Harley Davidson Lifestyles - Part 1

Harley Davidson Lifestyles - Sturgis Rally

The lifestyles of owning a Harley Davidson is not about owning a great bike, speed or performance, or about impressing friends. It is about individuality but also brotherhood, retro-cool and happening places. One such places is the Sturgis Rally, it is for someone who just want to get away from it all.

Sturgis Rally is a week long Harley Davidson Lifestyles event held in a little farming community in South Dakota. The event is held yearly during the Mid-August period where thousands cruised in along Interstates 85 and 90 to catch up with old acquaintance and meeting new friends.

Being conveniently located in the middle of America, the event attracted an average of 50,000 bikers. The highest record attendance happen during the 50th Anniversary in 1990, where about 300,000 bikers turned up for the Harley Davidson Lifestyles event.

The Sturgis Rally started way back in 1938, not as a Harley Davidson Lifestyles event, when the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycles Club organized the first Black Hills Rally and Races. The top prize then was a cash rewards of $300. For the bikers, coming to these Harley Davidson Lifestyles event, is a great week of swap meets, hog roast (pig not bike) and drag-bike racing at the Sturgis Dragway. The showcase of fancy Harley hardware is never a missed and hang out joints like the Bear Butte Cafe are usually packed with bikers having a good times.

Tours are also available at the nearby Dakota Badlands, Devil's Tower or Mount Rushmore for those needing a deserving breaks.


Dakota Badlands

At the Badlands National Park, you will see some of the most spectacular breathtaking scenery in the region. Remember to bring your camera along as the sunrises are magnificent and the sunsets are amazing. The recently remodeled Ben Reifel Visitor Center is a must see with the award winning video. If you want to experience the quiet and serene surroundings, I suggests that you take one of the many hiking trails.

Things to do:

• Drive the Highway 240 Loop Road (60 minutes)
• Take a side trip down Sage Creek Rim Road to Robert's Prairie Dog Town to see wildlife and experience spectacular views of the park (30 minutes)
• Visit the Big Pig Dig (30 minutes)
• Take in a sunrise or sunset. They can be viewed from any of the overlooks or campgrounds located in the park (20 - 30 minutes)
• Visit the new teepee village located between the Ben Reifel Visitor Center and the Cedar Pass Lodge

Devil's Tower

Devil's Tower, also know as the America's First National Monument, rises 1267 feets above the Belle Fourche River. It was once hidden until erosion finally revealed its magnificent location. This 1347 acre park is covered with pine forests, woodlands and grasslands. Deer, prairies dog, and other wildlife are commonly seen. The 1977 movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" used the formation as a plot element and as location of its contact scene and climatic scenes.

Things to do:

• INTERPRETIVE TALKS explore the natural and cultural history of the monument. These 20 minute talks meet in front of the Visitor Center and are handicap accessible.
• The TOWER WALK enables visitors to explore Devils Tower with a ranger on the Tower Trail. This 1 ½ hour guided walk begins in front of the Visitor Center. Good walking shoes and water are recommended.
• Winter activities include hiking, cross-country skiing, and climbing. Caution – trails are not maintained in winter.

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore National Memorial, near Keystone, South Dakota, is a monumental granite sculpture by Gutzon Borglum (1867–1941), located within the United States Presidential Memorial that represents the first 150 years of the history of the United States of America with 60-foot (18 m) sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents (left to right): George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865).

Things to do:

• Walk with a park ranger along the first half of the Presidential Trail to the base of the mountain carving. The ranger will highlight the natural and cultural history of Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills. This fully-accessible walk begins at the Grand View Terrace. Programs are offered frequently each day throughout the summer months.(30 minutes)
• Learn about the tools and techniques used in the carving of the mountain sculpture. Talks include stories from the workers, demonstrations of the tools and the artist's working model. Programs are offered frequently each day throughout the summer months.(15 minutes)
• Join a park ranger in the park's outdoor Amphitheater for an inspirational program focusing on the presidents, patriotism and the nation's history. Beginning with a ranger talk, this program continues with the film Freedom: America's Lasting Legacy and culminates in the lighting of the memorial.(45 minutes)

The Sturgis Rally is the Harley Davidson Lifestyles event that all Harley Hog owners should not miss in their lifetimes. Next, look out for the Daytona Cycle Week on the next issue of Harley Davidson Lifestyles - Part 2.