Chaos TheoryEverybody needs a little chaos every so often. It shakes things up, leads to change, and with change comes growth. If you're reading this in the Black Hills right now, you know it doesn't get much more chaotic than Sturgis in August.
That's why we started these annual Sturgis Survival Guides. While a little wildness is good, a half-million riders descending on a town of 2,500-5,000 people isn't exactly "a little." The Guide creates an eye of calm in the storm. You can pick and choose your chaos instead of wandering into it sight unseen.
This Guide has also grown to keep pace with the changes. When it started out, it was little more than a phone book with a few event photos pulled from our dusty archives. Now you'll not only find event listings, local laws, and places to stay, but features on the hot spots.
We've done our best to make it as complete as possible, but information wasn't always available when we needed it (the Guide went to print in early May). Wherever we couldn't get an event schedule, we listed the venue's contact info so you could call and ask. There's room for improvement anywhere, and that's what changing and growing is all about. Enjoy the ride.
Charity Ride - Hot Bike Every year we use Sturgis as an excuse to hook up with our readers for a ride through the countryside. It's a great chance for us to meet you all face to face. This year, though, we've gone ahead and partnered up with Kids & Chrome, a worthy cause if ever there was one.
The Legend Top 50 Rally Park is this year's HQ for the HOT BIKE ride. We'll gather there for sign-ups between 10:30 and 11:30, then fire 'em up and head out at noon for a 181-mile cruise through the South Dakota and Wyoming countryside. Then it's back to Top 50 for a party between 6:30 pm and 8-ish. The entry fee is $10, and the proceeds go to Kids & Chrome.