Why Sturgis?

[bradandlaurie]

Why Sturgis?

Diane asked if I would review this DVD since Laurie and I spend so much time in the Blackhills and area around Sturgis. We finally got a chance to watch the documentary last night and I have to admit I liked it. I'll tell you right now that it might not be what everybody looks for in a video.

This is a documentary about the town of Sturgis in South Dakota. This is the same town famous for the yearly motorcycle rally of increasingly epic proportions. The town goes from a population of about 7000 to a population of half a million for one week a year. I can tell you from personal experience that this boom in population actually covers about a two week period before the rally and extends to well after the rally closes. It is, without a doubt, the largest single yearly tourism event in South Dakota.

So why would anybody interested in the history of the frontier era want to see this? There is also a fair amount of this video that concerns the life and military career of Colonel Sturgis. This is a good biography extending from when he left West Point up until his death. It covers both his Mexican-American War, Civil War and Indian Wars service. It doesn't go into any of these in great depth but it does focus attention on the controversy around his performance at the Battle of Brice's Crossroads.

It also talks about his role in the establishment and command of Fort Meade. It does mention the court martial proceeding he launched against Marcus Reno, in part, over the 'window-peeping' incident. It also tells about the role Fort Meade took in the Star Spangled Banner becoming our national anthem.

Now this is a very entertaining video and very well done. If you are interested in the town of Sturgis it offers a wealth of information. It does gloss over some of the problems the town had with the rally back in the 1970's and 1980's but does a good job of presenting the economic impact of the rally on community and South Dakota. It amused me a bit to see them interviewing the Hustead's - the owners of Wall Drug - about the impact on the small communities in western South Dakota.

This is a documentary that covers a lot of ground in 89 minutes; history, tourism and the economic power of a half million bikers. It could almost be a South Dakota travel documentary except that it glosses over some aspects of South Dakota tourism. That is to say they barely mention Deadwood. It does do a great job of telling about how Sturgis has faired with the Army, tourism and Harley-Davidson.

If you want more information about this DVD:

www.WhySturgis.com/

[Diane Merkel]

Thanks very much, Brad. It sounds like the DVD delivers on its promises.

Here's another side of the story of Biker Week:

For centuries, members of the Lakota, Cheyenne and other American Indian tribes have been climbing Bear Butte in the famous Black Hills of Dakota to fast and hold religious ceremonies in the silence.

Colourful prayer cloths hanging from trees line the path to the mountain's peak, which rises about 1,300ft above the surrounding plains.

But often, and especially in August, the serenity of the site is disturbed by a deafening roar of thousands of motorcycles.

Indians have sought for years to block development of land around the butte into campgrounds, bars and other sites that could interfere with their use of the mountain for religious purposes.

Article: news.scotsman.com/world/Tribes-in-fight-to-save.3598547.jp

[bradandlaurie]

I did notice that the DVD didn't bring this particular issue up. I did see a couple scenes they shot of Bear Butte and the prayer items were there. There was quite a legal fight over the last couple of years over one of these potential camp sites in particular. Laurie and I were out near it just a few months ago and I have to admit it would harm the serenity of the butte.

There is something incredible about Bear Butte when you walk on it. You can almost feel a sort of energy coming off it. I hate to sound all mystical on all of you but I can definitely feel why the tribes consider Bear Butte sacred.

The way I see it the problem is in that the rally keeps getting bigger every year. I think they had an estimated 512,000 riders at last years rally. I have no idea how they come to this number but from what I have seen the number wouldn't shock me. The economic power of this event is a big incentive for everybody to try to get a piece of the proverbial pie. There are a lot of people out there who make money just providing the most minimal campground for the bikers. The space they need in order to do this just keeps expanding further out from Sturgis each year. When we come in from the east alone I-90 we can see the campgrounds starting just about 15 miles outside of Rapid City!

[crzhrs]

Ah yes . . . the money thing again. Apparently 130+ years after the LBH, Manifest Destiny & the quest for gold and natural resources, money still talks louder than American Indians' rights!

[bradandlaurie]

Very true crzhrs. I have been following this and have to admit I side with the tribes on this. Now when you consider the number of avid bikers in my family this doesn't always sit well at family gatherings.