7000 at Funeral

Hells Angels icon a part of California culture

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.

Book at amazon

Recent Sonny Barger News Stories

• The Guardian Obituary. Good overview of the life of this celebrity biker.

• Tucker Carlson at the funeral What the...? - In this San Francisco web site.

• A Trial in Kentucky 34 Years Ago The strange saga involving Hunter S. Thompson

• The View from Australia Fame around the world.

• Funeral pre video Motorcycles after dark.

• Photos You'll have to click the > on the right-side of the photo slide show to see the pics.

Or, take look below:

Sturgis Rider Favorite No More

After 32 years "just tired of it..."

Photo at TravelSouthDakota.com

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.

Sturgis Reflection

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.