Sturgis, South Dakota, population 6644 most of the time, except for the rally week, when there is estimated to be half a million bikers coming to town. This will be the 74th annual rally, started in 1938.
We decided to cruise through town this weekend before the big crowd gets here.
It was pretty small and peaceful, lots of empty storefronts.
A few folks from the Black Hills Corvette Classic were visiting.
T-shirt vendors are all ready, 3 for $30!
Hillbilly Hell Rider at Full Throttle Saloon
and way out on a side road, the history of the town's name
An estimated
467,338 people attended the Sturgis Rally in 2013. The factors used to determine the annually estimated
attendance are the Department of Transportation traffic count, Mount Rushmore traffic count, SD sales tax collected, and
tons of garbage hauled. ~sturgismotorcyclerally.com
Rooms to rent are going for a pretty penny within at least 50 miles. Locals leave town and rent out their houses. Farmers mow their hay fields, set out a few picnic tables, and advertise campsites. We plan on stocking up on groceries for that week, as I reckon the restaurants will be a bit busy. There are all sorts of events planned, concerts with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motley Crue, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, and even Zac Brown. And lots of organized rides planned for the bikes on all the scenic routes through these hills. So it should be interesting! It is kind of like when the Apple Festival comes to Ellijay and the locals try to avoid the traffic and tourists, but then again the Apple Festival only brings 30,000 on a weekend, so not quite the same as 500,000!
