2019 Strurgis Motorcycle Rally

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2019 was the 79th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Bad and I visited the rally with a few friends. I started my ride in Virginia and met Brad at the Glencoe Camp Ground at Sturgis. I stopped at the Badlands National Park on the way and walked a few trails. It was hot! Later that week we took another ride thru the Badlands. It was much cooler and rained a little that day. 




Ride thru the Badlands National Park. I could not resist a ride thru the Badlands National Park on the way to meet Brad. The sky was big and blue. The sun was scorching the desert. It was freaking HOT. I walked a few trails and enjoyed the sites. A few days later I returned with Brad and a small group to ride thru the park. The temperature was cooler than in was a few days prior. We got a short rain shower too. The Badlands are an awesome site thru the desert as you see from the photos. There were quite a bit of wildlife visible from the roads too. We saw the popular prairie dogs and deer. The highlight was watching a few Big Horn Rams walking down the mountain trails. 

Lost Key Fob on Interstate 90 West bound. We spend the day walking the vendor area at the Rapid City Harley Davidson. There were acres of motorcycles in the parking area. What a site. The vendor area was a tent city with vendor displays small and large. Under many of the tents, you could see motorcycle high on lifts getting new exhaust, lights, rims and tire or just about any type of work desired. After a few hours of taking in all the sites and products we saddled up to head back to Sturgis. Brad and Krista took the lead as we accelerated on the on ramp to Interstate 90 West. A couple of miles from Rapids City, I saw something small and black slide across lane. I noticed Krista start looking to the left and right like she dropped something. I rolled up beside Brad and let them know something fell off the bike. He immediately made a U-turn at the break in the median. I missed it and went to the next exit to turn around. Brad and Krista found the smashed key and fob. The key fob is part of the security system on Brad’s motorcycle so he needs it to restart the bike when he turns off the ignition. They went back to the Rapids City Harley Davidson and caught the service department just before it closed. He was able to get a new fob programmed. 


 We stopped at the Stone House Saloon for some cold lemonade. There were tents set up to accommodate the large crowds. There just as many natural horses as iron horses. I remember a narrow tunnel under the road that we rode our motorcycles thru when we departed the Stone House. 


We rode thru Spearfish Canyon. Got caught in some HEAVY rains. We ended up stopping in a small diner to take shelter. I believe the diner was name Bill’s Diner. According to the other customers, we just missed a famous NASCAR driver who had stopped as well. 



 

We rode to Devils Tower. Krista and I walked the trail to take a few photos. We ended up walking just a little further. And a little further. And a little further. Before you know it we had walked around the whole Devil’s Tower. There was small area about aliens that attracted a sizable group interested. 


Mount Rushmore. You have to visit Mount Rushmore when you ride thru Sturgis. This year there were construction fences set up so we could not go past the gift shop. Brad and I scored some ice cream! Brad is getting a new key made for his bike… I am adjusting my highway pegs so my pants legs stop blowing up in the wind. 


 We visited most of the popular points of interest such as Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Devil’s Tower, Spearfish Canyon, Badlands, the Full Throttle Saloon, Ate lunch in Deadwood, visited multiple places in Downtown Sturgis…. Oh, there were two motorcycles parked in handicap parking that got towed. The crowd cheered as the bikes were hoisted away and a motorcycle with handicap tags rolled into the vacated parking spot. I have parking story about the Hells Angles but I’ll have to tell it in person. 









 Vance & Hines Big Shots. I have Vance & Hines Big Shots on my 2006 Street Glide. I had them installed when I first purchased the bike in December 2005. I like the sound of the pipes. About two years ago I was washing my bike and discovered that the tip had fell off. While at the Vans and Hines tent I was able to a replacement tip. The gentlemen managing the booth got pretty excited when I told him about the pipes. He said they were the loudest pipes Vance & Hines made. He went to the back storage area and several minutes later he emerged with a new exhaust tip. Looks great and my old Street Glide is whole again!


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