race Rhino: Final Chapter On the Go Photo

SideXSide Action - February 2008

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