STURGIS – Thousands of motorcyclists traveled Friday to the small town of Sturgis, South Dakota, when Sturgis’ 80th motorcycle rally came to life despite fears that it would lead to a large coronavirus outbreak.
The event can become one of the largest public gatherings since the start of the pandemic, and organizers expect another 250,000 people across the country to pass the 10-day event through Sturgis. That would be about part of the number in years gone by, but local citizens, and some cyclists, fear that the crowd will create a “super spreader” event.
The occasion from 7 to 16 August will give rally-dependent companies the chance to compensate for the losses caused by the coronavirus. But for many Sturgis, a city of about 7,000 people, overflowing bars and bacchanals will not be welcome as a pandemic.
“Vis COVID. I went to Sturgis’: the rally starts with the cyclists present
According to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally website, live cameras “capture Sturgis in a circular way throughout the year and are strategically located to give you an overhaul of everything that is happening in Sturgis”.
Here it is on Lazelle Street, from a camera to the Sturgis liquor store.
This is the catcher stream at the corner of Junction and Main Street, captured at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum.
Here is the view of hotel Sturgis in Main St. and Harley-Davidson Way, next to the action.