Traveling

[55982]

Sturgis and Black Hills vacation

I attended the Sturgis Rally August 8th-15th and stayed at the Rafter J Bar Ranch outside of Hill City,SD. It is the best campground in the Black Hills bar none. Been going here since 1995 to camp out and enjoy the Black Hills. How was the craziness? Well, attendance was down this year about 9%+ and you could tell the difference. Motorcycle traffic was noticeably down everywhere. The weather was perfect with little wind-middle 80's. Very little mask wearing except in restaurants where employees served customers.

I only went to one hell-raising place;The Full Throttle Saloon. Had to go because its in a new location after the old place burned down a few years ago. It's bigger and better than before.
The midget wrestling was hilarious as was the bar stool racing on dirt track surrounded by hay bales(majority of people did not make the first turn.) Good humor. Went into Sturgis to visit motorcycle museum-got my rally pin and left. Stopped at the BMW motorcylce dealership in Sturgis by the freeway and did a double take. As soon as parking the bike, six BMW R18's pulled up after a demo ride. All bikes were optioned differently; mirrors, exhaust, seats, luggage, etc. Quite a sight.

All in all a good time. Even though there was little mask wearing, I saw no back slapping, hugging or shaking of hands.














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[BC1100S]

I attended the Sturgis Rally August 8th-15th and stayed at the Rafter J Bar Ranch outside of Hill City,SD.

Apparently others weren't as careful.....

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/us/sturgis-south-dakota-rally-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

 

[bigjohnsd]

I live in Spearfish, 20 miles West of Sturgis.

We left town for the Bighorn Mountains of WY for the Sturgis madness.

Had a great 10 days camping at 9,000 ft.

Few masks in WY mostly employees and they were generally protecting their chins and not their noses.

Home now, COVID-19 cases are on a steady rise here in South Dakota.

 

[bdfbeemer]

Not to derail the tread too bad - what MSP pizza place are you stopping at? I'm always looking for new places to ride to

Pizzeria Lola. They have a great Korean pizza. First saw this place on Dinners Drive ins and Dives.

 

[bdfbeemer]

If memory serves me right, the east entrance to Glacier is closed because it is in an Indian reservation and the local tribe chose to close the entrance due to massive cases of covid within their residents. We are headed to Glacier in a couple of weeks and will be using the western entrance. The NPS decided not to challenge the decision.

I didn't realize that. The only thing on the east side is a small NPS check-in booth.

 

[nickrides]

I've been traveling quite a bit this year.
When the lockdown came my construction business was mandated closed for almost 2 months by my county.
I took this opportunity to do alot of day rides around W Colorado and E Utah.
I'm 61 and have a funky left lung and I do not want to contract the virus.
So I carry with me a good mask and alcohol based hand sanitizer in a baggy in my tank bag.
After I touch anything I don't know about I wash my hands or disinfect them and try not to touch my face.
We just got back from a 10 night camping trip out of our Van up into Wyoming.
We never ate out, lived out of the grocery stores and social distanced the best we could.
The people not wearing masks in crowded areas you sometimes can't avoid I must say are quite annoying.
Its hard to stay home for long periods of time, I go a bit stir crazy.
IMHO if your careful and plan ahead I think you can do OK.
I've rented several rooms and when I go in I wipe them down on any surface I might touch, YMMV.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick

 

[easy]

I’m going to pass on a long-distance trip this year. The timing is just not right, and I’m in no rush for any number of reasons. To begin with, I’m struck with the magnitude of our country’s current crisis. As I write this there are more than 5.5 million cases in the U.S., and more than 174,000 Americans who will never take a trip again. Those who are still healthy have a responsibility not only to themselves, but also to others to do everything they can to help make this country safe again. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who don't see it that way. They are the people who don’t social distance, or wear a mask. I just got back from HEB where I saw four people who, like an earlier poster said, don’t even seem to understand that the mask fits over the nose. How hard is that concept? I guess it shouldn’t surprise me because some of those same people think they have a constitutional right not to wear a mask. (Must be the 28th Amendment.)

I don’t begrudge those who are careful, and will take a trip this year. However, I strongly urge you to be careful. There are people out there who could care less whether you live, or die, just as long as they don't have to be inconvenienced by anyone else's health, or well being.

I have been taking some one day trips. When I stop for food it's takeout. I wear a mask, and keep my distance from idiots. I haven't needed any lodging, or been to any national parks.

Anyway, I’m going to wait for my long distance trip. With any luck we should have a vaccine later this year, or early next year. So, sometime next year I’ll be able to take as long a trip as I wish without fear of bug, or idiot.

E.

 

[bigjohnsd]

It all boils down to "Me" versus "We" !

What inconvenience am "I" willing to endure to assure that "We" will remain safe?

Unfortunately many seem unprepaed to accept a minor inconvenience to benefit their fellow countryman.

I can only imagine the hubub that would result from the implementation of WWII like rationing or travel restrictions etc.....

 

[PGlaves]

It all boils down to "Me" versus "We" !

What inconvenience am "I" willing to endure to assure that "We" will remain safe?

Unfortunately many seem unprepaed to accept a minor inconvenience to benefit their fellow countryman.

I can only imagine the hubub that would result from the implementation of WWII like rationing or travel restrictions etc.....

 

[sea2summit]

I spend summers in Buena Vista CO. We are having a boom year of people out for outdoor recreation. It seems that if anyone has a camper, trailer, RV, ATV, or whatever, they are hauling it into the mountains. Campgrounds are swamped and people spill over into unofficial spots. It’s hard on our environment, truth be told. But it’s an obvious reaction to what’s going on.
The kind of local motels that bikers would use are very busy. The restaurant scene is obviously restricted to mostly outdoor seating and many places that are open have lines. Around here folks are pretty good about using masks without repercussions.
While I’m guilty of using motorized recreation (my F750GS) it’s astounding how many people drag huge arrays of stuff into the remote mountains. Big trucks with big trailers with “toy” haulers. Trailers hauling multiple ATVs, Giant RVs, etc. And the normal amount of low key car campers with tents are still there. We’re all breathing more fumes of course.
The number of people seeking wilderness is booming, but sadly the amount of wilderness is fixed. No easy answer I know.

 

[rtnhueys]

Buck,

I took a cross country ride mid July from central Texas to Sacramento Calif area to include the coast & redwoods.
I did similar to Lee’s comments. Checking for hot spots, etc, avoided big cities-for many reasons- (there is a big difference in how states list covid info!) making room reservations that afternoon and using chain motels (hoping?) they have the resources to clean better.

I paid attention to how people were masking & physical distancing or not. Carried sanitizer, hand wipes & masks, and used them!

I am not running “scared” but being practical and safe to the best of my ability. Like normal travel, if something didn’t look right I moved on, now this includes too crowded or masking.

And, like i think Paul mentioned, if you have health concerns or issues, then staying home may be the safest plan.

Be safe & smart, have a safe trip if you take one.

John

 

[easy]

Apparently others weren't as careful.....

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/19/us/sturgis-south-dakota-rally-coronavirus-trnd/index.html

 

[BC1100S]

Same story but with a tattoo parlour now.

 

[Omega Man]

Same story but with a tattoo parlour now.

Same story with a bunch of colleges.
OM

 

[motodan]

Same story with a bunch of colleges.
OM

Yes, if a teacher, rather take my chances with a group of second grades, than college students.

 

[Omega Man]

Yes, if a teacher, rather take my chances with a group of second grades, than college students.

I heard a joke on the radio today...

What would you rather repeat-

First marriage-

Middle school-

2020-



OM