Sturgis, SD

Sturgis, SD
Annually, I ride to Sturgis the first week of August for one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the world. It is always an incredible experience traveling by motorcycle and seeing old friends. I ride a 1999 Harley Davidson Softail (Night Train).

This year was the first year I didn’t catch any rain for the 426 mile trip. I meet up with people just like you and I, like John and Deb from MN who are farmers and Larrs who is a gravedigger (yep!) a real live gravedigger.

Sturgis, South Dakota is an amazing place for a small town of 50,000 in the Black Hills to host over 500,000 bikers in one week. There are several places of business that only open for one week during the rally. To name a few of my favorites: (and the name really says it all)

The Road Kill Café: This is a place you just have to stop by. The food is usually cold and is served on paper plates along with plastic silverware, but the name brings me back every time.

The Full Throttle Saloon: is one of the largest biker bars in the world where they let you ride your motorcycle inside the bar. This bar offers several live bands, naked bull riding and the best full on burnout competitions inside where I have watched people burn the back tires right off their bikes.

The Dungeon: is an underground bar where the patrons have /will remove their underwear right in front of you and hang it from the ceiling. There are also other things that occur down there, but I am trying to keep this clean.

Last, is the Broken Spoke: A really interesting biker bar as it has antique motorcycles throughout the bar, some dating back to the early 1900. I always like to stop by here to see the map they set up for everyone that visits from around the world. They encourage you to place a stickpin from where you have traveled. People come from all around the world (ie. Europe, Australia, Russia, China, etc.) Of course Colorado is the largest supporter of the Rally. So, the next time you are driving down the road and see a bike give them a little room, it could be me.

Chris Ex, Aug. 2009