Sturgis Rally 2006 (SD)

Even though Don and I aren't really "into" motorcycles, we really couldn't be this close to the Sturgis Rally without going to see it for ourselves! So now "we've been there and have the t-shirt to prove it"!

I have to say that since we've been in Rapid City, there have been more and more motorcycles on the streets, highways and everywhere you look! There have been "bikers" in stores and everywhere you go! It seems like 95% of people you see have a "Sturgis Rally 2006" t-shirt on! Doesn't mean they've been to the rally...the local Wal-Mart has a huge display rack of lots of Sturgis memorabilia and about 6 racks of t-shirts of all colors, sizes and designs! There are also t-shirts for sale in many parking lots!

Some Sturgis facts...

This is the 66th anniversary of the most famous motorcycle gathering in America!

Sturgis and the surrounding communities prepare all year for an influx of at least 400,000 cyclists! The first rally was in 1938. The first rally consisted of 19 riders who raced on a half-mile dirt track for beer money! The fiftieth rally was the first of the "mega" rallies; when an estimated 350,000 cyclists arrived for the event!

It was kind of funny to see houses close to the street where all the bikers park for the daily picture...they "rent" out their yards for tenters. Many houses also used their yards for parking lots! It's a pretty amazing site to see all the bikers riding down the street. It's not unusual to see 20-30 bikes in one group! And campgrounds have sprouted up all over! Anyone with land puts up a "Budweiser" sign and viola! you have a campground! Not sure what they get for a daily rate, but regular campgrounds double and triple their rates!