Both towns welcome hungry bikers

As the rally kicks up, so do the biker breakfasts that support community organizations and causes. 

This year Keystone is having a one-day Sturgis Rally Breakfast Aug. 8 from 7:30–10:30 a.m. at the Keystone Community Center at 1101 Madill St.

The event is quite unusual for two reasons—the food has all been donated by the town’s engineering firm, Interstate Engineering, and town employees are hosting the event to support the town’s old schoolhouse.

Finance officer Samantha Epler said the idea to hold the biker breakfast came from the city office staff. They learned no one was hosting breakfast this year and that could affect momentum for future years. 

“We asked Interstate Engineering if they could sponsor it,” Epler said. 

The engineering firm has also donated before, to the town’s ham bingo. 

“They’re very good about donating to town functions,” said Candace Lorimor, city clerk. 

Epler added, “Zach (Grapentine, the town engineer) actually approached us about a month ago and asked if the town needed anything to be sponsored,” Epler added.

Grapentine said that while he doesn’t live in Keystone, he feels “invested” in the community. He said his firm encourages its staff to “give back to the people we work with.” 

Sometimes that may mean participating in parades or trunk or treat events. In this case, the opportunity came in the form of a donation for food, Grapentine said.

“Keystone is kind of cool,” said Grapentine, citing other communities often ask for sponsorships. “We want to make sure we allocate giving back to Keystone.”

The city got a small $500 Rally Rush grant  from the state to promote the event with banner and radio advertising. 

The office staff, town librarian and public works staff will serve the meal. 

The wireless fire alarm system will not impact the structure of the building but be directly linked to the fire department. The expected cost of the system is $40,000 and this is the first fundraising event toward this. The menu includes pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, breakfast potatoes, cold water and hot coffee and tea. 

There is no fixed price for the meal but rather by a free will donation.

For the 33rd year in a row, the Hill City Seniors will host its biker breakfast, which is its major fundraiser for the organization. The group is running its daily breakfast from Aug. 7-15 at the Hill City Center at 227 Walnut Street. 

The meal is all you can eat pancakes, eggs, bacon, biscuits and sausage gravy, with unlimited refills of  coffee and orange juice. The cost for adults is $14, while children 10 and under eat for $6. This is a completely volunteer-run event with people donating time bussing tables, mixing pancakes, frying bacon or cooking eggs. Organizers say it takes about 25 volunteers a day to feed the masses of bikers and breakfast lovers who come through the doors each day.

Aside from the two breakfasts, both towns will have the typical closures in place for four-wheeled drivers. In Hill City, that means using the bypass as Main Street is bikes only to accommodate motorcycle parking and traffic flow. In Keystone, drivers are encouraged to park along Swanzey Street during the rally, as the state parking lot is reserved for bikes only. 

Both drivers and motorcyclists will get a brief reprieve in the Hwy. 40 construction east of Keystone with the temporary light being removed until after the rally ends.