Sturgis
Driving under the influence: 30
Misdemeanor drug arrest: 15
Felony drug arrest: 1
Other felony arrests: 0
Total tickets: 129
Total warnings: 384
Concealed weapons arrests: 3
Non-injury accidents: 1
Injury accidents: 3
Rapid City
Driving under the influence: 3
Misdemeanor drug arrest: 8
Felony drug arrest: 0
Other felony arrests: 0
Total tickets: 36
Total warnings: 72
Non-injury accidents: 2
Injury accidents: 2
Southern Hills
Driving under the influence: 1
Misdemeanor drug arrest: 1
Felony drug arrest: 0
Other felony arrests: 0
Total tickets: 25
Total warnings: 68
Non-injury accidents: 0
Injury accidents: 0
Badlands
Driving under the influence: 1
Misdemeanor drug arrest: 3
Felony drug arrest: 0
Other felony arrests: 0
Total tickets: 14
Total warnings: 36
Non-injury accidents: 1
Injury accidents: 1
Cumulative rally stats as of 6 a.m. Sunday
Fatalities
2010 – 9
2009 – 0
Injury accidents
2010 – 73
2009 – 72
Non-injury accidents
2010 – 36
2009 – 39
DUI arrests
2010 – 290
2009 – 316
Felony drug arrests
2010 – 46
2009 – 43
Misdemeanor drug arrests
2010 – 183
2009 – 153
Other felony arrests
2010 – 2
2009 – 3
Total citations
2010 – 1,442
2009 – 1,803
Total warnings
2010 – 4,598
2009 – 4.363
Concealed weapons arrests
2010 – 3
2009 – 6
Vehicles seized in drug arrests
2010 – 5
2009 – 10
Cash seized
2010 - $332
2009 - $6,407
The 70th anniversary of the Sturgis motorcycle rally ended on a relatively quiet note Sunday, leaving organizers, vendors, businesses and law enforcement to tally up the numbers.
The biggest number -- attendance -- is the most difficult to measure. Rally officials had estimated that 500,000 bikers would visit Sturgis during rally week, which would have been an increase from last year’s estimated total of 442,000.
Rally director Brenda Vasknetz said Sunday that she believes the rally drew as many as 600,000 bikers.
“Visually, I can say that it appeared that attendance was up,” said Vasknetz, adding that Tuesday seemed to be the biggest day in Sturgis.
In evaluating turnout, she said rally officials look at Department of Transportation traffic counts, Mount Rushmore visits, the number of vendor licenses, tons of garbage collected and sales tax receipts, which won’t be available until the end of the month.
If the number of fatalities is any measure, the rally was better attended this year than in 2009. The South Dakota Highway Patrol reported nine motorcycle fatalities in the area, compared with zero last year.
DUI arrests, however, were down when compared to 2009. The Highway Patrol reported 290 DUI arrests through 6 a.m. Sunday. Last year, 316 drivers were ticketed for DUI in the Black Hills.
Vendors reported mixed results at this year’s rally.
“We are definitely busier this year, and this is the third year I have come,” said Brandy Howard of Daytona, Fla., who worked at Biker Apparel. “They haven’t just been buying the cheaper stuff, either. They buy our customized shirts and hoodies.”
Howard said the Sturgis rally continues to be her favorite.
“Sturgis is the best rally, and we go all over,” she said. “It’s crazier here, and the people are a lot friendlier.”
Business also was good at Hot Leathers, which sold Sturgis motorcycle rally apparel and other items at its booth on Main Street.
“I work here in Sturgis and in Deadwood, and we are definitely busier than last year,” said Abi Sherck, who worked for Hot Leathers. “People will buy anything if they think it’s a bargain. Three T-shirts for $30 is a deal, even if they don’t need or want three T-shirts.”
Other vendors left the rally a bit disappointed.
“The business this year wasn’t quite what I had expected it to be, but it has been pretty steady,” said Raelynn Harrod, who worked at Crazy Dave’s on Main Street. “Maybe it’s our location on the end of Main Street, or maybe it’s the economy, but I had thought we would do a little better.”
Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore officials both reported large crowds during rally week.
Ruth Ziolkowski, chief executive officer of the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, said that although she won’t know the precise number of visitors until the end of the month, the motorcycle parking areas were much busier this year than last year.
“It was a great year, and I think they were a great group,” she said. “Everybody says it’s because of the 70th anniversary, but I think the bikers really like the Black Hills and love coming.”
Mount Rushmore National Monument reported a significant jump in the number of visitors during this year’s rally week.
Brad Eggers, the supervisory park ranger at Mount Rushmore Memorial, said the number of motorcycles that entered the national park from Friday, Aug. 6, to Friday, Aug. 13, was 83,364, which is up from last year’s total of 73,116.
On Tuesday alone, 17,600 people visited the national memorial, making it the single busiest day since 2000, when the park began keeping track of numbers.
Eggers said park employees actually count the bikes as they travel through the park.
Badlands National Park officials said traffic was down there compared to past years.
“The motorcycle traffic is slightly less than what it was in 2009,” Lynne Stokes, the park’s acting chief ranger, said.
The park’s visitation peaked on Monday and Tuesday, according to Stokes.
“We had the Wounded Knee Ride go through then. Most of our activity was early last week,” she said.
Badlands rangers, who work with the South Dakota Highway Patrol and sheriff’s offices when accidents happen during the rally on Interstate 90, were not too busy, which was a good sign, from Stokes’ perspective.
“I would say it was a good rally,” she said.
Some veteran rally-goers however, said the 70th annual event was not as good as in past years.
“I’ve been coming since 1987, and I think the 50th anniversary year was better than this year,” said Joe Godina of Wisconsin. “I always like coming out and seeing some shows and all the bikes, but it wasn’t my favorite year.”
“I’ve been to the rally 11 times, and it’s always a good time, but this isn’t the best year ever,” Craig Michel of California said. “I think the heavy police presence makes it not as fun as it used to be. People aren’t quite as free to do whatever as they used to be.”
Sturgis Police Chief Jim Bush, who has been working at rallies since he became the chief in 1990, said it was an overall peaceful rally.
“It’s been average stuff, and not overwhelming but steady,” he said. “Dealing with this amount of people for eight days, you will have contact with people, but the nucleus of the crowd has been very easy to work with.”
Bush attributed the fewer incidents this year to additional parking in town and the increase in the number of events and attractions.
“This rally has consumed the whole Black Hills, and with every year, there is more stuff offered and more riding in the Hills,” he said. “The area has a tendency to keep them busier then they have in the past years.”
Ziolkowski said she is looking forward to next year’s rally and the traffic it will bring to Crazy Horse Memorial.
“I’m a perpetual optimist, so I think it will be great next year,” she said.
One visitor said she definitely plans to return next year.
“This is our first time here, and the people are very friendly and we had a lot fun,” Francine Daigneault of Montreal said. “We want to come back again.”
