After getting settled in, we walked back outside to admire our surroundings. With beautiful Bear Butte State Park as our backdrop and rolling grasslands all around, we were guaranteed amazing views all hours of the day. We quickly met our neighbor, Bob from Oregon, who had pitched his tent directly behind our cabin to help get some protection from the sun and wind. Actually walking around the campground we met people from all over the country either RV-ing it, tent camping, or staying in cabins. Some were first-time BSCL campers like us, but many people we met were return residents. One thing they all had in common was that they all welcomed us in like old friends. From Kambria and Mike from San Diego, who brought us into their camp for food and drinks to help celebrate their honeymoon, to Evo from our neck of the woods, Big Bear, California, and his crew of military vets, everyone was there just to have a good time, meet new people, and make great memories.
Having done my fair share of camping, I’ve come to realize that not all bathroom facilities are equal. Some are well maintained while others look and smell like, well, crap. Thankfully the BSCL facilities were of the former with an attendant on site regularly ensuring that everything was clean and well stocked. Traveling around the camping area I came across several bath/wash houses all of which appeared to be as well-taken care of as ours. While each facility has about 10 bathrooms and 10 separate showers, if taking care of the three S’s is part of your morning routine, it’s best to get up early and beat the rush or wait ’til after 10 when the lines die down.
About 200 yards from our cabin, nestled amongst the vast greenery of grassland, was a refreshing oasis of crystal-clear water, the famous BSCL pool. The pool deck was surrounded by everything you could want or need: a bar, highly-skilled masseurs, a stage for live music, hot tubs, and pool-side games—at one point we even saw a sexy bikini-clad blonde deliver a pizza to a lounging biker. Needless to say the pool ended up being one of our regular hangout spots.
If you know anything about the words “Broken Spoke,” then you know it’s one of the most famous biker bars in the world with locations at all the big motorcycle events. Having spent time in all of them, I’d say the Broken Spoke County Line location is one of the best. With a huge center bar, upper level deck to spy down on the sexy bartenders, a tattoo parlor, gift shop, large stage area with regular live music and entertainment, and most importantly, the ability to ride through the bar on your bike and roast your tire, it’s hard not to have a good time there.
Right outside the bar is more bar area with yet even more balcony space. The outside balcony provided the perfect viewing area to watch any of the numerous headlining acts on the main stage. However, we made sure we were directly up front (and maybe even a little behind) the stage when .38 Special rocked the house. Anytime we needed something of sustenance other than a bag of chips, we simply walked over to the food court area and stuffed our faces with the standard rally food fare (hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, BBQ, etc). Those with a penchant for breakfast, like me, found the Bloody Mary Breakfast Buffet a good way to start the day. Not exactly the best breakfast in Sturgis, but definitely a great way to soak up any lingering booze in your stomach.
Of course we didn’t spend all of our time at the BSCL, we were in the Mecca of motorcycle destinations after all, so we spent quite a bit of time away from the compound checking out all the Black Hills have to offer. There was even a free shuttle that ran from the campground to downtown; however, the only drawback was the last ride leaving downtown and heading back to the campground was at 11 p.m., a little too early for those that really like to enjoy the downtown nightlife. But at the end of each day, as we made our way along Highway 79, cruising through the sweeping curves and rolling hills with the hustle and bustle of downtown and the Full Throttle/Buffalo Chip area fading away in the distance, when we crested the last hill and saw the red glowing neon sign for the Broken Spoke County Line, we knew we were home. As with all good things, our time at the BSCL went by way too fast. And when it was time to leave our little abode, while it might not have been as clean or smelled as good as when we arrived, it served its purpose well and helped make our trip much more enjoyable.
For more information about staying at the Broken Spoke County Line, visit brokenspokecampground.com. HB