<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2GcTns_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2GcTns_1Ezf5PcL00" width="1680" height="1120" ><figcaption>Spearfish native Jon Pochop pumps his fist in the opening miles of the 26th-annual Dakota Five-O bike race Sunday, Sept. 6. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>SPEARFISH, S.D. — For nearly 30 years, Spearfish’s Dakota Five-O has fostered a strong cycling culture in the Black Hills, cultivating a dedicated community along the trail.On Sunday, Sept. 6, the city’s annual Bike Week reached its grand finale as 800 cyclists departed from Spearfish’s City Park for 50 miles of mountain biking thrills. As founder Perry Jewett put it, some are there to win it, others just to survive it, yet everyone is there to celebrate cycling in the Black Hills."Cycling is very big in this community. I think we've helped spur that," Jewett said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0AaJ8M_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0AaJ8M_1Ezf5PcL00" width="1680" height="1038" ><figcaption>Dakota Five-O founder Perry Jewett readies the crowd at the start of the race. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>Jewett, a longtime mountain bike lover, began building trails in 1993. At the time, his goal was to link existing trails together for increased riding range for him and his friends. Then, in 1998, he realized the connected trails would make for a perfect loop race, leading to the Dakota Five-O’s debut in 2001.Now in its 26th year, the event brings cyclists from all over the country to enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills."It's huge here because the Black Hills are super unique. There's a lot of nice places, and this is one of them. When I go to world-class venues to ride and my mind's blown, I come back here, and I'm like, oh, we've got it good here," Jewett said.He referred to the bubbling excitement surrounding the event as “Five-O fever,” and when he called out to the post-race crowd asking if they’d contracted it, he was met with a cascade of whoops and hollers.“It’s highly contagious,” he noted. "A lot of people come here and watch and then want to be part of it because of the enthusiasm, the community that supports it, the volunteers and the amount of love that's poured into this event."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3YJVl4_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3YJVl4_1Ezf5PcL00" width="660" height="880" ><figcaption>A cyclist throws up the peace sign as he ventures through the Dakota Five-O trail Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>Perry added that many veterans of the sport who have raced for 30-plus years have told him it's their favorite 50-mile course."That's awesome. That's kind of the air beneath my wings when I'm tired, just to hear those stories and how much it's appreciated, so that keeps us going," Jewett said.The course itself is managed by the Ridge Riders Train Foundation, a local nonprofit where Jewett and others work to maintain Spearfish’s many biking and hiking trails.Riders ranged in age from 11 to 72, and while most are in standard cycling attire, others add to the festiveness with creative outfits. The standout from this year’s race was a pair of men dressed as Batman and Robin who completed the course on a tandem bike.Jewett’s wife Kristi said she feels privileged to live in Spearfish and have a city that offers them “top notch support.” She added that the race’s turnout and hype level is always impressive.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=36kNcK_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=36kNcK_1Ezf5PcL00" width="1680" height="1328" ><figcaption>Badman and Robin take off from Spearfish City Park on a tandem bike. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>"We used to let in 700 riders, and it was out within five, 10 minutes. We decided to let in another 100 riders, so we capped it at 800, and it still sells out in right around a day," she said.Many return year after year as an annual tradition, and several riders described it as a sort of racing reunion, with old friends reconnecting as well as fresh bonds being forged on the course."I have some friends that say it's better than Christmas because you see all your friends you only see once a year," Spearfish cyclist Phil Jagelski said.Jagelski, who completed the race for the sixth time, added that every year makes new memories that last well beyond the finish line.Leif Halverson, a friend of Jagelski’s and first-time Five-O fever patient, described how the infectious energy of the event is reflected by the people involved."I feel like my friends brought me out here. It’s just a strong community of people getting the stoke up," Halverson said. "To be able to kind of join that collective feels great. I feel like finding my way into this group of people or this community has been awesome."While the Five-O is the main event, the action lasted the entire previous week with bike-themed crafting events, community rides, scavenger hunts and local concerts. This culminated in Friday’s Five-O pre-party, which featured a stacked Strider bike race for attending children aged 1-6.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2ZLIAb_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ZLIAb_1Ezf5PcL00" width="660" height="880" ><figcaption>Ezra Ackerman, 3, cruises to victory in the Strider bike race at the Dakota Five-O pre-party Friday, Sept. 4. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>John Williams, a 10-year Five-O veteran and owner of Spearfish’s Leones’ Creamery, led the Strider race, saying it’s a great way to inspire the next generation of cyclists."Perry always says they're the future of the sport, and it truly is. There have literally been kids that are now racing that were doing these Strider races," Williams said.As a local business owner, Williams explained Bike Week is one of their busiest of the year. He added that Spearfish has fully embraced the Five-O as an area staple."It's kind of a celebration of Spearfish in general, not only our community, but all the great trails that we have and continue to keep building. We have a lot of great momentum in our community now,” Williams said. "It's exciting to see it go off and hear of the people that travel from all over the U.S. to come and ride in this event, and they all always have great things to say."Chelsee Pummel of Bozeman, Montana, who won the overall women’s category for the second year in a row, praised the race for its stellar scenery and competitive edge.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2GrGL0_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2GrGL0_1Ezf5PcL00" width="1680" height="1118" ><figcaption>Chelsee Pummel of Bozeman, Montana stands atop the podium as the winner of the overall women's category of the Dakota Five-O. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>"It's a fun course that's challenging but not overwhelming," Pummel said. "Perry does a great job putting on such a fun weekend of racing.”It was a similar story from Trevor Rockwell, a Sioux Falls resident and winner of the men’s single-speed category, who marked his 16th year attending the race. Single-speed bikes offer a unique challenge as they have only one gear ratio and no gear shifters.Rockwell said the atmosphere of the Five-O is unmatched, and that he loves the event’s emphasis on family and the youth. He added he now brings his daughter to watch the race, hoping to plant the seed of future interest."When we first started coming here, it wasn't as many young kids, and now you got high schoolers, you got young kids, and that makes it special," he noted.Rockwell explained how his mountain biking journey began after his running career came to an end. He picked up the habit after recovering from an injury and has been a dedicated enthusiast ever since."The cycling community is just my life," Rockwell said. "Biking is a part of every day. Every day, there's training or I take my family on a ride. Biking is just part of living."<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0hn2wd_1Ezf5PcL00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0hn2wd_1Ezf5PcL00" width="1680" height="1152" ><figcaption>A cyclist high fives the crowd as she prepares to cross the finish line at the Dakota Five-O. Zac Zwaschka / Forum Communications</figcaption></figure>For Jewett, these are the reactions he loves to hear. He described looking back on the Five-O’s 26-year success story as a surreal feeling, but that he’ll never stop pushing to improve it. He thanked every attendee, volunteer and sponsor for their support along with the cycling community making it all “magic.”"I'm just super proud of what Spearfish has helped me create," Jewett said.</div></body>

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SPEARFISH, S.D. — For nearly 30 years, Spearfish’s Dakota Five-O has fostered a strong cycling culture in the Black Hills, cultivating a dedicated community along the trail. On Sunday, Sept. 6, the city’s annual Bike Week reached its grand finale as 800 cyclists departed from Spearfish’s City Park...

Spearfish comes down with full-blown 'Five-O fever'

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SPEARFISH, S.D. — For nearly 30 years, Spearfish’s Dakota Five-O has fostered a strong cycling culture in the Black Hills, cultivating a dedicated communit

Spearfish comes down with full-blown 'Five-O fever'

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