This will be my 28th year in a row attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The way my trips out there started is a unique story though.

In 1991, we had a rep for Reed Leather that thought that we could do a lot of business if we went out to Sturgis to sell. That August we loaded a U-haul truck with $85,000 worth of leathers and headed to Sturgis. We had secured a space a half a block off Main. I slept in the cab of the truck. We sold from 8 am ‘til 11 pm for 9 days straight. When all of the dust cleared we lost $15,000.  

I did meet an interesting guy that was selling shirts next to us. His name was John: hardcore biker from Kentucky. We talked about bikes. He gave me a week-long crash course on the history of American motorcycles. After a week’s time, I was hooked.

The following year we went back out to Sturgis to vend again, this time selling boots. We worked twice as hard, sold a lot of boots, and when the dust settled we made about what we had lost the year before. 

Since 1993, I have gone to Sturgis for pure enjoyment. So many memories have been made. 1000's of miles ridden out to and around the Black Hills. The last 4 years I have ridden out and back twice during the week just to get more miles in.

Often people say to me, "I've been there, it’s the same every year." There is some truth in that statement, but the people you meet are rarely the same. The beauty of the Black Hills needs to be re-learned each year. The rumble of 1000's of motorcycles cannot be replicated anywhere else quite the same. The feeling of a leather jacket sliding over sun tanned arms on a cool evening. These are all experiences that I look forward to each year.

If you are headed out, PLEASE ride safe. If you need good gear that is tested by real riders stop out to Trav's Outfitter.  We can fix you up.

Take time while you are riding to enjoy God's creation.

Until next time,

Blessings,

Travas