By Lulu

We were blessed to have the opportunity to ride on Rusty’s Ride in Sturgis this year. Although we have been to Sturgis many times, I haven’t been able to attend this event in the past. Southern Country Customs, owned by Rusty and Steve Wallace, build amazing one-of-a-kind bikes and each year one of their builds is auctioned at this event. It is actually a two-day affair with dinner the night before and then the ride with the auction the following morning. It leaves out of downtown Deadwood’s Outlaw Square. The ribbon of motorcycles snakes through Spearfish Canyon and finishes with a great BBQ lunch and the auction of all kinds of items including artwork, helmets, a week stay at Rusty’s home in Cabo San Lucas and an all-expense trip to a Green Bay Packer game, private jet and luxury suite included. Painter David Uhl was on stage finishing up a painting during the auction and even allowed Rusty to paint a stroke or two…to make it very one of a kind. The final auction item is the Southern Country Customs bike, and it brought a whopping $140,000 that Meredith took home to Ponce Inlet, Florida. The total for the kitty was $507,850! This was the 7th ride and since the first ride they have raised $2.1 million through the help of sponsors, volunteers, and the riders! A special thank you to Rod “Woody” Woodruff, owner of Buffalo Chip, Harley-Davidson, El Bandido Yankee Tequila Company, and Silverado Franklin, Deadwood for their sponsorship. The ride benefits children through the NASCAR Foundation and Special Olympics South Dakota.