The Cycle Source Magazine World Report

From Behind the Lens

September 2006

Colleen Swartz

Riding the Rally, Sturgis Style

If you ride, you have to go to Sturgis at least once in your life. This is something that I repeatedly tell everyone I meet who rides.

I have been to Daytona Bike Week, Myrtle Beach and many other rallies around the country and although each has its charms and attractions, there is no place on the earth like Sturgis South Dakota.

The difference is the riding. When I am in Myrtle Beach I ride to get from one destination to another. They are all great parties, but if you want to go to a place in this great land of ours to see some incredible riding, I would suggest South Dakota every time.

This past Sturgis I was thrilled to have a couple traveling with us who had never been there before. I was psyched to show them the huge bars and Main Street and Lazelle Street and the sheer volume of bikers who descend on this little town of 4,600 but my favorite part was taking them to Spearfish for the Motorcycle Hall Of Fame induction ceremony and then on a fabulous ride through Spearfish Canyon, to Lead and then Deadwood and back to Sturgis.

It continually amazes me that you are on this flat, hot freeway, and then you exit onto a frontage road not unlike many other interstate frontage roads and you head out of town just a short way and suddenly you come around a corner and the world opens up before you into this incredible canyon that literally swallows you whole. I reveled in watching my friends experience the beauty, cool mountain air and winding roads that make this rally so radically different from anywhere else I know of.

The first “From Behind The Lens” that I ever wrote was on Spearfish Canyon and now I find myself revisiting that same feeling that caused me to pick up my pen way back then.

I have a busy schedule when at a rally and way less time for riding than I would like but in Sturgis I am more than willing to block out that time to relive the feeling and photo opportunities of some of the most beautiful riding in the country.

If you are not a fan of the huge week-long rally and don’t want to deal with the crowds and congestion of The Sturgis Motor Rally, then come out before or after the rally. Sturgis is happening weeks before and after the actual rally and I know many people who prefer it that way. The amount of bikes can be nerve racking and hard on those air-cooled engines, so mark your calendars and take the time to visit the place in our country that speaks directly to the hearts and wheels of every biker who has ever ridden it.

And that is how I see it, From Behind The Lens.

Colleen Swartz

Comments and suggestions are welcomed at bigshotphoto@aol.com.

Tags: From Behind The Lens, In The Magazine by Lisa Ballard
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From Behind the Lens

September 2006

Colleen Swartz

Hair by Harley

Why do I bother? Why do any of us bother? Why do I continually try to look “normal” at any bike event?

But I keep trying. I try to shove a hairbrush in the bag, I try to find a hat that will stay on while riding and not wreck my “Doo” while still having the ability to get a camera within 5 inches of my face, I try to find ways to tie a bandana so that I don’t get weird tan lines and ratty hair, I put leave-in conditioner and sunscreen in my hair but I still end up sitting in the bottom of the tub at the end of the day with 2 cups of conditioner on my hair trying to get the knots out without ripping the follicles from my scalp.

This is coming from a woman with short hair! Maybe it would be easier if I had long hair. Maybe I could just French braid it into a nice, neat coif that required absolutely no maintenance. But I don’t think it works that way. I probably will never know because I continue to break my hair off by detangling it before it has a chance to grow longer than 4 inches.

I see women all the time with do-rags and hats and headbands and helmets that look just fine. But I know they hate it as well because as soon as I pull my camera to my shooting eye the immediately get this stressed look on their face and their hands go up to tuck or smooth something that they know is hanging out in a less-than-flattering manner. I can’t be the only voice of reason in this mass of hair-abusive behavior.

Is this where the tradition of “flashing” comes from? Is it a instinctive reaction to take attention away from the appearance of our hair? When was the last time a guy saw a girl “flash” and he said, “I’d take a photo of that, but her hair isn’t looking that hot.”?

The men seem to have it together. I’m not sure if it is because the men either fall into the category of “screw it, I’ll shave the whole thing clean” or “screw it, I’ll grow it as long and ratty as I please” category. When was the last time you saw a guy step off his bike and look for his comb? Never.

So now I think I’ll just give up and declare proudly that I have “Hair by Harley” and let them deal with it. Maybe I can have cards printed up with a photo of me on them showing that I do have hair and that I do have normal grooming practices for myself when I am not on a bike and walk around with a sack over my head. Or maybe we will all get lucky and the “bald and shiny” look will come into vogue for women as well.

For now, I guess it is more important that I am out there getting really ratty than sitting worrying about how I look.

And that is how I see it, From Behind The Lens.

Colleen Swartz

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed at bigshotphoto@aol.com

Tags: From Behind The Lens, In The Magazine by Lisa Ballard
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