08/08/2026
08.07.2026
Meade County, South Dakota
Good Morning, Meade County!
It's here!!
Kind of like the beaming first-time father waiting for the arrival of that first kid... equal parts excitement, anxiety, and absolutely no idea what the next week is about to bring. There will be late nights, questionable decisions, plenty of noise, and at some point you'll wonder if anyone is ever going to sleep again.
The Rally has officially arrived.
Are we ready? Have we done everything we possibly can to prepare? We certainly hope so.
The signs are all in place, which is the universal signal that Rally Week has officially begun.
The temporary stop signs are out. Speed limits have been reduced in all the usual places. And perhaps the biggest giveaway of all...
The "Old" Meade County Jail is officially open for business.
That's right. Every Rally we dust off the old jail to help handle the extra guests who choose to experience Rally Week from the wrong side of the bars.
And when we say "old," we mean old.
Imagine Alcatraz... only much smaller... tucked underneath a courthouse built in the 1950s. It's dark. It's cold. The accommodations are... rustic. Sleeping arrangements consist of state-issued mattresses spread across the floor of what's affectionately known as the bullpen.
Fun fact: those mattresses are actually made by inmates at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. We keep a healthy supply on hand for visitors who struggle with making good life choices.
Also, beginning today, if you get arrested, you're generally staying with us until morning court.
So that buddy yelling, "Don't worry, I'll bail you out!" as you are gently being placed in the back of a patrol car....
Yeah... he's lying... and he's not bailing you out today and by tomorrow he may have aleady forgotten about you.
You might want to double-check your Rally itinerary to make sure it includes a 24-hour stay at our exclusive gated community.
Amenities are limited. The room service is terrible. The reviews are consistently one star, and no bagels...
For those sitting in the back row...
Don't do illegal things, and absolutely none of this applies to you.
Safety Tip of the Day...
Remember that while thousands of visitors are here enjoying Rally Week, the people who actually live in Meade County still have to go to work.
Many of them are driving heavy-duty pickups pulling large trailers. They're doing everything they can to avoid the congestion around Sturgis, but sometimes that's simply not possible.
Those trucks do not stop on a dime.
They also don't magically swerve around someone who cuts across three lanes because they almost missed their turn.
Mass wins. Every time.
That's not an opinion. It's physics.
Not that I took physics in school, but I have been told...
Give the big trucks plenty of room, be patient, and don't put yourself in a situation where several tons of pickup and trailer have to react to your last-second decision.
Finally, yesterday we responded to several serious crashes on Highway 14 between Sturgis and Deadwood.
Yes, we temporarily closed the highway to relieve traffic pressure through the canyon.
Those decisions are never made lightly. We fully understand the inconvenience they create, but if we're closing a highway during Rally Week, it's because something significant has happened. Our first priority is protecting the people already involved and preventing another crash from happening on top of the first one.
Please be patient. A few extra minutes of waiting may literally save someone's life.
Be safe, Meade County.
Slow down. Give each other some room. Show a little grace.
And if at all possible...
Avoid the jail.
Trust us.
We don't even have a toaster.
