Rough and Tumble in the Big Boy's Playground

© Ken Bingenheimer / RumBum.com

It is not uncommon to see Main Street in Sturgis, SD, totally taken over by two-wheelers, so the gathering on Monday of this week theoretically was just more of the same. Except it wasn’t.

The 1,000-plus enthusiasts were not on Harley-Davidson motorcycles or even Hondas or BMWs. They were on Cushman scooters. And Golfsters. And Trucksters. And Mailsters. That is to say, golf carts, service vehicles, and postal carts—Cushman seems to love sticking “ster” on the end of their names.

© Ken Bingenheimer / RumBum.comBeckoned by the call from the Cushman Club of America to “Come play where the big boys play,” registration for the group’s 2010 national rally has surpassed their old record by miles. Cushman fans from 45 states and Australia made it to Sturgis for what rally organizer Jeff Bartheld says “is gonna be the rally to remember.”

And these folks did come to play. Throughout the Black Hills this week squads of scooters are racing through the curves and roaring through the towns.

Yes, roaring. While many of the scoots have little power and have no business on highways, many of the Cushmans here at the rally are not only souped up to look like Harleys, they have engines to match. And the exhaust notes of many are so raucous you’ll be doing double-takes as the big hog you expect to see coming around the curve turns out to be a little hog. A really little hog.

Mother Nature was uncooperative Sunday as the weeklong event opened. Rain fell, just as it had done for most of a week. Sturgis has already had two more inches of rain this year than it normally has in an entire year. Things were looking iffy.

Monday, the day of the group photo shoot on Main Street, was grey and drizzly, but not enough to dampen spirits or the gathering. Then Tuesday, when 140 of the more powerful scoots were planning—rain or shine—a major tour of the roads through the Black Hills that are beloved by bikers, the sun finally emerged in all its glory. Hallelujah! Rally on!

Cushman Aficionados

One thing to know about this Cushman crowd is that they are hard-core. Take Mike and Barb Schmidt, of Preston, KS. As Barb tells the story, she bought Mike his first Cushman for his birthday 12 years ago. With two kids, Mike figured the only way they’d all be able to ride together was for Barb to have her own scoot as well, so that same day he bought her her first Cushman. They now have 17.

“It became an addiction with me. I’ve finished restoration on 10 of them and have 7 more to go, if I decide to restore them,” he says.

© Ken Bingenheimer / RumBum.comAlthough the whole Schmidt family rides, they don’t often come to rallies. But this one? “I couldn’t pass up Sturgis. This is just too good to miss.”

Penny Fullenkamp didn’t come as far as the Schmidts; she’s from Hartford, SD. But she and her family do go to Cushman rallies all over.

How many Cushmans do they own?

“About 15 or 16. Those that run, that is. We have a Truckster, too.”

Sitting with her 6-year-old daughter Celia on her 1958 Cushman Eagle, Penny explains that she has been riding this scoot since 1984.

“It was originally my sister’s. When she left home I got it. I was about 8 years old when I got started on these.”

Of course the whole family rides. Asked if she enjoys riding behind her mom, Celia grins and nods yes.

The Rough Riders

Teddy Roosevelt was looking down from Mount Rushmore Tuesday on a sight he has never seen before: Scores of scooters, collectively dubbed the "Rough Riders."

© Ken Bingenheimer / RumBum.comThese were the elite of the Cushman crowd. First off, no scooter was allowed on this run unless it can maintain a speed of at least 40 miles per hour. That left out the majority.

Jeff Bartheld apologized repeatedly the day before at the mandatory safety meeting for being hardnosed about the rules, but told the tale of a mishap several years ago and made it clear he wanted no repeats.

Helmets for everyone. No open-toed shoes. Check your brakes now and check them again in the morning. Show up with a full tank of gas. Carry small bills for the gas stations.

“Don’t be ashamed to use low gear,” he emphasized. “Low gear can save your life because  you won’t be tearing your brakes up.”

Police on motorcycles would be leading the pack and blocking traffic at intersections in order to keep the group together. Sag wagons would be coming behind for those who needed them.

“If you break down we’re gonna load you up. And absolutely no passing.” Except, that is, for a scoot that is destined for the sag wagon.

Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. the group headed out from Sturgis and up to Deadwood. The first major challenge was the long, steep Strawberry Hill, just past Deadwood. By the time everyone reached Hill City for the breakfast stop two scooters were loaded, but only two.

"I'm surprised these things are doing as well as they are,” remarked one rider. “They really don't like hills." But the riders do, and they particularly like the Black Hills. The biggest rally in the history of the Cushman Club of America continues here through the end of this week. And the sun is shining.