STURGIS...........ARE WE THERE YET?

sure you don’t get run down by a buffalo while you decide to stop to take a picture of one, it’s feeding the burrows on the side of the road in the wildlife loop of Custer State Park, it’s seeing those family vacationers who have no idea what “Sturgis” is and they look like a deer in headlights when they first see all the motorcycles, It’ the night time life when it gets a lot more crazy, it’s history, it’s the beauty, it’s everything.

The rally spans from Wall, South Dakota to Hewlett, Wyoming and everywhere in between; Rapid City, Custer, Hill City, Keystone, Deadwood, Lead, Sturgis, and you can even find Nemo.

So, you see, everything that I have described to you is what I’ve experienced; what I’ve felt. It might be different for you or your neighbor.

Let me break it down a bit further for you newbies.

The rally offers a guidebook that breaks it out into 3 zones: Sturgis Zone, Bear Butte Zone, and the Black Hills Zone.

The Sturgis Zone is all of the activity in the actual town of Sturgis, 90 percent of the vendors are set up along Main St and Lazalle St. respectively. Both run about six or seven city blocks. This acts as the primary hub of the rally. Main Street is where no cars are allows and the “Gauntlet” is set up. It is the general gathering place to “shop ‘til you drop”, grab a cold beer at anyone of the many bars or taverns, or simply rest from a hard day of riding and enjoy the spectacles of the weird, wacky wonders of the rally. It’s a great place for people and bike watching. This zone also provides all the motocross and hill climb races.

The Bear Butte Zone, just east of the city of Sturgis is where the rally holds its major concerts. The Buffalo Chip and Rockin' the Rally are the two main venues for the concerts. Performers at these concerts have included

Tom Petty, Keith Urban and Kid Rock. This zone is also known for having rowdy campgrounds and for hosting entertainment shows close to where the campgrounds are so that attendees can consume alcohol but not have to ride their bikes to the shows. The Bear Butte zone hosts motorcycle and car drag races during the week as well.

In addition to the concerts, many bikers come to the rally for the scenic rides, which are found in the Black Hills Zone. This area of South Dakota and Wyoming includes Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands and several monuments including the Crazy Horse Monument and Mount Rushmore. This area of the Sturgis rally is quieter and more secluded than the other two zones.

Motorcycle hill climbs are also part of the rally, where bikers compete by racing their bikes up steep inclines. The rally also hosts the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building, a favorite event among attendees. So, for bikers who are looking for more than just scenic rides, the Sturgis rally provides a full array of entertainment that could rival Las Vegas.

Despite all the concerts, famous performers, bike shows and scenic rides, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is also well-known for its surrounding culture. Besides the bikes, the rally's party atmosphere is a huge part of the yearly gathering.

The rally has its fair share of contests and pageants for women, which are not to be confused with the pageants most people might think of. Some unofficial events at the rally consist of women riding around showing off their bikes and their bodies. Partial nudity at the rally events and particularly at the campgrounds is not uncommon. Although some of the campsites near Sturgis are quiet and secluded, most are known for their parties. Downtown Sturgis remains strict with its laws about indecent exposure, but many attendees push the limits of the law throughout the week.

Biker bars are also a big part of the rally culture. Most of them offer live music and a few even have burnout pits for some tire smoking fun. Some of the bars are large enough for bikers to ride their motorcycles into and most have various forms of entertainment, too. Almost all of the bars feature live music, and some, like the Full Throttle Saloon, have hosted professional performers like Lil Jon and Molly Hatchet, for instance.

Although the Sturgis Rally atmosphere may not necessarily be suited for everyone, there are a wide range of people who attend the event. Doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, hardcore bikers and those just looking for a good time are all drawn to the events and culture of Sturgis.

The next time you what to take a ride on the wild side, mark your calendar for the first full week of August that precedes the first full weekend. That way you will always know when to start planning your Sturgis vacation year after year after year. “Hey…….is it Sturgis yet?” You know the drill!