A Very Busy Day at Sturgis: DUIs, Fatal Crash, Monkey Encounter

The first weekend of the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is in the books, and it wrapped up with a very busy 48-hour stretch for law enforcement in the Black Hills.

The South Dakota Highway Patrol has released some key crime stats from Saturday (August 8th) morning to Monday (August 10th), and there was no shortage of activity.

DUI Arrests - 31
Misdemeanor Drug Arrests - 51
Felony Drug Arrests - 22
Custodial Arrests - 55
Total Citations - 241
Total Warnings - 900
Non-Injury Accidents - 3
Injury Accidents - 4
Fatal Accidents - 1

As eye-popping as some of those numbers are, they are actually pretty consistent with what authorities see at the rally each year. But just when you think they've seen it all on the roads winding through the Black Hills, comes an unexpected encounter with an unlikely motorcycle passenger.

The 86th rally runs through Sunday (August 16th).

Last year's event welcomed more than 537,000 vehicles over the ten-day event.

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What Was It like to Vacation in South Dakota’s Black Hills 60 Years Ago?

This time of year our thoughts often turn to planning that perfect getaway to enjoy the warmer weather and extended daylight.

For a lot of us in South Dakota, that means a trek to the Black Hills and all of the things they have to offer.

But vacationing in western South Dakota is hardly a new concept. People from all over the globe have been coming to the area for decades.

Gallery Credit: Jeff Harkness/B1027.com

LOOK: 10 Reasons to Visit the South Dakota Badlands

Returning from a weekend trip to Rapid City, South Dakota for state basketball tournaments we decided to visit the Badlands National Park.

A quick turn-off I-90 will take you into some of the most awe-inspiring scenery.

It's also fun to note that several big-screen movies were filmed in the Badlands. Dances With Wolves, Starship Troopers, Armageddon, and most recently, Academy Award winner, Nomadland.

It's a spectacular park with tons to do. If you're setting out on a hike, bring lots of water and sign the hikers' logs at the trailheads. It could save your life. It's a tough place to survive.

Here are 10 facts about the Badlands:

Gallery Credit: Danny V

Life on a Cattle Ranch in Western South Dakota

Life is different out in the country. One look at the photo from Robin Bickel and you quickly realize that a workday is quite different as well, after all, she lives out west in South Dakota Cattle Country.

Robin Bickel took time to tell KIKN Country a little bit about her life out west and life as a woman, working outdoors with animals and nature in God's Country. Bickel lives and works on a cattle ranch operated by herself, her father, Jack, and his brother Keith. How far out in the country is she? How does 50 miles west of Mobridge, South Dakota sound? Yep, mountain time out there.

Life is so different in Sioux Falls, South Dakota compared to what our friends on the farm and ranches deal with. It's a half-mile to the grocery store for our family. For Robin, it's 17 miles. However, it's a quick step out her door and she's right in the middle of where a lot of the groceries come from.

Gallery Credit: JD COllins

Source: Sturgis Rally Logs: 31 DUIs, One Fatal Crash in Two Days

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