Southern Biker Magazine September 2019

79 th Sturgis Rally
Completed Some Bucket Lists
There’s nothing like a motorcycle rally,
especially when well over 300,000
like minded folks show up with you.
Sturgis, SD played host to the 79 th Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally, one of the largest
motorcycle rallies in the world. It lasts ten
days and
has lots
of famous
places to
ride to, lots
of places
to visit
and a mega-amount
of live entertainment
for all of the folks that
come to this event.
From downtown Sturgis, to the Buffalo
Chip to the Full Throttle Saloon to the
Iron Horse Saloon, 250+ top acts came
to entertain the masses; Keith Urban,
Toby Keith, Brett Michaels, George
Thorogood & the Destroyers, Jamey
Johnson, Skid Row, Molly Hatchet,
Jasmine Cain, STYX, Collective Soul,
Foghat, Jackyl and many more!
There were tons of bike shows, charity
rides, contests and so many more things
to do that ten days just isn’t enough time
to do half of it. Most just plan one event
a day and let the rest of the day flow with
it by whatever they pass by. Some of the
best charity rides included The Legends
Ride, the Biker Belles Ride, The Green
Knights Veteran’s Ride and Carey Hart’s
Good Ride. In the Kirsh Helmets’ Paint
Slinger Shootout contest, my good friend
Jodi Perewitz took first place honors.
Rain hit the event again this year with
a little flooding, but quickly dried up
so that everyone could have a grand
ol’ time. According to final numbers,
attendance was down a little over last
year, but the ones that came had blast
(some a little too much as arrests
were up for DUI, wrecks and public
disturbances).
Many people claimed that their
bucket lists were scratched off by
one or two numbers by riding to
or visiting places in the area like
Mount Rushmore, the Badlands,
Deadwood, the Crazy Horse Memorial,
Needles Hwy, Devil’s Tower and the wild
buffalo at Custer State Park. Riding the
roads and site seeing around Sturgis
is something that only those who have
come can explain… it’s just awesome.
I’ve been to Sturgis once and wait
for the day to return to see what has
changed since my visit. My wife, Kristin,
has never been. Everyone says it’s
different now. I guess I’ll have to put this
back on my bucket list to visit the NEW
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with her. Next
year is the 80 th Anniversary of the rally…
see you there!
Legends Ride in Deadwood lead by legendary rocker, Dee Snider
The Sturgis Mayor's Pub Crawl
14 - Southern Biker Magazine September 2019