8.13.06 - Wrapping Up Sturgis
Outlaws MC Club is blasting east on I-70 while passing through eastern South Dakota, the local TV stations were parked on overpasses, shooting footage of the long two-abreast column of motorcycles, asking if people thought they'd make "any more trouble"...hey, weren't they the guys who got ambushed? For all the bikers who make it out here each August, it's amazing how inept and nonunderstanding these talking heads are on the biker lifestyle. They need to recruit someone in leather to get it straight.
David Lee Roth: The campground was only about a third full yesterday, limiting Roth's potential audience. There were less than 2,000 people at the show, but they were still having a great time enjoying all the old Van Halen stuff. Roth has an incredible library of tunes containing his voice, and as demonstrated last night, all he needs to do is to bring a decent lead guitar player, and you have...VAN HALEN. (When Eddie needs a cash infusion, they'll be back together). The tunes are all but gone, the hundreds of acres of tents 'n trailers are once again reverting to fields of gold, and soon, we too, will be movin' on to the high sierra of western Colorado. Meanwhile, today's happy hour (dollar beer, dollar dogs), will begin at 9am and last until midnight. The keg flies will be at their regular post, and ABM will be there,
helping to empty out the inventory, and grabbing interesting interviews from colorful characters. (not to mention the nearly-free beer)
It's been a little wet: Saturday morning, we shivered while doing only 40mph on our way into Sturgis. Later on, it opened up, and rained for a couple of hours, forcing people into the vendor areas to shop for leathers, shirts, hats, and tat's. My bike looked like a piece of s--t. Today its's beautiful, sunny, upper 70's. Perfect. We've been as high as 106, with visits from cold fronts bringing penny to golf ball
sized hail, with no significant damage.
66th Sturgis Wraps Up: ABM spoke to several vendors--all came to nearly the same conclusion...Fewer bikers this year, but they swiped credit cards like a mission from God. Because of published reports, and radio coverage, like that heard on American Biker Minute, the earlybird invasion was massive. ABM arrived on July 31st, yet thousands of bikers were here, settled in, and already riding. More people are camping near places like Custer, Hill City, Deadwood, Lead, and Spearfish, in a vain
attempt to avoid the traffic, which still sucks. So what's up with rallys? The last few years have seen steady attendance, to slightly down. This has been true for Daytona, Laconia, and here in Sturgis, while ones like Leesburg, Florida have grown into mega-meets. What's the deal? As a qualified party-freak, my take...
(1). Interest rates on homes, cars, credit cards. Persons with a 100-200k mortage, with a 2 year adjustable rate have seen their monthly payment go up one thousand, to maybe, 2,000 or even 3,000 a month. That's a big hit, and doesn't leave much cash for travel.
(2). Gas pump prices. Insanely high petrol may only add 5% to your total vacation cost, but it's adding 10% to everything you buy at home...Groceries, plastics, shipping, big ticket items.
(3). Vendor Piggies: Go ahead, keep right on charging $215 for a room when you'll only ask $59 bucks for the same roach rest the night after the rally's over. Charge $5 bucks a head just to get in and admire the Rat's Hole custom bikes. Sell us a hamburger for 8 bucks, and a beer for 5. We'll figure out a way to cut those costs in half, even if it means comming every other year, get it??
66th Sturgis had an absolute lack of what we refer to as..."POSERS", like a husband and wife, each on their his 'n' hers $80,000 choppers, you know the type. Couldn't help wondering if they were "flipping" conos in Fort Lauderdale, and got pinched by the interest rate hike. Whatever the case, they simply weren't here in force, nor was the sport bike crowd. This was a Harley-Davidson rally, with a few factory customs, and homemade bikes thrown in. Regular people, without a lot of money,
who worked extra hours, saved up some, and made it out to the big party. The Outlaws-Hells Angels shootout will make this one a rally to remember. Now it's time for Cripple Creek, the Four Corners Rally, Thunder Beach in Panama City, & Daytona's Biketoberfest. In less than 30 days, this place will be under one foot of snow. To all our Sturgis friends heading for home...'Bye....SEE YA NEXT YEAR!
Jeff Ryan
www.americanbikerminute.com
David Lee Roth: The campground was only about a third full yesterday, limiting Roth's potential audience. There were less than 2,000 people at the show, but they were still having a great time enjoying all the old Van Halen stuff. Roth has an incredible library of tunes containing his voice, and as demonstrated last night, all he needs to do is to bring a decent lead guitar player, and you have...VAN HALEN. (When Eddie needs a cash infusion, they'll be back together). The tunes are all but gone, the hundreds of acres of tents 'n trailers are once again reverting to fields of gold, and soon, we too, will be movin' on to the high sierra of western Colorado. Meanwhile, today's happy hour (dollar beer, dollar dogs), will begin at 9am and last until midnight. The keg flies will be at their regular post, and ABM will be there,
helping to empty out the inventory, and grabbing interesting interviews from colorful characters. (not to mention the nearly-free beer)
It's been a little wet: Saturday morning, we shivered while doing only 40mph on our way into Sturgis. Later on, it opened up, and rained for a couple of hours, forcing people into the vendor areas to shop for leathers, shirts, hats, and tat's. My bike looked like a piece of s--t. Today its's beautiful, sunny, upper 70's. Perfect. We've been as high as 106, with visits from cold fronts bringing penny to golf ball
sized hail, with no significant damage.
66th Sturgis Wraps Up: ABM spoke to several vendors--all came to nearly the same conclusion...Fewer bikers this year, but they swiped credit cards like a mission from God. Because of published reports, and radio coverage, like that heard on American Biker Minute, the earlybird invasion was massive. ABM arrived on July 31st, yet thousands of bikers were here, settled in, and already riding. More people are camping near places like Custer, Hill City, Deadwood, Lead, and Spearfish, in a vain
attempt to avoid the traffic, which still sucks. So what's up with rallys? The last few years have seen steady attendance, to slightly down. This has been true for Daytona, Laconia, and here in Sturgis, while ones like Leesburg, Florida have grown into mega-meets. What's the deal? As a qualified party-freak, my take...
(1). Interest rates on homes, cars, credit cards. Persons with a 100-200k mortage, with a 2 year adjustable rate have seen their monthly payment go up one thousand, to maybe, 2,000 or even 3,000 a month. That's a big hit, and doesn't leave much cash for travel.
(2). Gas pump prices. Insanely high petrol may only add 5% to your total vacation cost, but it's adding 10% to everything you buy at home...Groceries, plastics, shipping, big ticket items.
(3). Vendor Piggies: Go ahead, keep right on charging $215 for a room when you'll only ask $59 bucks for the same roach rest the night after the rally's over. Charge $5 bucks a head just to get in and admire the Rat's Hole custom bikes. Sell us a hamburger for 8 bucks, and a beer for 5. We'll figure out a way to cut those costs in half, even if it means comming every other year, get it??
66th Sturgis had an absolute lack of what we refer to as..."POSERS", like a husband and wife, each on their his 'n' hers $80,000 choppers, you know the type. Couldn't help wondering if they were "flipping" conos in Fort Lauderdale, and got pinched by the interest rate hike. Whatever the case, they simply weren't here in force, nor was the sport bike crowd. This was a Harley-Davidson rally, with a few factory customs, and homemade bikes thrown in. Regular people, without a lot of money,
who worked extra hours, saved up some, and made it out to the big party. The Outlaws-Hells Angels shootout will make this one a rally to remember. Now it's time for Cripple Creek, the Four Corners Rally, Thunder Beach in Panama City, & Daytona's Biketoberfest. In less than 30 days, this place will be under one foot of snow. To all our Sturgis friends heading for home...'Bye....SEE YA NEXT YEAR!
Jeff Ryan
www.americanbikerminute.com
posted by americanbikerminute at 7:49 AM
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