Thousands of cyclists died Friday in the small town of Sturgis, South Dakota, ahead of the start of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, despite concerns among residents that the 10-day meeting could spread the coronavirus.
The rally, which has been taking place since 1938, is expected to draw 250,000 people from across the country into what could be one of the largest public gatherings in the US since the onset of the coronavirus outbreak.
Some cyclists at the event said that although they will take precautionary measures against the virus, they did not let it stop them from coming.
“We’re going to take precautionary measures, and you know, hopefully, everyone will be respectful,” one NBC rider told “TODAY.” “We take it seriously, but, no, no reservations. We’re glad to be here.”
Another said you just have to be careful. “You can not live life.”
Those attending the rally are encouraged, but not required, to wear face masks. The governor of South Dakota has never issued a stay-at-home mandate as a mask mandate for the state.
One attendee, Stephen Sample, said he rode his bike from Arizona to the event.
“I do not want to die, but I also do not want to spend my whole life together,” the 66-year-old said.
Sample said he is concerned about catching the virus and will try to prevent incidents and locations inside where he feels there is a greater risk.
“I think we’re all ready to take a chance,” he said.
Rallygoers Bill Sudkamp and his wife also took precautionary measures.
The couple, who each wore a face mask, said they would avoid bars, and that they saw it as inevitable that infections would spread in bars and at concert venues.
“It looked like South Dakota was mostly plateau,” Sudkamp said of coronavirus cases in the state. “It will be interesting to see what it looks like in two weeks.”
That prospect of coronavirus infections possibly triggering the rally has caused some residents of this city of 7,000 in the western part of the state.
As of Saturday morning, South Dakota reported a total of 9,371 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 144 deaths, according to the state Department of Health website.
“I find it pretty selfish that the forces that are doing this are not stopping,” resident Nate Nelson told “TODAY” about the rally.
City manager Daniel Ainslie said officials had their hands tied. “We can not block the entrances to our community, and so on a daily basis we get hundreds of thousands of people to say, ‘It does not matter what happens, we come to your city.'”
One week after the rally, Sturgis residents will be able to take the coronavirus test for free, ‘TODAY’ reported.
