Sturgis - where to stay? (aka "I've lost my mind!")

I think maybe I've lost my mind.  Read on...you'll see why.

People going to Sturgis, SD for bike week normally make the decision and reservations well in advance of the trip. Many book lodging for the next year while they're in Sturgis.  I decided to go just a few weeks ago, after I had received an email saying I was maxed out on vacation time (use it or lose it) so where to stay was a tough decision.

I checked for Hilton properties (with all my work travel I tend to accumulate a lot of hotel points).  A brand new Hilton Garden Inn in Rapid City (~30 miles from Sturgis) had rooms available ($240/night or 35k points/night - like a downtown Chicago hotel!).  There is a Hampton Inn (Hilton owned) in Deadwood, but their rooms were $400+/night - I didn't even ask them how many points/night. 


Five guys, one of whom works at the local Harley shop,  rented a house in the country just outside of Sturgis and they have an extra bedroom since one of the guys had to cancel.  I considered that but since I don't know any of them, I decided that sharing a house (and bathroom) wasn't the best option (although I'm sure they're nice guys).

So, I talked to a couple of friends to see where they are staying and found out they are camping just on the edge of Sturgis.  Hmm...camping.  Rain, wind, bugs, 90 degrees or 40 degrees...just a few of the downsides that come to mind, although the biggest is the trek I'll have to make to the "facilities" should I wake up in the middle of the night.


Well, camping won out over hotel.  Primary reason - less hassle connecting with friends if I want to join them for a ride as the hotel is 30+ miles from their campground.

Next decision - if I'm camping (not a new activity for me....when my sons were young, we used to camp a lot) what am I sleeping in? I like the guys going but wanted my own sleeping accommodations.  I called the campground and learned their cabins were all reserved AND the tent camping sites DO NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY!  What?  How do you charge your camera battery, cell phone, IPOD?  This could be interesting.

I checked out tents online and found one made to fit over the back of my Tahoe.  It arrived this week and Matt and Jennie came over last night to help me set it up (I figured I should practice before the real deal).
It was after we had taken it out of the box and spread it out on the driveway that I thought maybe I had lost my mind.


Just out of the box/bag



Out of the bag wasn't what worried me...it was this next step - when we spread it out on the driveway.  This is a big tent.

It gets worse....my son, Matt, is 6'3".  He had to step up on the tire to hook the tent over the back of the tailgate. 



It fits over the back of the Tahoe so you can sleep inside

 I'm hoping some guys (TALL GUYS) take pity on me and help me set this up.  And I'm hoping nobody secretly video tapes this and puts it on YouTube.  It will no doubt be a comedy.