Celebrate Sturgis Bike Week

About a month ago, I called my good friend Woody Woodruff who is the man behind the great Buffalo Chip Campgrounds in Sturgis, South Dakota. “Is the rally going to happen this year?” I asked.

You could hear the smile in Woody’s voice as he answered, “No matter what happens, we are still going to put on a helluva party at the Buffalo Chip.” That was excellent news at the Chip is ground zero at the annual rally and this year marks the 80th Sturgis Bike Week. You’ve gotta go, right? I mean, especially after being locked up in our homes for months on end, every biker wants to get out there, throw a leg over the ol’ scooter and ride to Sturgis for a two-wheeled party like no other.

Imagine settling into your saddle and cranking up the tunes on your Steel Horse Audio sound system. We’ve got the perfect system for you with the ST200, ST400, and the mighty 900-watt ST600 Platinum system. They are easy to install and come with an amazing 5-year warranty. If your motorcycle didn’t come with a stereo from the manufacturer, Steel Horse Audio has the perfect sound solution for you and there’s still time to order one of our systems and get it on your scooter in time for this year’s run to the Black Hills!

Sturgis Bike Week is Motorcycle Mecca for the hundreds of thousands of bikers who attend from all over the country. And from what I can tell, this year’s post apocalypse party will be better than ever. The following is an excerpt from a recent article by famed motojournalist Marilyn Stemp on the state of the Sturgis Rally this year. She writes: “There’s plenty of recent talk about an imminent decision to come from the city of Sturgis regarding whether to hold the rally or not. The concern about that decision baffles me for several reasons. First of all, unlike some bike events, the Sturgis Rally isn’t owned by any one entity. A decision a few years ago from the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals against SMRI’s ownership of Rally trademarks shed light on that. Second, the city’s decision is (properly) in consideration of their local population. But the governing body of one small town of 6,600 residents won’t, and shouldn’t, determine actions in the rest of the country. Third: Bikers are rebels by nature. No one tells us what to do, right?”

“Here in South Dakota, Governor Kristi Noem did not institute a stay-at-home order. She did not order businesses to shut down. In fact, she developed her Back-To-Normal plan weeks ago and the state health department has followed her lead. Her message has been tempered with recommendations to follow basic common sense and CDC guidelines. Also strongly indicated: staying safe is a community effort that necessitates personal responsibility.”

“With those concepts in mind, there’s consensus among Black Hills campground owners to work together to host the Rally, as they have in the past. After all, hotels within city-of-Sturgis boundaries number in the single digits, at only a few hundred rooms. It’s the area’s campgrounds, most of them located miles outside of town, that have long accommodated the majority of rally-goers. The campground owners agree: the first priority is the safety of staff and customers. After that, they want to be open and work toward some semblance of normal. Practically speaking, there’s a wealth of open-air at campgrounds where folks can carve out their own social bubbles. Staying safe and enjoying the Rally are not mutually exclusive.”

“So, should you come to Sturgis? That’s up to you. But there will be a Rally because people will most certainly be riding into the Black Hills in August. If that includes you, don’t bring your rebel attitude, bring your rally spirit - and a mindset to be together with friends to create new memories. Because on the worldwide stage of a pandemic, a bunch of rebel bikers have an opportunity to lead the way, showing how to be responsibly and respectfully social while bringing joy back to life. In these times, that’s rebellious!”

I don’t know about you, but for me the Sturgis Rally is just what the doctor ordered. There’s nothing like riding through those sacred Black Hills and seeing good friends again. One of the best places to do that is out at the Buffalo Chip. Your 2020 Sturgis Buffalo Chip admission pass secures you a place to party during the 80th anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle rally, quick access to some of the world’s most beautiful riding and free entry to world-class concerts on multiple stages of entertainment, motorcycle races, the annual Motorcycles As Art exhibit, and a whole lot more. And the concerts are free with camping. So make your reservations now!