On day 3 we all got up around 6, had breakfast, and broke camp. We rode up the goat trail to Trinity lookout (9500'), which was technically a side spur to the route but not to be missed.
The trail was treating us really well and we were making good time. We were on Middle Fork Rd approaching Barber Flat when we came up on a Sheriff's truck partially blocking the road. There were two mountain bikers standing there and an SUV upside down in the river. Sadly, the two occupants didn't make it. One of the bikers had tried to get them out but it was too late.
About halfway up Barber Flat my brother noticed that his dry bag had fallen off. It had his sleeping bag, toiletries, hoodie, and other misc items in it. Jerod and I were both following him and never saw it so now we were on the hunt for a replacement sleeping bag before nightfall. We were hoping to score one in Lowman but kept running into big orange signs telling us that highway 21 was closed. Unfortunately they didn't say where. We should have just ignored them since we later learned that the closure was in Garden Valley and nowhere near our route. We wasted a lot of time trying to find workarounds before just charging through. We eventually got to Sourdough Lodge for fuel and lunch. It was much better food and service than when I was there last year. They didn't have a sleeping bag though. Last ditch was the Mercantile where we got their only one.
We hit gravel again and set our sights on Deadwood Reservoir. The early evening swim was welcome.
The morning of day 4 we stopped in Yellowpine. The general store had no fuel but the Corner Bar did. It was $10/gal.
What followed was a lot of steep, dusty trail to Warren...for more $10 gas. We stopped in the Baum Shelter for a late lunch, and it was much better than anticipated.
I was trailboss after we left Warren. We encountered a couple very rude (not just clueless or inconsiderate) locals near Burgdorf. One actually tried to run us off the road. A little ways further down the road I surprised a Sherrif on a blind corner. He was going much, much faster than me. I went around before he knew how to feel about it. Then he got mad and screamed at the other guys as they caught up. Oops.
Quick stop at the famous green bus.
We made a wrong turn and found this old Chevy in the woods. Too bad we were off course because it was a really fun single track.
There is a bunch of elevation change in this portion. French Creek Grade is famous for a reason.
Elk City was our goal for the night and we just made it.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FzXP4vXWB%2F20230718-083400.jpg&hash=35ca9c9f6fca2a628f2345a67cba5ae2)
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FRhhXxKgT%2F20230718-085130.jpg&hash=5713f1066c5f81379402420c5a9b5b54)
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FC59HytBF%2F20230718-090954.jpg&hash=a9aeaed9a2cd2b4f440584e3274b5533)
The trail was treating us really well and we were making good time. We were on Middle Fork Rd approaching Barber Flat when we came up on a Sheriff's truck partially blocking the road. There were two mountain bikers standing there and an SUV upside down in the river. Sadly, the two occupants didn't make it. One of the bikers had tried to get them out but it was too late.
About halfway up Barber Flat my brother noticed that his dry bag had fallen off. It had his sleeping bag, toiletries, hoodie, and other misc items in it. Jerod and I were both following him and never saw it so now we were on the hunt for a replacement sleeping bag before nightfall. We were hoping to score one in Lowman but kept running into big orange signs telling us that highway 21 was closed. Unfortunately they didn't say where. We should have just ignored them since we later learned that the closure was in Garden Valley and nowhere near our route. We wasted a lot of time trying to find workarounds before just charging through. We eventually got to Sourdough Lodge for fuel and lunch. It was much better food and service than when I was there last year. They didn't have a sleeping bag though. Last ditch was the Mercantile where we got their only one.
We hit gravel again and set our sights on Deadwood Reservoir. The early evening swim was welcome.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FHLQ6HpdV%2F20230719-062400.jpg&hash=c224546650a12ad6937df8a082a8287c)
The morning of day 4 we stopped in Yellowpine. The general store had no fuel but the Corner Bar did. It was $10/gal.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FJ79KyD0G%2F20230719-095111.jpg&hash=4f05c16620eed23d1c3f4ecdb8023754)
What followed was a lot of steep, dusty trail to Warren...for more $10 gas. We stopped in the Baum Shelter for a late lunch, and it was much better than anticipated.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FKY6472Mr%2F20230719-143158.jpg&hash=a295e5b51bd00c289e9ddcdd813b5583)
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FmDW2zyvm%2F20230719-141926.jpg&hash=3c39324fb28fcf389c87e3318532e4cf)
I was trailboss after we left Warren. We encountered a couple very rude (not just clueless or inconsiderate) locals near Burgdorf. One actually tried to run us off the road. A little ways further down the road I surprised a Sherrif on a blind corner. He was going much, much faster than me. I went around before he knew how to feel about it. Then he got mad and screamed at the other guys as they caught up. Oops.
Quick stop at the famous green bus.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FJzRVcMJb%2F20230719-144858.jpg&hash=540fed59bc852ef02d7e5b60082c2fc5)
We made a wrong turn and found this old Chevy in the woods. Too bad we were off course because it was a really fun single track.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FBbpfHLrb%2F20230719-173000.jpg&hash=d16fbcc330eff9b9f5bae8fc43b82699)
There is a bunch of elevation change in this portion. French Creek Grade is famous for a reason.
![](https://cdn-0.gbodyforum.com/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.postimg.cc%2FzDg7dHGH%2F20230719-150144.jpg&hash=9d53be80def3131dd7a1ca0487121dde)
Elk City was our goal for the night and we just made it.