Sturgis. A small, nondescript town located in the southwest corner of South Dakota. Population is about 6,400 souls. But during one week in August each year the population swells to over 500,000 as over 300,000 motorcycles congregate for the biggest bike-week in the land.
Like many towns laid out in the plains, Sturgis' streets are aligned East-West, and North-South. Route-34 is the main east-west road and Junction Avenue is the main north-south. Main Street, parallel to and just south of Rt-34 is only about a half-mile long. This really is a small town.
Map of Sturgis, SD
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is now in its 70th year. It's not the oldest rally in the country, (that would be Laconia, NH, which recently held it's 80th rally) but it's by far the largest and most famous. Most bikers (especially Harley-Davidson riders) feel compelled to make this pilgrimage at least once in their lives. For some, once is enough. For some Sturgis becomes their Mecca.
I've been to Sturgis only once before. Last year I rode from Pax River Naval Air Station, MD. Once at the rally I stayed in the lodge at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City (about 30-miles south of Sturgis). The room was nice. Especially with the exceptionally wet and wild weather that year (Baseball-sized hail for starters). But having to make that long drive home every night really cut into my ability to party and partying is a major part of the Sturgis Experience.
This year I would be staying at "The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground." That in itself would be an experience. I would travel from Boca Chica NAS (Key West) to Sturgis and back. I would make a stop at Deals Gap, NC, once again to play on The Tail of The Dragon. Another reason to stop by there was to see my lady, Barbara. She was going to meet me at the campground and ride the around Smoky Mountains with me for a few days.
I would also stop by Kansas City to visit my daughter, Michelle. It seems I only get to see her when I'm passing through her town. Fortunately, in the past year I've stopped by three times now. Almost wearing out my welcome when compared to years past.
After Bike Week in Sturgis I would ride to Las Vegas to visit my two sisters, Tammy and Nancy, before riding back to Key Wst along the Gulf Coasts of Texas, Louisianna, Alabama, and Florida.
The route would look like this:
My route to Sturgis and back
NOTE: This is just a screen shot from Google Earth. I've uploaded the complete route file. If you want to examine it in your own copy of Google Earth you can download my trip data here: Download my GPS Track for Google Earth. Downloading the file would allow you to zoom in and see every little wiggle in the road, every stop for fuel, and every missed turn as recorded in the GPS tracks.
Traveling on a bike is unlike traveling by car in several ways. The main difference is that one will invariably get wet at some point. Another difference is in how much stuff you can take along. I was carrying clothing, tent, sleeping bag, tools, etc. There was no room for a computer yet I wanted to stay connected to my social network. I had only my sometimes-not-so-smart smart-phone to check the weather, keep up with news, update my Facebook page and keep my friends and family informed as to my progress. I used an HTC phone on the Sprint network. It worked well enough.
Reading back through those Facebook entries I see they are verbal snapshots of my trip. Together they make a pretty good summary of each day's activities. Some of those entries are included here in bold-italics paragraphs starting with "FB." They look like this:
FB: Departed a couple of hours ago en route to Sturgis, SD .
Bike has its usual heavy load of cargo.
July 29 at 11:43am
So let's start with that; my departure from Key West.
I've taken quite a few road trips on this bike and I've developed a pretty standard load plan. My pack (containing clothing) go/es over my sissy-bar and sets on the luggage rack. My tent sets over one saddle bag and my ground pad and camp chair sets on the other. Those two bundles are tied together with cord running over the seat. My sleeping bag and extra helmet ride on the passenger seat and are secured with an elastic cargo net.
Once I get my backpack packed, loading up the bike takes only a few minutes. The camping gear stays assembled and ready in my dock box so I just carry it out and strap it on.
The motorcycle is a 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom Classic (FLHRCI), fuel-injected, red in color. I bought it 15-months ago from a dealing in Tampa, FL, on eBay. Since then I've put over 30,000 miles on it while riding across the country 4 times.
My Road King
I woke up a little late in the day on the 29th and didn't leave until almost 10am. I had a long run for the first leg of the trip.
I ran up the east coast of Florida on US-1 and then I-95. The ride from Key West to Miami is pretty. But I've done it so many, many times that it's getting a bit tedious. US-1 runs through the keys as a mostly two-lane, 55-mph highway. Many long bridges span the channels and cuts between the keys and the views can be stunning. But after you've seen it 10-times you just want to get to Miami where the road turns north (rather than east). Only then, when I'm heading north past Miami, do I feel as though I'm making progress.
I planned on making it all the way to St Augustine, FL, that first day; a distance of almost 400 miles. My very good boat buddies, Dennis and Bettye of s/v Son of a Sailor, will feed me and give me a place to rest whenever I pass through. These are great friends that I wish I could see more of. It's so nice to have friends scattered about the country.
The ride north was pretty uneventful. Which is good. I wanted to make some serious time on this leg so I stuck to I-95 most of the way. The weather cooperated and I didn't have any rain. But I knew that wouldn't last.
I had to call Dennis to get his address again. While I'd been there before and I knew where his housing development was the exact house number escaped me. When I came rolling in he and Bettye were there to greet me. Once my bike was in his garage Dennis remarked on the lack of tread on my back tire.
The back tire on my bike. I really shouldn't have been riding on it at all.
Dennis and Bettye are bikers as well as boaters. Well, They ride BMW's and I'm not sure they are actually called 'bikers.' Beemer-riders might have a special name for themselves.
I knew the rear was a getting bald. But I also thought that maybe it would last till I got to Sturgis. There I might be able to get a better deal on a new tire. I guess I hadn't really looked at the tire in a while. But now I could see that it would be foolish to try to ride a couple more thousand miles on what was actually a pretty bald tire. Especially since I was heading over to the Tail of the Dragon for some serious riding.
So I called the St Augustine Harley-Davidson dealer and found that he did, in fact, have the replacement tire for me and would be able to service me first thing in the morning. HD is always good about providing service for 'travelers.' They take us right in, stop work on other bikes, and work hard to get us on the road again. The St Augustine dealer was no exception. Thanks, guys.
I made plans to stop by there on the way out of town. It would be the first of several unintended stops along the way.
FB: Had a lovely dinner with Dennis and Bettye (s/v Son of a Sailor) is St Augustine. Leaving in the morning. Noticed my bike desperately needs a new back tire.
July 29 at 10:15pm
Last time I visited Dennis and Bettye I actually stayed a day and help with some of their boat chores. This time I was just a freeloader. I came, I ate their food, I drank their booze, I watched their TV, I slept, I left. (Thanks again, guys. Love you.)
Bettye and Dennis fixed a nice breakfast and then patted me on the head, kicked me in the butt, and sent me down the road.
FB: is sipping coffee at the St Augustine,FL, Harley-Davidson shop waiting for them to install a new rear tire.
July 30 at 9:14am
All of the remainder of that morning was spent hanging out at the local Harley-Davidson shop waiting for them to install the new tire, tube, and spoke-band, on my bike. They did a nice job and, really, I sort of expected them to take 2- to 3-hrs to do the work; which they did. They also did a nice job of washing it, something I had planned on doing somewhere down the road. The bill was in line with expectations, too: Just under $300.
I was on the road again just before noon. It was over 500-miles from St Augustine to Deals Gap and that's about the endurance limit for my butt. Because of the delay with the rear tire I would be arriving after dark. That worried me.
My favorite place to camp in the Deals Gap/Tail of the Dragon area is the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge and Campground. I've stayed there three times this year and on each visit I had no regrets. The owners are accommodating, the staff is attendant, the facilities are clean and far more than adequate, and the grounds are well-maintained. I was looking forward to returning.
This stay at thge Iron Horse would be even more special. I was to meet up with my girlfriend, Barbara. She lives in Charlotte and was driving to the campground to spend a few days with me. She was bringing a large tent, air mattress and other amenities that would make this stay at the campgrounds a little more comfortable than the previous ones. Of course her being there would make it nicer, too.
But the delay at the Harley shop for the tire had put be well behind schedule. Instead of arriving at about 5-pm I wouldn't get there till after dark. Barb didn't want to wait for me and then have to put the tent up in the dark. I was concerned that she would not be able to get the tent and camp setup by herself. She laughed. People always seem to scramble to help Barb do things and this was no exception. She had no trouble finding a few bikers to help put the tent up before I arrived.
Our little camp at the Iron Horse Campground
When I did finally arrive I found the camp setup and Barb being entertained by a bunch of bikers who, I think, were hoping I wouldn't show up at all. I was happy to spoil their fun.
FB: Cruising the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and visiting Barbara again for a few days. This the best riding on the East Coast.
Rode 511 miles from St Augustine, FL, yesterday. Installing a new Rear tire delayed my departure till noon. Didn't get here till after dark. Moonshiner Rt 28 north from Franklin is no road to run at night. Adventure like that I'll leave to those a bit more crazy than I
July 31 at 10:11am
The last hour or so my ride was way too exciting. The sun had set and the shadows on the road had deepened into pitch blackness. The road, however had not had the decency to straighten out. In fact it became more and more twisty as it followed a small creek through the mountains. The switchbacks as the road climbed over ridges seemed sharper as the sun set. The moonlight was blocked by the overhanging tree branches. The road ahead seemed to dance left and right in my headlight as I negotiated the curves, never giving any clue as to where it might go next.
This was the very twisty Rt-28 from Franklin north to Rt-74. Time and again I was surprised as headlights suddenly appeared out of nowhere, coming around a curve that I couldn't see. When the turns appeared out of the black I had to brake hard to get my speed down enough to make it around the turn. I found that I was actually happy to finally catch up to a car. Keeping a car in front of me for the final couple of miles gave me some warning of where the road was going. I used that car as an excuse for going slowly (it's sometimes hard to go slow on a motorcycle; ego being what it is).
I was also very much aware of the fact that I was riding through the deep woods of Appalachia. There are some serious critters out there. There are big animals that I might crash into killing them or me. And there are smaller ones which are very slippery when you ride over them. Even old road-kill can cause serious stability problems. And what was that banjo music I kept hearing...
Running this road at night is not something I want to repeat.
July 30-Aug 02 - Cruising around the Smoky Mountain National Park
Over the next several days Barb and I rode almost all the "official" rides in the area. These include the Tail of the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Moonshiner 28. Most were just plain fun. Some were amazing. And a couple were scary.
Some of the rides we took around the area of the Tail of the Dragon
For a printable map of the two-lane twisties in the area click here and go to TailofTheDragon.com.
The Dragon was much more crowded now that the rockslide has been cleared. For my first two visits here (back in June 2010) the Dragon was a dead end street. It was closed at the bridge, 12-miles north of Deals Gap Resort. You would just ride north from Rt 28 for 12 miles, and then turn around and ride south. You would find no one on the road but road-race enthusiasts: Bikers and drivers. The road being closed was no big deal for the enthusiasts. Even when the road was open they would only ride the 11-mile stretch up to the scenic overlook and turn around for the return trip. But the lack of through traffic for the past year or so was a godsend.
But now the road was open all the way through to Maryville and we had to put up with general traffic, pickup trucks hauling fishing boats, and a bunch of tourists in SUV's gawking at the scenery. The road has a 30-mph speed limit and that's enforced more by the nature of the road than by the THP. Although the Tennessee Highway Patrol is always there, watching, and ticketing. They sit at the turnouts and look down toward the next curve waiting for someone to come accellerating out of the turn. You hit over 40 and they will pounce.
Close-up of the Dragon showing where the old roadblock was. The "318 turns in 11 miles" that make up The Tail of the Dragon is to the southeast of that old roadblock down to Rt-28.
If you want a feel for the Dragon, I recommend this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nrMQ3Qwy
Another good video is this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqtdJKM5M
Maybe it was just the lack of traffic but I thought the ride down CR-1310 (Wayah Rd, from Topton to Franklin) was every bit as challenging/fun as the Dragon. But few enthusiasts seem to use the road and we saw only a couple of 'local' cars. It's also far longer than the Dragon. As an historic note, the locals say this was one of the main moonshine routes from Thunder Mountain down to Franklin. As I said before, I can't imagine running this road back in the 50's when it was just gravel and doing it at night with possibly the revenuers chasing you.
Most of the locals know we're here for the ride and most of them will pull over and wave you around at the first opportunity. Some visiting bikers might take a lesson from them.
The Cherohala Skyway is sort of a high-speed version of the Dragon and is a must-ride. From the Tail of the Dragon web site:
"The Cherohala Skyway was completed in the fall of 1996 after being under construction for some thirty-four years. It is North Carolina's most expensive highway carrying a price tag of $100,000,000. Winding up and over 5,400 foot mountains for 15 miles in North Carolina and descending another 21 miles into the deeply forested back country of Tennessee. The road crosses through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests thus the name "Chero...hala". The Skyway is becoming well known in motorcycling and sport scar circles for it's long, sweeping corners and scenic views.
This road enthusiast's dream connects Robbinsville, North Carolina with Tellico Plains, Tennessee. It can be desolate at night and extremely dangerous in the winter months. There are no facilities other than restrooms for the entire 36 miles so make sure you have enough gas to make the crossing. There is little evidence of civilization from views that rival or surpass any from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Also note that the highest point of the Skyway is over 5300-ft. Trust me, it gets cold up that high. More so when you've just ridden through the clouds and your skin and clothing are a little damp.
The Moonshiner 28 runs from Deals Gap south to just over the Georgia state line. But by far the most interesting section is that 20-mile snake just north of Franklin, NC. There is more to see than just a twisty road, too. For example there are three waterfalls which make for interesting photo-ops.
Barb at the waterfall on US-28, just north of Franklin, NC
While riding down a gentle section of this road I gave the Barb the camera and asked her to film the experience. She made this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJdPknzK
FB: rode the dragon two-up. then over to the Cherohala. Heavy rain at the top of the dragon. bought a new (dry) T-shirt at the HD shop there. Summit of the Cherohala Skyway (5390 ft) was COLD. Today the Moonshine 28 to Franklin. Love these roads.
August 1 at 9:56am
Barb and I rode the Dragon from south to north. The Iron Horse campground being about 30 miles east of the south end on Rt-28. As before I found that 30-mile stretch of Rt-28 to be a good warm-up for a run up the Dragon. I think the biggest difference between riding the Dragon two-up and a solo run is that breaking takes much more time/effort. Acceleration on a Road King being nothing to write home about even in the best of situations, I found little difference there.
At the "Tree of Shame" located at the south end of The Dragon. Here is a collection of junked parts from bikes that didn't make it.
We stopped at the bridge 12-miles north of US-28 to talk about the ride and for me to catch my breath. We had had a nice, cool, dry run up the Dragon. But now we saw clouds closing in. Other's who were stopped at the bridge saddled up and headed back south. We had intended to ride north and then west where we would take on the Cherohala Skyway. The clouds were getting darker with every passing minute. We decided to continue north as planned. Within a mile we were riding through a downpour of biblical proportions. The road was awash as the water poured off the hillside, across the roadway, and down to the river.
I knew there was a Harley shop near the junction of Rt 129 (the Dragon) and the Foothills Parkway. We made for that, thinking we would wait out the remainder of the storm there. We pulled in and found ourselves huddling on the porch with 20 other bikers.
The Harley shop just north of the Dragon on US-129. This picture taken on a sunnier day back in June.
Since I was soaked (and cold) I bought a new (dry) T-shirt. Barb, who had huddled behind me as we rode was not nearly as wet. We stayed till the rain stopped. It took a couple of hours. There was a snack stand next to the HD shop and we each had a hot dog while waiting. Finally we headed out again, only to hit a small patch of rain just a couple of miles up the road. After that we were fine.
We were fine, that is, until we got near the summit on the Cherohala Skyway. This road climbs to over 5300-ft. I was still a little damp from the rain and I was shivering in the cold as we rode. Barb was also in short sleeves and freezing her butt off. I kept telling her that we were almost at the summit and we sould stop there. But each turn showed more road and higher ridges.
We made the summit and stopped to 'warm up.' There were a bunch of cars and crotch rockets parked there. It was a memorial service for someone who had died and they were scattering ashes. Two of the guys came over to us and asked us to move since we were downwind of them. I think they just wanted us to leave entirely; which we did.
Once past the summit the road drops very quickly into the valley near Robbinsville. Down in the valley we were warm and comfortable again.
Most of these small two-lane roads followed streams through the mountains. I love these little creeks. It's nice to stop and cool your heels (and your toes) and sometimes to just sit quietly for a spell after the noise and excitement of riding hard. We found a place to pull over and explore a couple of these streams.
Barb trying to negotiate the wet rocks
We all come here to conquer the Dragon. The merchants know it. Every gas station and restaurant sells T-shirts and other souvenir items. Even the churches get into the act and recognize our penchant.
Me outside a church that welcomes "Dragonslayers"
Finally I had to get on the road again. I had reservations at the Buffalo Chip campgrounds outside of Sturgis and wanted to get there early to find a good spot to pitch my tent.
Barb and I broke camp and packed everything into her car. She headed east, back to Charlotte while I headed west, toward Sturgis
Aug 03-04 - Riding to Kansas City, KS
My daughter Michelle lives just outside of Kansas City in Olathe, KS. It's always nice to stop and visit. Olathe would be my next destination.
My route would take me once again over The Tail of the Dragon. Since I'd ridden it once with Barb, riding the Dragon with all my gear was only moderately interesting. Although I got some strange looks from the guys on crotch rockets. Before making my run I stopped at Deals Gap Resort to fuel up.
FB: [photo caption] Fueling up for my final ride on the Dragon as I leave NC. Sturgis-bound again.
August 3 at 11:12am
My bike fully laden, fueled up, and ready to run the Dragon one last time.
I rode about 300-miles and made camp just north of Nashville. I bought a six-pack of beer and spent the evening chatting with other biker-campers who were heading either to or from Sturgis. I was not surprised at the number of people already leaving Sturgis. They all said the same thing, "Need to get out of town before Bike Week."
My route to Kansas City.
FB: On the road heading west across MO towards my daughters house near Kansas City. After a brief visit there it's on to Sturgis.
August 4 at 12:40pm
The 4th was a very long day; almost 600-miles. But I made it to Michelle's without mishap. I did ride south off the main road to see a bit of the country. That cost me time but I was in no hurry. I rode west on US-50 for a bit. I'd ridden that route through Colorado and Utah when I moved my car from Cleveland to Vegas a couple of months ago. The road provides a glimps into the past and let's me see how we crossed America before the interstates were built. I like it. Of course there were lots and lots of small-town cops just waiting for the unwary traveller to not take that "Reduce Speed Ahead" sign seriously.
Aug 04-05 - Visiting with Daughter, Michelle
FB: Arrived safe and sound at Michelle's house on Olathe, KS. I'm hot, sunburned, tire, ears are ringing.... but at least I'm not in Missouri any more.
August 4 at 6:58pm
My daughter works for the city of Leewood, KS. She's a civil engineer and does whatever a city civil engineer does. She's been in Kansas ever since we got stationed there in about 1985. She was a kid then and eventurally graduated from high school while I was still stationed at Ft Leavenworth, KS. She went on to attend the University of Kansas, graduated, got married, and just stayed there.
My daughter, Michelle, and her husband, Richard, have lived in Kansas just about forever.
Michelle was in the process of putting a new floor in one of her bedrooms. So of course I helped.
Michelle on the first few sections of flooring
My MP3 player had gone bad. And I wanted some music to listen to on the bike. Michelle and I went down to the local Best Buy. She recommended a Sandisk Sansa since she had one and liked it. I looked at a 4GB version but wanted more music capacity. They had an 8GB version for about twice the price and I was about to buy it. Then Michelle walked over and picked up an 8GB MicroSD card that, together with the 4GB player cost a less than the 8GB version. So I walked out with an MP3 player and 12GB of storage. Good call, kid.
Many years ago I had acquired about 60,000 songs on a hard drive. Michelle had a copy of that drive so I used her computer to load up my new MP3 player. I loaded a bunch of my favorite artists that I thought would go well with riding down the highway.
That night I did my laundry, ate a bunch of their food, drank their beer, and in the morning I hit the road again.
Before I got on the freeway I stopped to get fuel and put in my earphones to listen to my new player. I turned it on and what's the first thing I hear? Yodelling! German Yodelling. Where the hell did that come from. I later checked Facebook and saw that my daughter Michelle had posted an entry saying, "Someone left their MP3 cord attached to my computer. I think they're just asking to have Yodel Attack (yes, it's just what it sounds like) copied to it...(August 6 at 12:22am)"
It was bad enough having Weird Al Yankovich on there. The Yodelling would have to go. At least she hadn't set it on "track/repeat."
Aug 06-07 - Riding from Kansas City to Sturgis, SD
FB: Two more days and I'll be in Sturgis again for the big bike rally. Leaving Kansas City today for points "North by Northwest."
August 6 at 9:13am
Two days of interstate with a night of camping brought me to Sturgis. Just north of Kansas City I hit a very bad rain squall. Enough to stop me a for a bit. I've been seeing many bikes heading east. But also many more making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
My route from Kansas City to Sturgis
FB: [photo caption] still about 300-mi from Sturgis. My camp is set up and I have a cold beer in my hand.... life is good... the sun is shining...and there was much rejoicing.
August 6 at 6:09pm
FB: Good riding north out of Kansas City. Just over the Iowa line I hit a bad rain squall. Lots of bikes heading east. But hundreds making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
August 6 at 6:14pm
On the 7th I cruised through town and headed east out to the Chip.
I was booked at The Buffalo Chip Campground from Aug 07-15. I had bought my ticket way back in May and paid $300. That got me a place to pitch my tent and access to two concerts a day for the whole week. Concerts included Bob Dylan, Drowning Pool, Tesla, ZZ Top, Ozzy Ozbourne, Motley Crue, The Guess Who, Disturbed, BuckCherry, Kid Rock, and others.
The Buffalo Chip
I had not stayed at the Chip before and was not sure what to expect. I was not disappointed in either my expectations or my dreads. Yes, there were some 80,000 bikers camped there. And, yes, there was a huge amphitheater with bike parking right up against the stage. And, yes, it was very dusty and noisy. And, yes, the sanitation facilities left a bit to be desired.
But the concerts were very well done. The swimming hole was fun. The off-stage entertainment was great. And for a few dollars extra you could take a shower in a very nice facility.
On of the problems with staying at The Chip was that no matter when you headed to town, it took 40-minutes to travel that 3-mile stretch of road. Sometimes we spent 15-minutes just trying to get out of the campground and onto the highway (Rt-34). It was a combination of congestion and stop signs. Between The Chip (a couple of miles east of town) and the west side of town there were no fewer than 12 stops. They were either traffic lights or stop signs; mostly signs. That and the 35 mph speed limit makes for a ride that is tedious at best and damned frustrating most of the time. And you had better not speed. I think every cop in the state was in that town. And you really couldn't dive down to a side street until you were past most of the congestion.
But, hey, this is STURGIS. We're here for the EVENT. And it's always an event. The heat, the dust, the traffic, the rain... it's all part of the event.
Aug 07-15 STURGIS
FB: Ahhh, Sturgis. Nowhere will you find a larger collection of women who once were beautiful.
August 7 at 5:14pm
I got to the Chip and looked for a place to pitch my tent. I was there a bit early but there were already tens of thousands of bikers there. I saw a large, flat, open area off to my right as I rode down Main Street. It looked sort of like an undeveloped housing development. "Roads" were little more than beat-down paths in the prairie grass. Dust was rising into the air as vehicles ran up and down between the RV's and tents. Few trees and therefore very little shade. The heat and the dust made most of those open areas untennable.
As I passed the swimming hole (Bikini Beach) and turned left toward the amphitheater I saw a little cul-de-sac off to the right; sort of behind the swimming hole. There were a couple of tents down there so I turned in. There was an embankment with a fence on top that walled off the swimming hole. But there were shade trees at the swimming hole and they cast a long shadow over the embankment and into this little community. I tucked in close along the embankment and put up my tent. Being off the main road meant less traffic, less noise, less dust. Being in the shade meant good naps in the afternoon. Being right next to the swimming hole, with its bar and bands, meant I had a short walk to a fun spot. Being close to the amphitheater meant, well, I was close to the amphitheater. Also, right across the street was one of the very few permanent toilets (they flush and everything!).
My little neighborhood behind the swimming hole at The Buffalo Chip. You can see my red Road King peaking out from behind my blue-topped tent in the lower center of the picture. I'm standing on the embankment with the swimming hole behind me.
The next morning I discovered some folks who didn't even bother putting up tents.
Next to my cul-de-sac, some folks just slept on the ground.
I was quite pleased with myself and things were looking good.
With my campsite established I headed downtown and started looking at T-shirts (you have to buy at least three, ya know?) and getting a feel for the bars. Sturgis is all about Bars, Beer, Boobs, and Bikes (not in any particular order, there). Oh, and buying stuff. And one of the things we buy are T-shirts. They start off at about 3 for $30. Late in the week they drop to 3 for $25. As I left town on the 15th, they were going for 12 for $20.
Sturgis was what Sturgis always is: hundreds of thousands of bikes and every size and shape of rider you can imagine. So many women who are beautiful; or once were.
Eventually I ended up at the west end of town at McDonalds where I was having lunch. While there I received a phone call from my old buddy, Bob.
My Buddy Bob
I had met Bob during Daytona Bike week earlier in the year. We were camped next to each other at the Moonshine Campground and hit it off pretty well. He's a truck driver from Ohio. We have been Facebook buddies since Daytona and I knew he would be here. Well, Bob was camped down in the sunny, dusty, noisy, flats. We got together, he saw where I was, and eventually he moved over to my neighborhood.
Bob and I quickly fell into a routine. One of us would get up at about 7 am. Go get coffee and then wake up the other. We'd chat and come up with a place to have breakfast (Sturgis, Rapid City, Spearfish, Deadwood, etc) and a ride for the day. Then we'd try to execute that plan. We would always get back to the Chip in time for a little rest followed by a walk over to the amphitheater for the nightly concerts.
Bob coming to get me in the morning
Sturgis has a set of rides that one must do. These all involve seeing the main sights in the area: Rushmore, Devils Tower, Crazy Horse, Badlands.
This brings me to the single most frustrating thing about Sturgis: You can't ride anywhere! Everywhere you go, you no sooner get on a rode with some good turns, sights, hills, whatever, and Bam! You catch up with a stick of 10 to 20 bikes. These are sometimes organized groups and sometimes just an ad hoc collection. But invariably they are traveling 5 mph below the posted limits because someone in the group can't ride a Harley in anything but a straight line. Speed limit is 40, they are going 35, they come to a curve and they slow to 25. People: Ride it or Park it!
Sometimes I treat that double-yellow line as "advisory" in nature. I start to pass them, one by one. They usually don't like that for some reason. I guess they think they get extra points for blocking me. Frustrating as hell.
For that reason alone if I come back to Sturgis it will be right at the end of Bike Week. Everyone will be leaving, the roads will be clear, the T-shirts will be cheap, life will be calm.
[...turning down flame... stepping off the soapbox...]
I didn't go on any long rides right away. I just cruised the town and went back to the Buffalo Chip to see the concerts. The concerts were all at the amphitheater in the Chip. It's a big stage with a big lot for the audiance. You just pull your bike up there and hang out. Or if you walk in, you stand around.
The amphitheater and grounds at the Chip
FB: Drinking heavily at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. Waiting for tonight's concerts: Bob Dylan and Kid Rock. yeah, I'm having fun this week.
August 10 at 8:09pm
While waiting for the concerts the pole dancers caught my eye.
This girl was a remarkably talented dancer. And hot, too.
FB: Tesla was rocking when the wind came up and knocked over the amps, the backdrop, the drums. The swaying light trusses forced them to quit the stage. Bummer.
August 8 at 1:20am
Tesla was playing at the amphitheater when the wind came up and knocked over the amps, then the backdrop, and finally the drums. But it was the wildly swaying light trusses that finally forced them to quit the stage. The crowd was calm and at about midnight Tesla came back on and finished their set. I don't think the crowd was any smaller. These are some crazy folks.
FB: Midnight at The Chip and Tesla is back on stage to finish their show. This place is crazy.
August 8 at 2:04am
Hanging out in the amphitheater with Bob
The next day (Aug 8) Bob and I went for a ride down to Mount Rushmore. I've seen it before and sure, it's impressive. But for me it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. Maybe it's just the distance, maybe it's because I've seen it in pictures so many times, who knows. But I was never all that impressed with these guys heads carved into a mountain. Yeah, I know it's an amazing engineering feat and all that. But still...
Me at the entrance to the park
The first glimpse of Mt Rushmore happens about here, and it looks like this
After Rushmore we headed north to Deadwood because it was well past beer-thirty. Along the way we stopped at this little roadside museum/snack shack named Boondock's. I had been here last year (I had taken a picture of me with a big hotdog). This time I found my favorite lady, Betty Boop, and just had to say, "Hi."
Me and my Betty Boop
Deadwood is my kind of town. I know it's all touristy and stuff but I still like the 'Old West' atmosphere it tries to portray. Bartenders are all happy that you made the trip out to see them and there are friendly folk everywhere.
Bob and I flirted with a couple of the bartenders while having a couple of beers just to fortify us for the ride back to Sturgis.
Two of our favorite bartenders in Deadwood.
After a couple of beers, Bob and I headed back to Sturgis. There we had a couple more beers and flirted with a few more bartenders and servers. Here are a some of my favorites:
More of our favorite bartenders and servers
FB: I just bumped into Vinnie of Orange County Choppers fame.
August 11 at 9:30pm
I was walking from the latrine back to my tent when I was walked past Vinnie and Cody of Orange County Choppers. Later I saw Mikie and Paul, jr. Mike was getting a fake tattoo and Paul was just hanging out. There was a camera crew following them while they strolled around the campground and made comments.
The main drag in Sturgis is nothing but a big bike parking lot. Thousands of bikes parked along the curbs with a double-row down the middle of the street. All that parking space and you are still hard-pressed to find a spot. I found the easiest place to find a parking space was on the side streets (usually around 1st or 2nd street north of the main drag).
Main road in Sturgis. 4-rows of bikes down the entire street
FB: At the Loud American Bar, Sturgis, SD, listening to a great (but loud) no-name band. And, yes, I AM wearing my ear-plugs. [Later found out the band was Judd Hoos]
August 12 at 2:43am
OK, this is the boobies section.
Sturgis is a pretty open town, sort of like my home town of Key West. As long as you follow the rules you can have a good time. Part of that good time is looking at babes without a lot of clothing on.
I just can't help snapping a picture or two to share with my friends who couldn't make it. These are provided in no particular order and without comment.
Some are better than others, there's no accounting for taste, to each his own, your mileage may vary, etc...
But some things are just plain wrong. Such as:
One day Bob and I were leaving the Chip to have breakfast and head out for one of the standard 'must-do' rides. We had decided to go to Spearfish for breakfast which is about 20-miles NW of Sturgis. Bob's bike was parked right next to his tent, as was mine. We fire up our hogs and head out. After the standard, long, slow ride through town we hit the highway and had a fast ride up to Spearfish. There we enjoyed a really nice breakfast at a nice non-chain restaurant.
So there we are, this is no shit.... We finish breakfast and go out to our bikes. I fire mine up and back out of the parking space. I look over at Bob and see that the lights on his bike are flashing. "What's that all about, Bob?" I ask. Did I mention that bob has a relatively new bike? He bought a Street Glide while we were at Daytona Beach for Bike Week earlier in the year. This new-fangled bike has a buttonless key fob with a proximity security function. It works like this: If the fob is within a few feet of the bike, the fob deactivates the security system and the bike will start normally. If the fob is NOT within a few feet of the bike and you try to start it, or even move it, the alarm goes off and the bike will not start.
Bob's fob was 25-miles away... back at the Buffalo Chip... in his tent.
It seems that when we left the Chip the bike was parked close enough to the tent for the fob to disable the security system. Bob just turned the key, fired up the bike and rode off. But now the fob was 25-miles away. Bob turned the key on. The alarm activated. The lights flashed. The security system was essentially saying, "Where's the fob, Bob?"
Being the good buddy I am I gave Bob a ride back to the Chip. This marks the first time that I've ever had a guy ride bitch on this bike. We rode all the way back to the Chip and to his tent. Going through town, in all that stop-and-go traffic, I felt about as uncool as I ever have. I don't know what Bob was feeling but at least he wasn't sniffing my neck (reference here to the movie, "Wild Hogs"). We got to our tents, he got his fob and we rode all the way through town, again, with Bob riding bitch, back to Spearfish.
Bob felt really bad about this whole thing. But, hell. Shit happens.
I later learned that there is a work-around for this problem. All we had to have done to just be on our way was to enter the 'override' code. The bike comes with a factory/standard code programmed in. The new owner is supposed to enter his own code when he buys the bike. Then, if the fob is missing or malfunctions, or in your tent 25-miles away, you just hit the turn signal switches in a special, magical, mystical sequence (something like L,L,R,L,R) and then enter your code and the security system is deactivated. If only Bob had read the book (or had it with him so I could have read it) we could have saved a couple of hours.
By the time we did all that running around it was too late for the ride we had planned so we just went back to Sturgis and drank.
And that's not a bad thing to do at Sturgis, either.
There are some very curious folks here at Sturgis. And there are many, many young ladies that try very hard to catch your eye. They do that with provocative clothing or none at all. Some are booth babes hawking wares, some are just babes being cool. They know how to work what they have. But some biker babes can catch your eye without trying at all. This young lady had just hopped off her bike and was simply walking by. She caused my head to swivel. Just a beautiful biker-babe living the life. So very cool.
Fellow biker walking through the Chip.
If you are even a little outgoing and enjoy talking to strangers you can meet some beautiful people at Sturgis. For example Donna and Dan from New York. Bob and I stopped in a little bar on a side street and found ourselves sharing a table with them. A few words between us and we were all buddies. They were fun folks with more smiles per minute than I've seen in a long time. It didn't hurt that Donna had a wonderful rack.
Donna and Dan, new friends from New York
Of course, not everyone is beautiful on the outside. I suppose they are beautiful on the inside, though. Some people you just know you shouldn't try to talk to.
Really concentrating on that camera
FB: Visiting Deadwood one last time bidding the barmaids goodbye. Now back to the Buffalo Chip to catch the Doobie Bros.
August 14 at 6:16pm
More rides, more beer, more concerts, more walking around look at bikes, talking about bikes, buying parts for bikes. Sturgis was good. And at the end of each day we were at the Chip, in the amphitheater, watching rock concerts.
Waiting for the nightly concert
Bob Dylan at the Chip
Speaking of buying parts, one of the parts I bought was just a small, flat piece of metal. It was a throttle lock lever that fits over the throttle locking thumbscrew on underside of the right handgrip. I was walking through a bunch a vendors when I saw this item. The young lady at the booth asked if I wanted a demonstration. Sure, I said, why not? She went through the sales pitch with practiced ease. I suggested that my bike's thumbscrew may need to turn more that the one she had as a demo. She said, "Well, if it requires more than a quarter-turn then you have a plastic friction shoe in the grip. Just replace it with one of our metal shoes and yours will work like this one." I suggested that she was very knowledgeable about the product. I asked if she worked for the company that makes the device or if she was "just a booth-babe."
"Nope, I'm just a booth-babe," she said. "But I've been going through this demonstration all week." So I bought the little device and she threw in the metal friction shoe for free. I later installed it and was pleasantly surprised at how nicely it worked.
On top of being well versed in the product, she was very cute in a nice, wholesome way. Very much like most of the booth-babes weren't.
Cute little booth-babe that sold me my throttle lock.
FB: Standing in line at the camp latrine.
August 12 at 9:34am
I have mentioned that the road from the Chip to Sturgis, while short, was very congested. There is a back way out of the Chip that is never congested. It's a road that runs from the Chip east then south to I-90 Exit 55, near Rapid City. The only problem with this road is that it is gravel. Loose gravel. Slippery, slidy gravel.
Bob catching up with me on the gravel road leading out of the back of the Chip
I was able to run about 40 mph over this road. Loose gravel isn't too bad if you pay attention, try to avoid the thick areas, and drive at a reasonable speed. Bob didn't like it at all. We took this way out only once. Oh, and both you and your bike get very, very dusty. At the south end of the gravel road we stopped and dusted off the bikes. Hard to be cool with a dusty bike.
FB: Paid $7 for my first real shower in a week (that 'real biker' enough, Bettye?). Time to start drinking the day away. I think the concert tonight is Ozzie Osbourn.
August 12 at 3:13pm
Showers at the chip take two forms. For the standard camping fee you get access to the 'public' showers. The public showers leave a lot to be desired. But there's a private company the brings in trailers that contain nice, flush toilets and very nice sets of showers. But they charge $7. That gives you one shower and unlimited use of the toilets for a full day. I can usually get by with a box of baby-wipes for several days. They clean you up pretty good. But eventually everybody needs to stand under a stream of hot water.
After my shower I rode back to my tent to get ready for the daily ride. I look up to see a guy riding by completely naked. Obviously he didn't want to put his dirty clothes back on. Why he didn't carry clean clothes to the showers remained an unanswered question.
One of the rides I had not taken before was the one that goes over to the Crazy Horse Memorial. The monument is being built without federal funding and is essentially the work of a single family. There have been offers but the family doing the work has refused. This is a true grassroots effort. As such it's way behind schedule. That knowledge made the token entry fee much more palatable.
Inside the main welcome center they show a very informative video depicting the history of the endeavor. There is also a museum that includes the local Indian culture and photo's of the slow and not-so-steady progress on the monument.
The view from the main visitor center
The same view but with a statue of the completed project in the foreground
I rode south from the Crazy Horse monument to the town of Custer, SD. This is a very small town that trys to get a piece of the bike-week-pie by setting up 'center-of-the-road' bike parking on its main street and hosting several vendors in its parking lots.
The main road in the small town of Custer, SD. Sort of a very, very, mini Sturgis.
From Custer I road north to Sylvan Lake and turned right onto Rt-87, aka: Needles Highway. The park service charges $10 per motorcycle to ride through this little stretch of twisty highway. The sights are fabulous and the road is fun to ride. Even at the slow, parade-like speed one is forced into during bike week congestion.
A few of the Needles of Needle's Highway.
Once through the park I could see storm clouds to the southeast of me. I was racing southeast on 87, then east on 16, then north on 79 to Rapid City. I could see lightening and hear the thunder as I made my way east. It was at the intersection of 16 and 79 that the rain and I collided. There's a small bar on the south side of that intersection. I noted a few bikes parked out front and thought for a moment that I should stop in for a beer and some camaraderie. The storm would pass and I would then ride home in comfort. I'm not sure why I didn't do that.
The rain had just started to fall. But it was those big, juicy drops that hit with a resounding splat! I sat at that corner and weighed my options. I looked back over my right shoulder and saw the bar: beer, bikes, babes. I looked right and saw the entire southern sky black with clouds. The gray rain reduced visibility to about a half-mile. The lightening was fierce. And I looked to the left, north toward Rapid City and saw nothing but blue sky. I was starting to get wet. I turned north and accelerated toward the light.
Within a few minutes I was out of the rain. I slowed as I watched the stom disapear in my mirrors.
On the way through Sturgis enroute to the Chip I stopped at the big tent of the Mustang Motorcycle Seat Company. My current seat is an after-market seat sold by HD named the "Sundowner Deep Bucket Seat." It's a very good seat. Fits my butt quite nicely. But it is starting to show signs of age and wear. Some of the decorative basket weave is cracking and the padding has seen better days. I'm starting to feel the seat-pan after a couple of hours in the saddle.
I parked outside the tent and walked in to see what a Mustang seat would cost. Just curious, you know? The salesman comes up and asks what kind of seat I'm looking for. I explain that I'm just curious about what a new seat would cost. He brings out a seat that he says will fit my bike. "Feel this one. What do you think?" he asks. I explain that I can't really tell without sitting on it but that I'd heard good things about Mustang seats. "Roll your bike over here into our installation bay, he says with just a bit too much enthusiasm, "and we'll slap this seat on your bike so you can see what it really feels like." I say, no, I'm not buying right now. He persists, "Try it out anyway." So I do.
His man comes over with the long screwdriver just right for taking the back seat bolt off a Harley and before I know it my old seat is on the ground and a brand new Mustang seat is in place. 'These guys have done this before,' think I.
"Just climb up and sit down," the salesman says. He holds the bike upright so I can sit on the seat with my feet up in the proper riding position. I said something about it being a good hard seat. He says, "We prefer the term firm." Yes, it's very firm and very comfortable. I can see that it would be great on long rides (like the one from here back to Key West). I say I like it but really don't want to buy it right now. He says it's a Sturgis Rally special deal and it's only $450. I ask him to put my seat back on, which he does. I tell him I'll probably put my bike away for a couple of years while I do some serious sailing. He agrees that maybe I should wait until I get back to replace the seat. We chat a bit more and I ride off.
A week later I'd be in Las Vegas and at the Harley-Davidson shop. I asked about the replacement seat and found it cost $350. I decide that I don't really need a new seat right now.
Three weeks later I'd be riding across Texas squirming around trying to get comfortable thinking, 'I sure wish I had bought a new seat.'
One of the last rides Bob and I took was out to see Devil's Tower. The ride took us into Wyoming and made for the furthest point north on this trip. Of all the monuments and natural wonders I've seen to date, Devil's Tower was by far the most awesome. I just stared at it in wonder. Now, I understand what it is; I understand how it was formed and all that. But still I found it to be completely captivating.
This is the first view of the Tower. It's still very far off but even at this distance it's very impressive.
Pictures can't capture the majesty of the thing. At least mine don't. And since this place was featured in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" this makes one more movie set that I've visited this year.
At the trading post (souvenir shop) just outside the entrance to the park.
As with most of the federally managed parks, there is a fee to get any closer than this. That's why these pictures are from outside the gate. Some of the use fees I've bumped into include:
Mt Rushmore costs $10 to park at the visitor center. It's a big monument. Easily seen from the road.
Needles Highway cost $10 just to drive down the road. No way around this one.
Grand Canyon costs $25 per car. Actually worth it.
Lake Mead costs $20 per car. No fee if you arrive after dark and swimming in the moonlight can be fun.
Four Corners Monument: $3 per person.
With a little bit of zoom you start to get a sense of this amazing natural structure.
FB: Heading back to the campground. The concerts tonight feature Disturbed, and Scorpions. Definitely gonna need ear plugs.
August 13 at 6:17pm
Bob and I cruised back to Sturgis for our daily drive through town. Sturgis, once you park your bike, is like a big outdoor mall. There are millions... well, hundreds at least, of stalls selling T-shirts. Most of the stalls sell the same shirts and they all have the same prices (3 for $30). The raunchy theme from last year (69th annual rally, with the appropriate cartoon) was carried forward with this year's "69+1 There's always room for one more." It was the same cartoon with another woman walking up to the featured couple.
Always an interesting place to visit in Sturgis is Bourgets Bike Works. I like their style of custom bikes and watching them being built.
Bourgets Bike Works bikes are on display and for sale ($30K - $80K)
FB: At the concert. On the live web cam at http://www.buffalochip.com/MEDIAVIDEO/W
I'm way back on the right. See me?
August 13 at 11:33pm
One of the options for breakfast inside the Buffalo Chip campground is this little greasy spoon. The food was certainly cheap and actually not bad.
I asked, "What's for breakfast?" and he did his best Vanna White imitation.
Breakfast in the Chip.
FB: I've just heard that Guns N' Roses (playing at one of the other venues here in Sturgis) didn't show up on stage till after 2 AM. Many folks gave up and left.
August 14 at 8:09pm
Back at the Chip more concerts.
Waiting for the music to start. Bob and I did a lot of this. But it was a nice way to end a long day of riding and buying stuff.
I mentioned that I was camped directly behind the swimming hole (aka: Bikini Beach). The beach has it's own stage and some top-notch entertainment. They also have some bad entertainment. There was of course the Karaoke afternoons that made me want to pull my hair out. There was also some sort of vampish burlesque where the girls could neither dance nor sing. But they also had some excellent groups playing.
One of the best was The Iron Cowgirl, Missy Covill She's a beautiful and talented young lady who plays guitar, writes songs, sings beautifully, and rides her own bike. You just can't wish for more than that. I would wander over from my tent each afternoon that she was playing at the swimming hole. Her original works were exceptional.
One night in the Amphitheater I happened to have to good fortune of meeting her and bending her ear for a moment. She's as sweet in person as she is on stage.
Near the end of the week Bob and I were riding out toward the exit for the Chip to get in line (did I mention there was always a line of bikes and trucks leaving the Chip?) when I noticed my steering felt a little sluggish. Heavy might be a better word. Near the exit to the campground I looked down and saw that my front tire was just about flat. I happened to be stopped directly in front of a vendor that had setup a bike shop on the Buffalo Chip grounds. I wheeled it in and they took a look. Well, they took my credit card first with an estimate of what a new tube would cost, plus labor. It came to about $90.
So they put my baby up on the rack and pulled the font tire. The mechanic was very efficient. From the stack of old tires out back I could tell they had done this many time in the past week. Once he busted the tire off the rim he came out to show it to me. "Ask Santa Clause to bring you a new set of rims for Christmas," he said. The spoked rim was all rusty on the inside. He said he couldn't find any penetration of the tire and assumed that the rust, which also encrusted the tube where it touched the rim, had abraded the tube to the point that it was perforated. "Bouncing around on these dirt roads would have dislodged the rust flakes. You'll find that the tube probably leaks all around the inside of the tube," he said.
My bike up on the rack with the front wheel off
So he took a wire wheel and buffed the rust off the inside of the rim. He smeared a bit of grease on the rim to slow down the rusting and lube the tube. He then put on a new tube and spoke band and reassembled everything.
I just had a new back tire put on in St Augustine. I'll bet that rear rim is also rusty on the inside and I'll bet that the guy at the Harley shop didn't go the extra mile and wire brush the rust off. So I expect the rear tire to go flat sometime soon.
There was nothing in the tire or tube except rust. The mechanic took a wire brush to the inside of the rim and smeared a bit of grease in there to slow down the rusting. He found that the tube had been punctured by the rust flakes. So, an hour and $100 later I was on my way again.
FB: Awoke to rain; first rain in over a week. Also first morning without the sound of motorcycle engines revving. Strangely silent.
August 14 at 8:12am
The campground has been hot and dusty all week. Today it rained. It rained all morning. This was good for dust control. It also kept a lot of the bike noise down. People just moped around.... quietly. It was a nice, quiet morning. I walked to the coffee stand in the amphitheater for my morning coffee and had a nice chat with the lady there.
FB: The rain has let up. A quiet morning at the.Chip. cool today with a high of 73. Getting ready to leave in the morning. Concert tonight is The Doobie Brothers.
August 14 at 11:20am
The last day in Sturgis was pretty low-key. Bob and I went to town and did the usual walking around, looking at bikes and babes and drinking beer. The roads were clogged with RV's and trucks with bike trailers heading out. Many of the bikes on the road were heavily laden with luggage and people were calling it 'finished' and going home.
I couldn't help but think that this might be the perfect time to arrive. Sure, you would have missed the concerts. And, sure, a lot of the hot babes would be gone. But I was here about half a week late last year and I had a great time. The bars stay open for a week or so after the official end of the rally and the vendors had everything priced to sell. I'm not just talking about T-shirts here. I mean parts and services, too.
The city of Sturgis collected about $500,000 in sales tax and vendor fees. The state also collected almost $500,000 in sales tax. Neighboring cities also made out on this.
There were surprisingly few arrests for significant violations of the law. In all, lots of people spent lots of money in Sturgis this year.
FB: Said goodbye to Bob, the Buffalo Chip Campground, Sturgis, and South Dakota this morning. On the road again heading to Las Vegas.
Continued in Part 2
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