A night in Sturgis

Sturgis is its own reality.  Kind of the nation’s biggest R rated state fair.  I am sure there are some X rated or illegal activities available if you were to look real hard but in general it is pretty harmless.  It is a huge commercial enterprise.  A way to separate a fool from his money?

 

 

They estimated over 700,000 people attended.  Short of the 1 million some had hoped for.

I headed downtown after getting set up at Hog Heaven. 

Traffic!  I have fucking traffic.  I ride across the country, through fantastic scenery, to get caught in wheel to wheel motorcycle traffic.  It is loud and crowded.  It takes me a half hour to get into the center of town.  Stop go, stop go.  The cops put up a stop sign on almost every block.  It is a battle to get into downtown.

Vendor after vendor is set up in every storefront and empty space.  Harley and Indian have huge areas and facilities to show off their products.  The car companies are also represented.

Most of the vendors are small.  I enjoy a gyro from one vendor. 

Lots of bars.  Some have nearly naked women to lure you in.  I was especially enticed by the topless women wearing only body paint.  Some of the bars are quite impressive.  Multiple stories, racy bartenders, and live music. 

 

I stop in and have a beer. 

I consider fighting the traffic and heading out to the bars on the outskirts like The Buffalo Chip or the Full Throttle Saloon.  Huge complexes. 

I am tired and decide it is not worth it.

 

Lost a Minnesotan

Went for a ride

And though of this quote:

It was a beautiful day.  I had the ipod plugged in and any problems disappeared.  I was caught in that fragment of time...


I do think a lot while riding but the motorcycle always brings me back to the present.  The present is a good place to be.


I treated myself to a Sue's Sinful Sunday.  It was a good day!

Thought for the day

Political thought for the day

Hog Heaven

$40 will get you into heaven for a night.  There is a discount if you stay for a week.  After a couple of weeks heaven closes and you must go to---somewhere else.  It is controlled access.  If you do not pay you do not get in. 

Hog Heaven is a compound for motorcyclists.  There are other bigger and more famous compounds such as the Buffalo Chip or Full Throttle Saloon.  They even made a reality TV show on the Full Throttle Saloon.  Those places have women dressed like the women in Hooters.  Hog Heaven does not.  You have to bring your own. 

There are hundreds of acres fields which have been converted to a camp ground.  There are areas for trailers, RVs and bike/tent  camping.  In the tent camping area it is essentially a free for all.  Find a spot and pitch your tent.  Park your bike next to the tent or somewhere close.    There are thousands of folks camping.

Everything you need is at Hog Heaven.  They have a main bar area with a band that plays until midnight.  They serve alcohol and food at the main bar. 

They have a couple of satellite bars with food.  A couple of shower houses with modern plumbing and portable toilets strategically placed around the camp. 

It is quite a sight.  Thousands of tents, trailers and motorcycles.

I feel like an outlier.  I ride a Honda.  95% of the bikes are Harleys.  Most folks come in a group of at least two.  I ride alone.  I have earned some respect.  When people hear how far I have traveled and the places I rode to, they realize that I am a bit serious about this riding thing.   

I pick a flat spot near another Goldwing with a Minnesota license plate and set up camp. 

I chat with the man from Minnesota.  He has brought his eleven year old son along.  He has towed a small camping trailer behind his Honda.  He is here for the week.  We have a beer with another couple.

It will be an interesting night.  I get my scouting report and head off to Sturgis. 

The Walk of Shame completed, the adventure continues

The Ranchester Wyoming walk of shame has been completed.  The adventure must continue.

Next on the adventure is the famous or infamous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Black Hills.

Sturgis is a small town on I-90 that has been having a motorcycle rally for 75 years.  It happens the first week of August every year.  The expectation is that anywhere between 600,000 and 1 million motorcyclists would attend the 75^th anniversary rally. 

I have never been to a giant motorcycle rally.  As a kid I recall seeing packs of motorcycles heading west on I-90.  I have seen packs and riders along my trip.  I have been through Sturgis on non-bike week.  It is on many a bucket list.

Reviews are somewhat mixed.  It is known as a wild and decadent place.  Some people go every year. It is their vacation.   Others have attended and suggest that I ride right on by. I need to make my own evaluation. 

So I cross the great plains of Wyoming and South Dakota.  I head for the Deadwood exit.  I need gas again.  I am a bit more sensitive to this whole gas thing.  Thousands of bikes on the road.  Many more bikes than cars.  It is crawling with motorcycles.  Nice roads, but it is ridiculously congested. 

I want to explore but now it is time for my next trick, I need a place to lay my head down.  It has been a long day.  I motel is out of the question.  I do not intend to pitch my tent in the dark. 

I head for Sturgis, a short ride from Deadwood.  I see people camped out along the way in people’s lawns and some smaller campgrounds.  I do not find what I am looking for.

On the South side of I-90 I see a sign for Hog Heaven.  I have found a home for the night.