A GOOD RALLY IS IN THE PLANNING
Sturgis ... the very name of this small high plains community summons visions of motorcycling at its best . But what you should know before you go is that the rally experience can be motorcycling at its worst . For example , a few years ago after Colorado had already passed laws concerning medical marijuana , a friend and I were making our annual pilgrimage to the rally . We were roughly twenty miles Sturgis on the interstate when a South Dakota highway patrolman put on his lights and pulled us over , which we did unaware of any violations we could have incurred . “ Good day , gentlemen ... can I see your licenses , registration and insurance .” We complied . He returned to his cruiser and after a few moments on the radio , brought back our documents . “ Thank you for your compliance and have a nice day ,” he said handing them back . “ By the way , South Dakota does not recognize medical marijuana .” Damn , guilt by Colorado . Things that you and I take for granted at home are still outlawed in other western states . And while I myself don ’ t smoke , eat or otherwise imbibe , those that do need to be mindful that you could still end up in the pokey for ‘ smoking mother nature ’ as the old song lyrics go . But that isn ’ t what this is about specifically . There are a whole lot of different things you need to prepare for each year at this time whether this is your first timer or your fifty-first time . So listed below are some of the top things that should be at the fore front of your mind as you prepare for a rally whether in Sturgis or elsewhere .
WEATHER : Colorado , weathermen aren ’ t perfect , but in the northern and central-tier states , particularly the plains states of Eastern Montana , North and South Dakota , Nebraska , Iowa , Kansas and Western Minnesota there are vast stretches of rural , thinly populated areas with no shelter should a severe thunderstorm move in quickly , which can happen at any moment it seems like . Even
12 Thunder Roads Magazine ® Colorado October 2016 www . thunderroadscolorado . com