Wow!  And the Sturgis Rally is almost upon us!  I was on vacation last week in Chicago, and the drive home was long, about 950 miles.  The thing I noticed the most on that drive was the number of motorcycles already heading to the Black Hills for the Rally.  The Sturgis Rally really doesn't start until August 6th, but I'm finding more and more people want to visit before the BIG crowd shows up.

So how big is the Rally?  When I lived in Denver, I made my first run to Sturgis in 1985.  Back then we were really impressed with the 40,000 or so that showed up.  This year, 2007, they are expecting roughly 600,000 visitors for the week.  Somebody has come up with a way of counting, I don't know how. 

The important thing you need to know is that if you are just now thinking about a visit to the Black Hills, make sure you have a tent and sleeping bag.  There are NO hotel rooms available, there will be long lines in Sturgis at any restaurant, and traffic jams will occur. 

If you haven't seen a Sturgis Rally before, you will be amazed.  And whether you are on a bike or in a car, drive careful.