Well, it’s that time of year again. Many of us, like Richard Dreyfuss in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” feel that strong pull towards something greater than ourselves. We identify with his obsession to reach Devils Tower, the gathering place for the select few, because we, too, feel compelled to hit the road. Only our pilgrimage will be to the City of Sturgis, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, a gathering place for like-minded fellow motorcycle travelers. The entire journey is one filled with excitement, anticipation, and joy. We are going to join the multitude of our kindred brothers and sisters from all over the world.

Because the pilgrimage is such a significant event based on years of tradition, I thought it would be fun to piece together a brief history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally®, especially for those who have yet to experience the beckoning call to the Black Hills.

It all started in 1936 when Clarence Hoel, known as "Pappy," bought an Indian Motorcycle franchise in Sturgis, South Dakota. He then founded the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, which was dedicated to touring and trick riding events. On August 14, 1938, the first rally in Sturgis, known then as the Black Hills Classic, included a race with nine participants and approximately 200 spectators; not an auspicious beginning. But great things frequently start small. World War II curtailed the annual event for several years due to gas rationing and other war-related efforts. After WWII, the rally resumed, and by 1949 the expanding crowds required blocking Sturgis’s Main Street for the race’s awards ceremony. The rally continued to expand by word-of-mouth. Not only were the bikes fun, but the scenic riding was a huge draw: places like Devil’s Tower, Custer, Hill City, Rapid City, Sundance, Hulett, Spearfish, Lead and Deadwood (and the gambling casinos), the Bad Lands, and last, but not least, the breathtakingly beautiful and spiritually rich Black Hills. Some say the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and northern Wyoming is unmatched anywhere in North American.

By 1964, Main Street in the tiny town of Sturgis had to be closed to all traffic except motorcycles. As crowds continued to swell, the rally organizers in 1965 extended the rally from three days to five days in order to accommodate everyone who wanted to participate. By 1974, vendors had seized on a marketing opportunity, and a dedicated location was established for them at the Sturgis auditorium. Of course, the government always needs to poke its nose into things, and so in 1979 the City of Sturgis began requiring licenses for vendors. We can assume the licenses were not free.

Over the decades, as the rally continued to grow, challenges presented themselves: A city park was closed in 1983 because campers started a fire; every year there are accident-related injuries and deaths. Not to be deterred, the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce, in 1986 happily accepted Tom Monahan’s donated artwork to be used as an official Sturgis Motorcycle Rally® logo. In following years, a new logo was created annually to commemorate the specific year, and by 1988 there were 117 registered vendors. Unfortunately, Pappy Hoel died the following year at 85 years of age, but his legacy lives on.

By the year 2000, rally attendance swelled to 600,000 attendees. Since then, the City of Sturgis has created a specific government department dedicated to managing the Rally. In 2015, the 75^th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally® was attended by 750,000+ attendees over a 10-day period.

Who could have guessed that Pappy and his eight buddies would start a phenomenon that has grown and lasted all of these years, from nine attendees in 1938, to 800 in 1960, then 2,000 in 1970, to 750,000 in recent years. The number of vendors is likely to surpass 600 this year. Today, the rally has become so big that it is said the entire population of South Dakota almost doubles in size during rally time. Wyoming, too, gets a huge boost, as do all the communities along the major Interstate and highway arteries that converge on Sturgis. While racing events are still part of the rally, it has become so much more. It is about community, belonging, and loving the open roads.

South Dakota is a force that beckons. You might resist it, but sooner or later, if you ride a motorcycle, you will want to see for yourself. If you ride, there is something in your very soul that every motorcyclist comes to know and recognize: it’s the love of freedom, of living life to its fullest, of never giving in or giving up. Living life at full-throttle is a life well-lived. Ride safe and I’ll see you in August around the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Saturday, August 12, 2017 - UPDATE

Last Wednesday was the traditional cross-over or turnover day at the Sturgis Rally. Bikers generally arrive early and leave mid-week, while many arrive mid-week and stay late. As the Rally comes to a close, I thought we would cover the highlights of the past week.

Newsworthy items of note for those of you not attending this year:

• The Full Throttle Saloon, which was destroyed late in 2015 by a fire, is back in business even if the rebuild is not quite finished.
• Crew members of the USS South Dakota (SSN-790), the newest Virginia class submarine (still under construction), dressed in summer whites received many shout-outs thanking them for their service. The christening date is set for mid-October.
• Willie G. Davidson was among others being inducted into The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame.
• South Dakota Department of Transportation estimates that Rally attendance is up 6%.
• An informal survey of vendors conducted by the local TV station late in the week indicated that vendor sales increased over last year, 2016.
• Doug Danger successfully jumped a rattlesnake pit, beating Evel Knievel’s record. He rode a Harley-Davidson 1972 XR750.
• Boe Bear’s Simple Goodness Desert truck won the first ever Street Food Throwdown competition in Sturgis. The award was for the best of the best dessert – Boe’s pecan caramel cinnamon roll.
• One of the best photos taken was that of a biker stopped by a herd of bighorn sheep near the Badlands. The sheep were unimpressed and moved on only when they were good a ready.
• Bikers for Trump made the local news. They are attending the Rally to get ready for the next election.
• All the racing events are reported to be well attended.
• Bikers were streaming along all the highways, riding through the hills and dales of the Black Hills. Hill City, Custer, Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, Needles highway and Spearfish Canyon continued to be among the top destinations. Rapid City also welcomed bikers by restricting an entire block in downtown to just motorcycles.

Until next year, happy trails and safe riding.