Cruisin’ to start Friday

It’s time for motorcycles to invade the Black Hills once again, as Custer Cruisin’ begins Aug. 6 in conjunction with the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
As always, Mt. Rushmore Road will be barricaded for center lane parking for motorcycles, with one lane of traffic heading both east and west from 5th Street to 8th Street. In addition, city crews will block off south 6th Street so Cruisin’ vendors can set up  their tents. Vendors will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day of the event.
There are special scheduled events taking place in Custer, including the annual Mayor’s Ride and Poker Run.
The annual Mayor’s Ride and Poker Run is Tuesday, Aug. 10. The event is open for everyone, with registration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Custer Beacon. Riders will meet at the Veteran’s Memorial on Washington Street, where they will then leave as a group after a brief road captain’s meeting.  This ride is a poker run, with riders earning a card at each stop.
The cost of the ride is $30 per participant and $25 per passenger. When registering, participants can receive a bonus card for another $5. The first 50 paid participants will receive an event T-shirt and a post-ride dinner.
The ride will take Hwy. 16A to Custer State Park to Wildlife Loop Road, down Hwy. 87 toward Hot Springs, up Hwy. 385 and back to Custer.
This year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Custer Cruisin’ are expected to bring a large  number of motorcycles to the area that will undoubtedly create slower traffic throughout the Hills and longer lines at local businesses.
Because of that, officials encourage local residents to plan their personal affairs before the Rally starts. Such things include, but are not limited to:
• Stocking up on groceries and other supplies
• Filling prescriptions
• Getting gas for automobiles
• Banking
• Doctor’s visits
• Going to the post office
• Renewing driver’s licenses
• Getting license plates renewed
People are encouraged to not use Mt. Rushmore Road and to use either Washington or Crook Street to get around.
As a way to quickly get information to the public with rally updates, people are encouraged to follow the county’s Twitter account and Facebook page.  They can be found at CusterSD_EM (Twitter) and facebook.com/pages/Custer-County-South-Dakota-Emergency-Management.
Custer Cruisin’ runs through Aug. 15.

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