One of the best things about the Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, is the yearly pilgrimage out to the event. That’s where the best memories are made, the “remember when’s happen, and friendships are made stronger with those willing to make the journey. Another one of the great things is that friends made all over the country are reunited to celebrate the passion for riding and the culture surrounding motorcycles. But what if all your friends live halfway across the country? Bike transport and logistics can be a real pain. What if your bike isn’t running in top shape and you’re risking being the problem on the ride? Well, that is where EagleRider can take away the stress of getting friends together, making pickup and drop-off easy across the nation so that you can focus on what matters most, the journey and the ones along for the ride.
When 4 friends, living in 3 different locations, wanted to meet up and make the ride out, it was a no-brainer to use their Club EagleRider Membership to level up the trip on brand new 2024 H-D Pan Americas. EagleRider made it easy to book bikes that were already set for the 1,311-mile road trip ahead.
Pickup @ EagleRider
It was important to pick up the bikes a day before departure so we could leave Las Vegas early enough to beat the heat. It is invaluable the support that the EagleRider Las Vegas provided for us and made sure we had the contact information if we ran into any issues. They also have all sorts of gear for sale that would help us manage the heat, like cooling vests, essential for riding through the desert.
We had everything we needed from them and got paired up with our 2024 H-D Pan Americas, our iron steeds for the adventure ahead!
Day One: Las Vegas, NV to Hatch, UT
One of the best road trip moves you can make is to get out of Nevada as early as possible. We were up and ready to roll before the sun came up and caught the most incredible sunrise as we headed towards Zion. When we hit St. George, it was time for breakfast, so we fueled our bodies at the Aubergine Kitchen before heading towards Zion National Park. One of our group had never been to Zion before and the visitor center was a must-stop on our route.
After rolling through the park, you won’t want to miss the Thunderbird Cafe, a great stop for food and Ho-Made Pies. We recommend the Thunderberry pie with ice cream!
After a quick stop, we hit the road and reached some reprieve from the heat in Hatch, UT. A small little town we made our destination for the night. They’ve got a place to fuel up and a great dinner spot called The Outlaw Saloon. With bellies full, we headed back to an Airbnb for the night to rest for the next big day - one we were all looking forward to.
Day Two: Hatch, UT to Grand Junction, CO
We started the morning off right with breakfast and coffee at Sevier Coffee company. Their breakfast sandwiches were just the thing to get us ready for a full day of riding. Our mission for the day - to ride scenic highway 12.
The literal gateway to Highway 12 from this direction are the Red Canyon Arches. It kicks off some of the best riding through Utah and never once disappoints from here on up to Interstate 70.
From there we headed towards The Hogback section of this scenic highway. One of the most incredible stretches of tight two-lane highway that drops away on each side with out-of-this-world desert views.
There are a few good stops for food and refueling along this stretch, so gas up before you get too far and be on the lookout for places like Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm and Burr Trail Grill.
Torrey is a great place to fuel up before rolling through Capitol Reef and taking in all the scenic views it has to offer.
Once you jump on the Interstate 70, it’s a long haul on open highway to get to Grand Junction, so we made a point to break it up with a stop in Green River to cool down, hydrate and snack up.
This was an important day to make sure to keep up with hydration and get some electrolytes in our bodies. For desert riding, we all made sure to pack our cooling vests and keep a hydration pack on us at all times which is highly recommended.
Once we landed in Grand Junction for the night, we made it a point to hit the Ale House for dinner. This spot is known for music, beer on tap and great food.
Day Three: Grand Junction, CO to Encampment, WY
Although we fueled up in Grand Junction, we pushed a bit farther to the town of Basalt to grab a quick bite to eat on their main street. After our caffeine and breakfast fix at Craft Coffee House, we were ready for the next stretch of highway that ended up being one of our most favorite on the trip.
The epic two lane stretch once you get through Aspen, CO, that leads all the way up to Independence Pass, did not disappoint. As we cruised through the trees and felt the temperature changes as we climbed up to 12,095ft.
One of the coolest things about riding these scenic highways in the high season of summer months, is that this is a motorcyclist’s dream! We made friends with a group that was coming from Germany. For some it was their first time, and others it was their third time through the pass.
For our next stop after our descent, we cruised towards Leadville, CO. A popular town to pass through known for having the oldest saloon in Colorado, the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat, but we decided to make pizza the mission for lunch and ended up at High Mountain Pies. No matter where you end up in Leadville, you’re sure to be welcomed by friendly staff and good food.
From Leadville we headed towards our destination for the night, Encampment, WY. As we were fueling up, we were approached by ominous rain clouds and opted to put the rain gear on before embarking. From cooling vests to rain gear, you want to be prepared on your Sturgis trips with gear for all types of weather from rain to even hail.
As one last fuel stop, we took a pause in Kremmling, CO. A great little town that also has great accommodation options, like Muddy Creek Cabins, and some good food spots like the Dean West.
It was another change of scenery as we entered into Wyoming. The landscape changes to rolling farmlands and you will find prairie dogs dodging across the street in front of you. Definitely be on the lookout for pronghorns on the side of the road and be wary of other animals. It’s a good idea to reach your destination while the sun is still up, so we rolled into Encampment with enough light to get to The Divide Restaurant & Lounge for a good meal and great service.
Day Four: Encampment, WY to Sturgis, SD
The best way to kick off from Encampment, WY, is hands down to stop in for breakfast at the 307 Pub & Grub. This cozy spot has great service, and phenomenal food that is sure to get you fueled up for the final day ahead into Sturgis, SD.
We kicked off the day going taking Snowy Range Road past the beautiful Sugarloaf Mountain, still with snow on the ground. It was worth a pause, have a snowball fight, but also a beautiful ride first thing in the morning. Then we headed through Laramie, WY, and on towards a recommended stop in Guernsey.
It was really important to stay hydrated and a few of us busted out our cooling vests for this section of the trip. Temps can be high and there aren’t tons of stops, so make sure to stay cool out there!
We wanted to check-off this historical stop and made it to the Guernsey Ruts. Fair warning, there is a dirt road to get out to the ruts, so the Pan America was the perfect bike for the mission, but it was not impossible for cruiser bikes. The ruts themselves are from the wagons on the Oregon trail. Deep ruts carved into the soft rocks that give you an idea of the journey early settlers took out west.
From there we headed towards the last gas stop before reaching the Black Hills of South Dakota. We stopped in Lusk, WY at the Sinclair for fuel. This town is also a great place to grab a quick bite to eat at the Pizza Place or one of the local watering holes.
Eventually the scenery begins to change again and the altitude as well. You’ll be welcomed by forests and winding roads as you get closer to the final destination. Upon entering Sturgis, you’ve got to stop at the Sturgis Coffee Company to take a picture at the Welcome to Sturgis sign.
You’ve made it! Time to explore and ride through the mecca of motorcycling! Let the good times roll.
