Dusty Dendy, a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services worker and 40-year motorcycle rider, said his annual trip to the Rally in Sturgis is a little more exciting this year because he has a new toy to show off to his friends.
Dendy’s toy, a maroon two-wheeler he purchased a few months ago, made the trip from Reform to Oktibbeha County earlier in the week, and event organizers hope hundreds more make a similar pilgrimage and help swell the small town’s population over the weekend.
For Dendy and his wife, Marie, 2017 marks the almost 20 years the pair has visited Sturgis for the rally. They’re such fixtures at the recreational vehicle area near Sturgis’ city park that Marie Dendy says they have their own spot.
“If you don’t see us here in our spot, then you know something’s wrong,” she said.
The Dendys returned to their RV about 2 p.m. Wednesday after a quick ride that took them to the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Oktoc and Starkville.
While many spots remained open at the RV grounds after their ride, the Dendys said they look forward to seeing familiar faces as rally attendees get into town this week.
“Pretty much everybody that’s here are our friends, and they’ve been coming as long as we have. It’s like a family reunion each year, because sometimes we don’t see them for a whole year,” Dusty said. “We all get together, cook, admire motorcycles and just hang out. As long as they have (the rally), we’ll be back.”
Across from the Dendy’s RV, Craig and Donna Minshew and Tenia McAdams, all of the Carthage area, sat outside their weeklong home and enjoyed the peace and quiet of a trip out of town.
“We used to come to Sturgis before when this wasn’t going on,” Donna said. “It’s a clean environment.”
“And it’s something to do to get out of the house. It’s the cheapest vacation in the world,” added Craig. “No kids crying, ‘Pawpaw, give me this or that.’ It’s nice to get out and turn the phone off.”
The McAdams family, which includes husband James, and the Minshews all said it’s a tradition to make the hour or so trip to Sturgis days before the rally.
“You get (RV space) for five days, so you might as well come for all five days. We’re not doing anything else,” Tenia said.
Both families are also motorcycle enthusiasts — Craig pointed to one of two three-wheeled motorcycles he said he built with James — and the Minshews also attend the bi-annual Faunsdale Bike Rally, located in Marengo County, Alabama.
“You could say that’s what we do,” Craig said while pointing at the motorcycle. “(The Sturgis rally) is probably a Sunday school class compared to Alabama. It’s a little more rowdy over there.”
Event details
This year’s rally, which has roots dating back to the mid-’90s, is its 18th official iteration after financial woes and rows between organizers and city officials led to cancellations from 2011-13.
A dinner ride is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday. Participants will line up on Main Street and ride a loop from Sturgis to Village Cycle Center in Clayton Village — where meals will be served — to the coliseum in Louisville and back into Sturgis.
The motorcycle caravan is expected to enter Starkville about 4:15-4:20 p.m., and the parade route will take participants through Main Street.
A 53-mile lunch ride — which will take participants from Sturgis to Ackerman, Eupora, Mathiston and back into town — is scheduled for Saturday. Ackerman’s National Guard Armory, located at 9540 Highway 12, is the site of the event’s meal, and a second stop is planned at Eupora’s Surgarland Donuts, located at 47 Gwenn Ray Drive.
Other events include a bike show and games, which are respectively scheduled for 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and a 9 a.m. blessing of the bikes on Sunday.
The event’s live music lineup includes: Miles Flatt and Southern Halo (Saturday), and Black Water Trio and Little Texas (Sunday).
A portion of the proceeds from wristband sales will benefit the Catch-A-Dream Foundation.
The Oktibbeha County Emergency Management Agency will take its mobile command trailer to Sturgis and assist area law enforcement agencies during the event.
OCEMA Director Kristen Campanella said attendees should be “weather aware” since thunderstorms are possible and the heat index is expected to reach 105 degrees this weekend.
“It is our priority to ensure the safety of everyone during the rally. Due to the number of people that attend this event and how the events take place outdoors … we would like to ask that everyone be aware of your surroundings for moving vehicles throughout the area and take precautions to reduce sunburns, insect bites and dehydration,” she said in a release.
Residents and visitors alike can sign up for Code Red, an emergency notification system utilized by Oktibbeha County, on their cellphones for location-specific alerts by visiting http://www.oktibbehacountyms.org.
Updates can also be found on Twitter by following the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department (@Oktsheriff), Starkville Police Department (@Starkville_PD), Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Troop G (@MHPTroopG) and OCEMA (@OktibbehaEOC).
Carl Smith covers Starkville and Oktibbeha County for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @StarkDispatch
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Related Photos
From left, Tenia McAdams, Donna Minshew and Craig Minshew pose by a three-wheeled motorcycle in Sturgis that Craig and McAdams' husband, Jake, helped assemble. Craig Minshew said the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally provides him and his wife a relaxing vacation each year. Photo by: Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
