A life from the early days in the Bay Area, to world-wide fame and notoriety.
Barger died from cancer after a long life on the road, on motorcycles, and also in court rooms and jails.
A lot of jail-time
I read one of his books and besides the descriptions of biker life and mentality, I was also struck with the amount of his life taken up in later years by being arrested, jailed, dealing with lawyers, paying lawyers and generally being absorbed in a lifestyle few of would ever chose.
The saloon popular with many Sturgis Rally bikers is closing. The longtime owner says it has been a success. But after more than three decades, he wants to do something else.
A Change after 32 years. Very understandable.
Located in a scenic place in the Black Hills. High enough for some cooler summer temperatures. And importantly, NOT a chain outfit.
Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin talks of the old days at the Sturgis Rally
Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin
Retiring after 32 years as county sheriff and after working 40 of the 82 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally's. Merwin lost the most recent sheriff election and will be leaving office.
In earlier years the city sold camping spots in the city park. That park became notorious for debauchery and an "anything goes" atmosphere. With lots of nudity, drugs, biker gangs and about anything one can imagine went on there.
But, that atmosphere helped cement the reputation of the Sturgis Rally as a wild place.
Merwin said cars driven into the campgrounds were rocked, with the windows broken out.
In 1989 the city held a referendum and voted to close the city campground to rally bikers. Then campgrounds sprang up outside Sturgis - Buffalo Chip, Glenco, and others.
However, Merwin said that even in recent times he and officers have been nervous when dispatched to campgrounds to deal with some incident. Nothing has happened to them. But he said they think about what might.
He says the rallies have been running smoothly.
Sturgis has turned into a big money major event in North America.
In the early days the Sturgis Rally drew 30,000. And 35,000 was considered a big year. Now it draws more than 10 times that many.
Sturgis, population 7,000, has turned the event into a money-maker for the city.
"bike wash at world ducati week 2010" by @gluca is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
