Black Hills Fires? Current Conditions (Rapid City, Sturgis: crimes, motel, home)

[Jim Stokes]

What are the current fire conditions in the Black Hills? Any forest fires? We have to choose soon between the Black Hills or Duluth. Leaving August 10th for one destination or the other. Only fire I read about is in Nemo where 100 people were evacuated. Anything else? Thanks.

[ElkHunter]

Nothing on the KOTA territory news. Some small lighting strikes that burned an acre or two before being brought under control. But nothing big right now.

Enjoy the hills. But you do know about that thing called a "Rally?" haha Hills are filling up and in a short time, most every camp ground is going to be full as well as every motel for 100 miles from Sturgis. Sorry, just thought you should know.

I have relation in the Hills so I'm set when I go down, anytime. But finding somewhere to bed down at can get real tricky about August. haha

[Jammie]

Good thinking, Guzzler!

Jim Stokes,the rally is the 6th through the 12th this year so if you plan on being out there, be sure you have accomdations booked. You said you were leaving home the 10th and I don't know where you live, but hopefully the Hills vacation will work out for you. If I had my choice between Duluth or the Hills, you know which one I'd pick.

If you won't be out there until the 11th, the crowds may have started thinning down a bit by then. Normally everything is booked during most of the rally. Can't wait~I live near I-90 and you can hear cycles day and night. It usually doesn't quiet down until about 3 am and picks back up by 6 am.

[ElkHunter]

It was funny. My daughter decided to get married in August. I was doing a project in Texas. But I come up for it and it was Rodeo week in Sheridan. Not a room to be found. Well, I was fortunate enough to know some people and I got a room at the Holiday Inn. My folks showed up from Rapid City and my dad being 89 years old had decided that my brother and me should come down and visit because he thought it would be his last year. He didn't know that we had planned on being there for his 90'th birthday. But it was a surprise so we couldn't tell him.

At my daughters wedding my dad said, "Boys, you need to come visit next week, I don't think I'll be around much longer and I'd just like to have both you boys with me for a while. Crap, what could we say? So the next week, we went to Rapid City. It was the week of the ralley. I slept on the floor, My brother and his wife had the couch that folded out into a bed. Not the most desirable accomidations. hahahahahaha

You can't find squat in Rapid City during the Ralley.

[Jim Stokes]

Thanks for the tip! I had in the back of my mind the motorcycle rally at Sturgis. Well that does it. Duluth it is. Er, that's DULL-uth to me. But don't tell my wife. I'd sure prefer the Black Hills. But I'm definitely a NON-motorcycle fan.

However for peace of mind, it will have to be Duluth. Otherwise vacation is August 9-14 for us, which would equal motorcycle madness in the Black Hills for half of it.

[Jim Stokes]

And now, the rest of the story. Wife and I talked it over last night. We dug through the internet to find out if the motorSICK-lists might be taking over SooFoo on the way to Sturgis, since we ran into a "parade" of them by mistake one year, when they jammed up the ENTIRE downtown area. We spent a good, long amount of our own precious
Ftime in an Arby's, waiting for a clear path. They ARE indeed a "my way" greedy bunch. But I sure can't argue with the fantastic mileage of a SICK-el.

Anyway, looks like the wild bunches will be on their way to the Black Hills if we wanted to camp and horse around in and about SooFoo.

Feh! As the old saying goes.

Conclusion: We WILL head for Duluth first and bum around. Then turn around and head home to Minneapolis on the way to Split Rock Park near Garretson, South Dakota, which is near SooFoo.

So ALAS! No Black Hills trip, thanks to the SICK-lists.

[Jammie]

That's a neat story, Guzzler. I like the way you add humor to your posts.

JimStokes, I'm SO sorry that you decided against the Hills for vacation. I wish I could tell you they won't be in the area of Sx Falls, but they hang out in towns all along I-90 for about 10 days~some coming out and some going home, etc.

It doesn't look like you'd be happy though with so many cyclists around. We don't ride motorcycle anymore and only did it in our younger years, but I"ve always felt a bit unsafe on one. MOST of the bikers are actually pretty nice people though. There are thousands of them around during Sturgis week and there are actually very few crimes. They had a bit of problems last year, but it was because the old "gangs" were out there.

Oh well, maybe next vacation.

[TurkStalker]

Anyone know what the Merriams are doing in the Hill City area of Black Hills? I will be camping and hunting this weekend and Monday and Tuesday. Just wondering if the Gobblers have split up, are they talking, are they on the prowl? Any info would be helpful as 3 of us are coming up from St. Louis and Nashville to hunt Turks. Thanks for any advice you may give me.

[DannyBanany]

I was driving on I-90 today and I saw a group of them under an overpass and that was way out on the prairie. I occasionally get them in the backyard or in the nearby canyon.