Motorcycling News: General
Black Hills Rev Up for 66th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 7-13, 2006
STURGIS, S.D. (11/22/05) – What began as a small-time gathering of motorcycle racers 66 years ago has grown into the grand-daddy of all rallies. Known as the Mecca of Motorcycling, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place among the granite peaks and creek-carved canyons of South Dakota’s Black Hills, home to some of America’s most recognized mountain memorials. It’s little wonder, then, that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has grown to become one of the world’s oldest, largest and greatest get-togethers.
The coming rally is slated for Aug. 7-13, 2006. More than a half-million motorcycle enthusiasts traveled to the Black Hills of South Dakota for the rally last summer, nearly doubling the population of the state. Many are repeat attendees, drawn to the unique combination of scenery, outstanding touring roads, music and non-stop party action in downtown Sturgis.
“First-time rally-goers are pleasantly surprised to find that the Black Hills are home to the highest concentration of parks, monuments and memorials in the country,” says Sturgis Mayor Mark Zeigler. “That’s what really defines the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally experience. It’s all about the ride – discovering attractions like the four faces of freedom at Mount Rushmore, the massive carving at Crazy Horse Memorial and the wandering herds of buffalo in Custer State Park, all in a single day.”
In addition, Zeigler says tens of thousands of bikers take excursions to nearby Devils Tower National Monument, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Badlands National Park and the Wild West town of Deadwood, a designated National Historic Landmark.
“The Black Hills are beyond all expectations,” says Lisa Weyer, the rally’s executive director. “When combined with a half-million bikers, a menagerie of vendors, food courts, bars, concerts, custom bike builder booths and manufacturer’s displays, you’ve got what we like to describe as `America’s Motorcycle Rally.’”
The Sturgis Rally continues to grow (2005 attendance, estimated at 525,250, ranked second only to the 60th anniversary event in 2000), attracting bikers from throughout the U.S. and more than three dozen foreign countries. Weyer says the rally gets major corporate support from a long list of title sponsors including Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniel’s, Ford Motor Company, Snap-On, Budweiser, ASE, GEICO Motorcycle, Coca-Cola, Pork – The Other White Meat, Verizon/Ensignal and others.
For more information about the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, call 605/720-0800, e-mail info@sturgismotorcyclerally.com or visit the rally Web site at www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com
Top of Page
|
Index
Search
