So, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is officially on.
I’m not sure how to feel about that. Initially, I was opposed; the last thing we need is 500,000 bikers descending upon the Black Hills, because you know they’re the last people in the world to bother with face masks and socially distancing themselves. But the issue isn’t so black-and-white. For one thing, it was made clear that regardless of whether or not there was an official Rally, the Harley-Davidson set were still planning on coming. Short of fencing off the entire town, there was no way of stopping them. Making the Rally official allows the city to budget for and enact safety precautions, at least to a certain extent. Second, the Black Hills depends on tourism for its lifeblood. If the Rally were canceled, an awful lot of businesses would be in danger of going under for good. I know, I know: the economy takes a backseat to public health and safety. But it’s a complicated issue, and like many others, I’m suffering from COVID fatigue.
We’ll just avoid it this year, which is too bad. We had a surprisingly good time when we went in 2018 (and again last year).
Unfortunately, Trump is still planning a visit to Mount Rushmore on July 3 for the fireworks ceremony, which he is taking full credit for. This tradition was halted in 2009 due to environmental concerns, but our idiot president said, “What can burn? It’s all stone.” Umm, how about the thousands of acres of ponderosa pine surrounding the national monument? In a dry year where precipitation is below normal, no less. Ugh. What a tool.
We will celebrate the holiday drinking and playing corn hole in our backyard.
I live in an area where there are no longer any COVID restrictions. Rapid City voted on Monday to officially end all mandated restrictions, leaving it up to businesses and the public. I’m in favor of this. By now, we all know what we are supposed to do: face masks, six feet apart, hand sanitizer, yadda yadda. There are no capacity restrictions in restaurants and bars and businesses are free to remove their one-way arrows if they want, but nothing had changed during my trip to Safeway this morning, so maybe the common-sense approach will actually work.
Maybe.
With our family reunion less than three months away and the world still in a state of flux, I sent out an email this afternoon. Basically told everybody since they’re the ones traveling, I would leave the decision up to them. My parents bought tickets and will definitely be here. My aunt is a lot more skittish. Everybody’s got their own comfort level, and I have to respect that. I just fear that if it doesn’t happen this year, it never will.
Stupid COVID-19.
My half-home/half-in-the-office work schedule has been nice. I’ve gotten to the point where going into work feels natural, while staying home is a bit odd. The exact opposite of what it felt like a month ago. Tomorrow, a bunch of us are headed into Keystone for an all-day blitz. We’ll be visiting Chamber of Commerce members and I am tasked with taking photos. Hmm…a day spent out of the office, with a visit to the wax museum, a coffeeshop, a bar, and a company-sponsored lunch? It’s dirty work, but somebody’s gotta do it! I won’t be home, but I also won’t be at the office, which feels even weirder.
Here’s a random picture of our backyard patio. Have I mentioned how impressed I am with Tara’s outdoor decor? She’s done a great job making our backyard cozy and inviting. So much so that, despite a 96° day on Tuesday, I still wanted nothing more than to sit outside after work with a glass of wine.
Take care, friends.
Mark My Words 
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