Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Goes Full Throttle

By Kevin Reed

An echo of rolling thunder rumbles through the Black Hills, descending on this tranquil community of 5,000 residents in wave after wave of man and machine.

Welcome to Sturgis - the quaint, unassuming Midwestern town perched at the edge of South Dakota that for one week each year transforms itself into the meeting place for the world's largest motorcycle rally.

The number of participants is astounding, with the normal turnout averaging around 200,000, or double the population of the entire western half of the state. For those attending their first rally or who fail to plan ahead, the enormity and sheer scale of the event can be intimidating. Motels are filled to capicity for 200-miles in every direction and thousands camp out in the surrounding countryside.Groceries, gas, beer and other consumer items tend to be priced higher than elsewhere and the hot Summer weather can make for short supplies of bottled water and bagged ice. Even the souvenir merchandise sold throughout the festivities can reflect a premium price. Reports show that the average biker can expect to spend between $150 to $175 per day.

For the mildly curious with little interest in motorcycle culture who come to Sturgis to ogle the goings on, the event can seem like an over-hyped celebration of just another mode of transportation. For the enthusiast, however, the lifestyle that biking represents symbolizes a freedom of individuality and a relief from the monotony of everyday life that comes with the freedom of the open road.

It's also those very same neophytes who come expecting to find the usual Hells Angels steroetype riding about, only to discover that the typical bikers who make their way here are more like the people right next door. Carpenters and doctors share the road with librarians, engineers, accountants and pizza delivery drivers - All united by a common passion that transcends economic and social boundaries. Look around, that could be your day care provider riding by.

Many more are drawn to Sturgis for the racing, much the same as it has been since the rally began 61 years ago, which has grown to include not only the original half-mile races but also ADBA drag racing and both professional and amateur hillclimb events.

For the more recreational minded, there is an endless stream of concerts and road tours that take riders on scenic runs through the Black Hills and past nearby landmarks like Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial.

Traffic in and around Sturgis frequently becomes a tangled mass, with five blocks along the historic Main Street reserved for motorcycle only and an endless sea of people mill about the streets of downtown, which abounds with vendors selling leather jackets, jewelry, cycle accesories, tattoos and t-shirts.

Hungry? there's something for everybody and every appetite -from hamburgers, hot dogs and barbaque to more exotic fare such as alligator and ostrich.

While many of the neighboring communities cringe at the interruptions that huge crowds, noise and trash bring to their otherwise peaceful country life, most Sturgis residents welcome the inconvience as nothing more than the price that comes with organizing such an affair that quite litterally keeps the town thriving and it's merchants' coffer's filled. Vendor tax collections for last year's rally generated an estimated $14.3 million alone, with additional revenue coming from corporate sponsorship.

Besides, it's not as if there's much say in the matter - residents are resigned to the notion that were they to somehow cancel the rally, the hundreds of thousands who make the journey each year would just show up anyway.

Article courtesy of www.suite101.com.