Thank you and I appreciate your wishes. He is a Special Forces, Vietnam Vet and hard to the bone, therefore completely against trailers or anything that shows weakness. I am going back to his place this weekend and we are going to start planning our trip. I will definitely help him to consider the trailer.

 

Great two day ride from Seattle to The little big Horn in MT.

Got a cheap motel and would ride in from there.

Have not go in years. Cant see the road thru the line of RVs

 

The best part to me is the scenery. Riding the Black Hills is one of the aspects of Sturgis that really seperates it from the Daytonas of the world. If you party all night and sleep all day you're really missing out.

I generally devote a day to Mt Rushmore, Needles Hwy & Custer Park, then a day for "Wyoming Wednesday"--Devils Tower and Sundance, maybe Hulett. I reserve a day for Main Street and Spearfish Canyon, and I leave one day for when (not "if") it rains.

I save my partying for wherever I'm staying rather than in the the bars. With hundreds of thousands of bikes in a relatively small area, it really IS no place to ride impaired.

Now some "Sturgis 101"...

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Here's something I've never seen addressed, but should be--if you go with a group, make sure everyone understands before you leave home that EVERYONE IS FREE TO GO WHERE THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT. Setting that simple ground rule will prevent a lot of bitching, moaning and hard feelings. There's going to be SOMEBODY in the group who doesn't want to eat at Burger King. There's going to be SOMEBODY who doesn't want to ride because it's too cold/hot/windy/rainy. SOMEBODY will find your campground boring and somebody else will complain about the woman across the way who changes her clothes in plain sight. And SOMEBODY will get their nose out of joint and it will all be somebody ELSE'S fault! So take it from the voice of experience, make sure everyone agrees beforehand that biking is about freedom--everyone is responsible for their own good time.

Especially if your group includes women. Nuff said.
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On the m/c issue: don't worry about it. You're much more likely to see a bar fight break out than to get caught up in a club issue. You probably won't even see any patchholders unless you happen to stop by the HA store on Main Street. (And don't be afraid to go in there. If you've never met a 1%er face to face, you might be surprised to find that what you see isn't necessarily what you've heard.)

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At Sturgis, "campground" doesn't mean "campground" in the usual sense. There are no numbered spots, paved roads, picnic tables, etc. A rally campground is a field. Maybe it's been mowed. Maybe it has more trees than rocks. Maybe it's not on a hillside. Maybe "hot water" doesn't mean "heated water", but water in a storage tank sitting out in the sun. Don't just research the websites, talk to people who have been there. For instance...

My Buffalo Chip experience: I stayed there for the first and last time in 1998. Without going into the whole story, my impression was that they are much more interested in selling tickets to their concerts than any issues the campers might have. There was a lot of rain during the '98 rally and the Chip staff blocked campers from leaving so that we wouldn't rut up the road for those with new money waiting to get in. Someone ended up tearing down a fence in order for campers to get out of the campground.

 

thanks for all the replies folks, great info.

 

Getting there and riding the Black Hills. For me, Sturgis was more the trip than the destination. Rode with three other guys from VT.

 

Actually, these are the same guide. I just now purchased the one from the bufflo chip site for 20 bucks, the cover and table of contents are identical to the one from the first link. I thought I'd pass that on so folks can save a few bucks.

 

Better to regret that you went than that you did not go. You and your dad will have a blast, period. The fact that you are checking things out now will ensure you guys have a great trip...regardless of the details. Plus it IS the 69th rally!!!

I have always stayed at the Creekside Campground. You can UPS your extra gear/clothes and they will ship and receive your goods at the front office. Excellent showers/restroom stuff, three good meals each day for a good price, quiet at night and you can just barely hear some of the venues playing at night. We tent camp and have always had at least one picnic table to use. They have ice and all the things you might need. Plus, they're really nice people that attract really nice people.

My best memories are the other Vets I might and the overall great people who you meet. From 1%'s to the high-dollar custom guys...everyone is looking for fun...you'll find it. Also a great place to find deals on bling and have it done while you wait...simply ship your old stuff from there (exhausts, for example).

I like to look forward to just riding with my buddies. It's a good way to collect bugs!!

 

In 2006 there was a shooting by the Hell Angels, two of the members (from another country) shot at a group of Outlaws. Whether the HAs knew it or not (probably knew) they had police following them the rest of the Rally, in both marked and unmarked vehicles. After talking to some Outlaws back in Florida I found out that ALL Outlaws had to go or it was a $500 fine for not going. As I remember none of them died but some were hit. Apparently the Outlaws had not gone in force for quit some time, this was the year they were going to show up.

Like another poster said, there is a Hell Angels club house near main street. You can go in and look at the front of the "store" DO NOT go behind the door that reads DO NOT ENTER. As I was leaving I saw a member outside and asked if I could take a picture of the front of the building. He was cool about it, simply because I asked. The big thing with any 1% group is respect, don't disrespect them and you won't have a problem. That is probably a good rule to go by, dealing with everybody in general.

As for police go, the Sturgis police department allows ANY certified law enforcement officer to go to Sturgis and work the rally, you need a letter from your Chief allowing you to go.. You are sworn in as a South Dakota peace officer with all the rights afforded other peace officers. You are covered under Sturgis PD insurance, get paid, and they give you a place to stay for the Rally. The officers I met that were from another state were usually at the end of the blocks on main street. Still sounds like something that would be fun to do, I might have to try it out before too, long. (this information is from 2006, so it might have changed by now)

 

I take it that theres plenty of gas stations and fast food places right. I'm sure the lines are always long though and people run out of gas waiting, or am I not correct.

 

I like the Iron Horse campground. Never found it too rowdy or noisy. They have a bar, serve food and have local bands at night. Facilities are good and clean.


Sturgis has a "drunk bus" that runs almost 24 x 7. You can buy a weekly pass for the bus. It runs from all the major campgrounds to downtown and back. Buy a pass, ride the bus at night downtown, party hardy and ride the bus back and be safe. You'll find the police on the north end of town, by all the major campground are on high alert - weave, go 5 mph over the speed limit, look a little tipsy and you will be stopped and asked if you have been drinking. Most likely asked to take a Breathalyzer test. If all you were doing was speeding you'll get a ticket - anything else you'll be heading to jail. The bus can be a life saver.