"Thank you for your positive report about our Rally. I've lived in the Black Hills for nearly forty years."
The breakfast buffet sounds great. I stopped attending the Sturgis Rally after 2002 for a lot of reasons, mostly because I had been there so many times that there was nothing new to see and I live 2100 miles away.
I suggest to everyone, bikers and otherwise, that they check out that region of the country. It is unlike any place I have ever been.
Living in New Hampshire, I am sick to death of trees, hills and rocks (and rude New York tourists). In western South Dakota, I can go from landscapes reminiscent of the grand canyon to the rockies to the desert in 90 minutes.
My favorite ride is Iron Mountain Road and the Custer Park. Having to stop to let bighorn sheep and buffalo cross the road is something you simply cannot experience in the northeast.
I recommend a trip to the Black Hills a few weeks before or after Sturgis bike week.
On the other hand, if you are a hard core biker with any brand of bike, (including the silliest of scooters) you should experience Sturgis bike week at least once. Anybody who tells you about violence or lack of civility is full of crap.
The breakfast buffet at the VFW is always fun and beers at Buck n' Gator is worth the trip.
The very best time to visit the Black Hills is after school starts. Our autumns are spectacular. "Buck 'n Gator" is interesting. We always try to take new visitors there for a bit of local flavor. Iron Mountain Road is a must. We live only about seven miles from Rushmore, so we travel it often. We have big horn sheep show up here quite often. Too many people overlook the Black Hills as a vacation destination. They have no idea what they are missing.