Fat Tire Festival comes to the Black Hills

Mountain biking fans looking for a new destination to ride should set their sights on the Black HIlls of South Dakota at the end of May. The scenic, and historic, Rapid City area will serve as the host of a unique and action filled weekend, running the 28th through the 31st, which will include a variety of races, live music, barbecue, and much more.

The 4th annual Black Hills Fat Tire Festival will feature more than 30 different rides and six races that will appeal to riders of all ages and skill levels. Those races include the Cowboy Hill Sprint Climb, which will test the riders’ legs against the surrounding Black Hills and the Fat Tire Trail Challenge which will put all of their riding skills to the test.

The weekend isn’t just about the rides and races however, as there are a host of other activities on tap as well. Those activities include a bike swap to raise funds for local trails, a geocaching scavenger hunt, a pub crawl, and film festival with categories such as “The Big Dawg” and “Best Crash”. The entire weekend wraps up with an awards ceremony that includes live bands and real western barbecue on Sunday.

For a full weekend of events in the amazing Black Hills, plan on hitting Rapid City and the Black Hills Fat Tire Festival at the end of May. Whether you’re planning on riding or just coming to enjoy the show, you’re sure to have a great time.

Sanford’s Grub & Pub – Rapid City, SD



Once departing Keystone, SD me and my travel pal found ourselves in Rapid City searching for something to do and more so something to eat. I stopped at a Best Western to see what recommendations their front desk staff had and they pointed out Deadwood, but it was in the opposite direction and I’m not a big gambler. I moved onto my second favorite subject: FOOD. “Where’s the best place to grab some lunch in town?” I asked. Without batting his eyes the hefty guy behind the counter whipped out a map and directed me to Sanford’s Grub & Pub. So Sanford’s it was!

We arrived right as lunch was beginning and in good time too. The parking lot was empty when we pulled up, but it only took minutes from the time we were seated to see the big lunch crowd pouring in. I could keep this real simple, short and sweet and just tell you that at Sanford’s – everything is good. That the service is good, the atmosphere is awesome, prices are mid-range and the food is fantastic, but that would keep me from babbling about everything else that’s finger-lickin’ cool about the place. Let’s start with my very first impression of the spot. Cluttered and decorated from ceiling to floor practically, the place certainly isn’t lacking character. There are license plates, parking meters, neon signs aglow and thing-a-ma-jigs everywhere. In the front near the bar you can take a seat in the palm of a hand as the entire area has seats that are hands or you can head further inside for something slightly traditional. (Stools and chairs.) I didn’t count to check for accuracy, but I’m told there are 300 some TV’s in the building with various programming to watch should it tickle your fancy. I didn’t watch TV and I didn’t watch my appetite – I watched my food.

Start with an appetizer if you’re super hungry. We ordered fried stuffed jalepeños with cream cheese and they were AMAZING! My friends said they were some of the best he had ever eaten and I agree, though I’d never had them before. I went on to order the Gas Kap sandwich which was a chicken breast cooked in cajun spices topped with strips of sirloin and a side of slaw. D-LICIOUS. I think you guys understand where I’m going here. Head to Sandford’s when in Rapid City. They’re off the meter!

Sanford’s Grub & Pub is located at 306 7th Street, Rapid City, SD 57701. Ph. 605.721.1463