How do you get to Sturgis

[liferider]

In 1998 I attended my 1st Sturgis Bike rally. Getting there was the adventure. We left North Louisiana heading west on I-20 to Dallas and turned north on I-35 till we arrived at Salina Kansas.This is where civilazation ended. We planned on staying at the Chip once we arrived. We were in my Motorhome pulling my 18' enclosed trailer. We fueled up in Salina about 5pm. Reason I know this is because the owner of the 1 pump station was bitching wanting to go to a church function and wanted to close up but kept standing by the pump twirling his keys saying is it full yet. Once out of town we continued north of Stomburg then turned west on 92 till we came 281 north. Arround Greeley Nebraska we noticed 4 bikes on the side of the road so we stopped to see if they were ok. Out of fuel. When we left Louisiana we had 3 - 5gal fuel cans of 100 octane race fuel for our bikes. Well now they had our racing fuel but you don't leave a fellow biker stranded when you can help. At this point our Garmin said turn left so we did on to 70/90 then to 91 west till we got to 7 north. It was at this time I became a firm believer of target practice using Garmins as the target is a good idea. Around midnight we noticed the only thing on the road for the past hour was a Sportster on the side of the road. So the good Christan Van pulled over to see if we could help. Seeing the BIG Harley sticker on the side of the trailer a 90 pound 21 yr old girl crawled out of the grass wet & cold. She had no cell phone and was riding last in a group of 20 riders when she blew out her front tire. She had been stranded for 4 hours. They never knew she fell behind. So we loaded her bike up and headed north. At Ainsworth we hit the 1/16 to empty on the fuel gauge and had not seen a open anything since York NEB. We were amazed as we passed nothing open yet bikes continued to blaze by us all night. Finally we saw a sign that said Valentine 20 miles . Now we are going up grade and the fuel light is coming on. We finally made it into town on vapors filling everything that would hold fuel including 5 more 2.5 gal cans at the truck stop. From there the trip went uneventful. When we got to Rapid City Candy got in touch with her BOY FRIEND who was the infront leading the way. We dropped her off at the HD store there in Rapid City then continued on to the Chip.The 1998 Rally was great and we enjoyed ourselves greatly. Since then we always just go north on hwy 71 to I-29 north to I-90 west. It might be a little longer but a lot easier. We also split the trip up now into 2 days. 14 hr's the first day and 8 hrs the next. Usually pulling in at a hotel we book 8 months ahead to assure a room. Now day's we haul the Big Dog, my wife's 1200 Sportster, and my Ultra Classic. The 2012 rally will be my 9th trip back to Sturgis. I love it!

 

[dnespolo]

Good story. I'm planning to go for the first time this year. I'll be trailing too. If I'll go it will be I25 all way up to Wyoming get off pass Cheyenne and from there I'll take us85 to Sturgis (I think). Anyway anybody going from Albuquerque area?

 

[BBChopper]

Great story, hope to make it one day.:2thumbs:

 

[erldawg]

Great story, hope to make it one day.:2thumbs:

Ohh Pablo ya must go at least once. Fire up the BBT and hit the chip...

2004 my first year and camped at Glencoe campground

 

[BATMAN2696]

Sturgis Ride

dnespolo, I went from here in Albuquerque a few years back, The first day I went to Douglas WY which is north of the turn off, Cheyenne is a 500mi ride from Abq which is a good days ride. It took all day to make it to Sturgis from there as we went through Custer, Mt Rushmore, and other small towns on the way in. It was a great riding day. We pulled in to the Lamphere campground and found a tent spot. It's a nice place for being close in town and reasonably priced. The only problem there is the line to the single bathroom / showers. On the way home I got up about 5am and did a 900mi ride home. As much fun as the trip was, August is my kids football season and I enjoy coaching the little guys a bit more. Keep in touch, riding season is almost here. Keith

 

[dnespolo]

Keith thanks for the advices I'm not sure if I'm going yet but I'm working on it. Anyway as you said the riding season is coming and let's try to meet up sometime.

 

[chihuasbigdog]

I made Sturgis 2010. Rode from Chihuahua vía El Paso TX to Alamogordo NM first day to meet up with my big brother Dakotabos and chief Bubblehead. Sécond day we rode from there to Cheyenne WY 05Chop Was waiting for us with a lotta pizzas and beers. Third day we arrive to shittydusty Buffalo chip. Some real good concerts there and great people.... Raywoód, kapn124 were there.
The BDB breakfast gave me the chance to meet a bunch of members over there.
Going back home was a 3 day ride too.
For me It wasnt the place or events BUT the people and hell, the ride! Mike and Tím ride hard and fast! We only stopped for gas....

As i Said, It was THE RIDE!

 

[LUPHOLE]

i made it in 2010 with a bud who had been to sturgis before. we rode over 5200 miles from maryland to sturgis and then on to see a friend in lander wyoming. the k-9 handled the trip in style---no real sore ass and never a dull moment.
each day we rode until we had enough and then found a motel. nothing like a warm shower and a clean bed to sleep in. every place we stayed we requested the motel manager to let us park the bikes in a "safe" place. usually that was out front and we always got rags and old towels from housekeeping to clean up the bikes. in the mornings we would have a few cups of coffee and my bud a few smokes while people walked out and lusted at the bikes. i felt really lucky knowing i was not going to work that day because the road was waiting.
we met a lot of nice people, including many from the forum at the lunch and had a great time.
there is so much more america to see on two wheels.

 

[francoblay1]

Nice!!! I wish it was closer ..... maybe one day! :2thumbs:

 

[TimNY]

Made it to Sturgis in 08- The best va ca of my life. was 32 hours from NY
Did it in 3 days . Took the toyhauler. Diesel was $5.00 + that year .
Talk about an expensive trip. Still had a great time-stayed at the Chip.
Want to do it again , You must go at least once in your lifetime.Nothing in the world like it.

 

[Dakotabos]

Good write up. This year I will be riding from my House in Box Elder, SD to Sturgis everyday When ever my company moves me there :bang:
Hope its before Aug.
But I rode one year straight through from Alamogordo NM 1105 miles
One year rode with The BDB Guys
Trailered one year with a toy hauler

I have got to Sturgis in many ways I just try to get there every year. If/when I get settled up there there will be an open invite to any BDB for a lift, Tools, Beer, trailer, and a gallon of gas just let me know

 

[Th3InfamousI]

Good write up. This year I will be riding from my House in Box Elder, SD to Sturgis everyday When ever my company moves me there :bang:
Hope its before Aug.
But I rode one year straight through from Alamogordo NM 1105 miles
One year rode with The BDB Guys
Trailered one year with a toy hauler

I have got to Sturgis in many ways I just try to get there every year. If/when I get settled up there there will be an open invite to any BDB for a lift, Tools, Beer, trailer, and a gallon of gas just let me know

Just a gallon of gas? What kind of hospitality is that? :lol:

It's on my list of things to do, ride from Dallas to Sturgis, I hope to do it one day soon

 

[liferider]

Just a gallon of gas? What kind of hospitality is that? :lol:

It's on my list of things to do, ride from Dallas to Sturgis, I hope to do it one day soon

What I have seen & heard talking to fellow campers when Staying at the Chip & Chris's camp ground more than anything is 4-5 guys teaming up. 1 guy driving a truck with everyones tents, stoves, ice chest, sleeping bags,cokes, food, ect..... pulling a trailer with his bike. Every 5-6 hrs unloading his bike and loading one of the other guys bike and switching truck drivers so everyone drives the truck once and everyone else gets a lot of riding time. Plus 4-5 guys can tent into 1 rv spot breaking the cost from $600 for the spot down to $120.00-$150.00 per head. Cooking at the camp site and packing sandwich lunches instead of fast food and eating out at restraunts. Plus bringing your beer and liquor instead of paying $3 a beer and $6 a mixed drink. Plus doing the rv spot you can bring a potty/shower. These are great because you solar heat your water using a 5 gal. bag you fill and let lay out in the sun all day. The water heats up to about 100*-110*. Extra solar bags are about $15 per. So if 5 guys go you need 4 extra bags. Also on the nicer solar showers they have a pick up pump sucking up water in the shower pan pumping it into a 5 gal bucket that looks like a fuel can. Also you have a campers toilet you keep in the shower and dump it in your RV spot sewage dump. Places like chris's do not allow gray water to dump on the ground like the Chip does. Doing a trip to Sturgis this way can easily be done reasonably cheaper. Fuel for truck to pull everything (say from Louisiana) is 2600 miles round trip divided by 18 miles per gal =144.4 gal x $3.50 = $505.55 divided by 5 people is $101.00. Plus your bikes fuel for 7 days @ 200 miles divided by 45mpg=4.4 gal per day plus fuel to get there and go home=3600 milesdivided by 45 mpg =80 gal @ $3.50 per =$280.00 plus $200 in food and $100 liquor an $50 T-shirts so the price can be $696.00. Not a bad price for timeless memories with good friends. Also at the chip we watched 4 guys next to us bring microwavable swanson meals, Jimmy Dean breakfast bisquits, pop corn ect. The only thing plugged into the RV spot electrical outlet was a new microwave they cooked everyhing in, a coffee pot, and a mini frig to keep everything cold.