The weather was beautiful in the Black Hills yesterday, so my wife and I went for a bike ride. We bought some mountain bikes a few weeks ago – my grand scheme for getting into shape a little bit – and we hadn’t gotten a chance to use them yet. It was really a lot of fun. I haven’t ridden a bicycle since college, and I was pleased to learn I hadn’t forgotten.

On the other hand, I discovered that I’m horribly out of shape. We’d barely gone a couple blocks before I needed a rest. I make myself feel better by noting it was uphill, but it wasn’t exactly Ben Nevis or anything. I claimed I needed a picture break, so I snapped this shot of my gorgeous gal being cute on her set of wheels. I think she was busy feeling bad about my huffing and puffing.

Actually, it wasn’t so bad from there on out. We rode another mile or two, looping through our neighborhood and onto a gravel road that led into the forest. It was really pretty, with the hills as a backdrop and the fresh, warm air. I kicked myself for not getting a better picture.

For a visitor, heading out on a couple of mountain bikes into the Black Hills is a great idea for a romantic afternoon – or for a big family excursion, if that fits the bill. If you can’t bring your own bikes, there are several rental options, including Two Wheeler Dealer in Rapid City and Deadwood Bicycles in, uh, Deadwood. Where you head from there is the fun part. Our ride yesterday made me realize that just about anywhere you go is going to be an adventure. When my wife and I started down that rural road next to our neighborhood yesterday, it reminded me of a bike ride I took in Italy when I was in college, on Sardinia. One afternoon I just grabbed a bike and started riding out into the rural ranches and farms. I didn’t use any designated bike trails, but that was the point. The only other people I saw were locals. It was a great way to see the countryside.

The Black Hills can be the same way. You can ride almost anywhere you’d like, and any locals you meet are often more than happy to tell you about the surrounding country. In fact, they’re usually so proud you might get more than you bargained for…