Bikers cruise South Dakota's Badlands. The motorcycle rally opens Aug 3.

© David Zimmerman/Masterfile

Bikers cruise South Dakota's Badlands. The motorcycle rally opens Aug 3.

The midwestern US state of South Dakota will see its scenic highways roar to life this week, as hundreds of bikers from all over the country arrive for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The small town of Sturgis, population roughly 7,000, swells to a gathering of half a million for this event, which includes 10 days of races, concerts, and revelry. The Sturgis rally was founded in 1938 by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club and Sturgis resident Clarence ‘Pappy’ Hoel–a legend in these parts. What started as a modest gathering of just nine riders is now one of the largest rallies in the world.