Sturgis - Sunday morning

I am camping in a campground right at the edge of Sturgis - a short walk from McDonalds where I have learned there is one electrical outlet where I can charge my phone and camera battery.

Yes, I am camping - right on the edge of Sturgis....where there is no electricity for tent campers!

I am currently sitting at the McDonalds writing this as my gadgets charge.  There are 4 guys sitting in the booth next to me who actually live here in Sturgis.  One gentleman (self-described "redneck" he says) has been giving me some advice about where to ride, what roads to take and what to avoid (like when I go to Devil's Tower, not to ride back at night through the Indian Reservation).    

I will post some campground photos later tonight.  Suffice to say I have one of the larger tents in the campground.  I like it!  Lots of room to spread out.  The pictures will explain what I mean.  I'm amazed at the variety of tents...some so small I doubt the "resident" could turn over to change sleeping positions.

On a positive note, people at campgrounds are friendly.  Some of my neighbors are also extremely helpful.  Case in point, yesterday when I got my tent spread out on the tarp, a couple camping across from me came right over and started helping me put up the tent.  I'm not sure I could have done it by myself so their help was much appreciated.  We had a lot of laughs and there was a lot of kidding about men/women. 

On the downside, there is one great big building that services men and women for showers, toilets and sinks.  The showers are small block rooms with a private entrance and a lock.  Reminds me of a college dorm where you have a dry area with a bench and hooks, then a curtained off shower section.  However, these little rooms are open at the top so you hear every sound (I'M SAYING EVERY SOUND!) the person next to you makes as they shower.  My observation as I showered rather late last night - men make a lot of grunting noises as well as "throat clearing" (gross) noises.  Women talk...to each other over the block walls.  And they laugh and giggle. 

I learned I can shower in 3 minutes - the amt of time you get for one quarter!  I also learned that without my glasses, its easy to confuse a little bottle of hair conditioner with a bottle of body lotion. 

The toilets are the same as the shower...you go in through a private door, however the block wall only goes up so far, so you are also hearing every sound your "neighbors" are making.  Let me just say, its just a little too communal for me!  And I'm a nurse!!

This morning I woke up at 530 am SD time.  Stayed in bed for a little while (it was really chilly).  When I did venture up to the shower house, there was a really long line of men waiting to shower.  Boy was I glad I had showered last night!!  The only separate ladies area is a room with sinks and mirrors.  Again, much like a college dorm, there were women in there putting on make-up, drying their hair etc.  A chatty group.  This part I didn't mind!!  Everyone was sharing their "how I got to Sturgis" stories.

More later.....