The first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was held in 1938, and consisted of a single race with nine participants and a small audience. Recent rally attendance is well over a half million bikers descending upon Sturgis, SD annually. I believe the monumental growth is due to the scenic rides of the Black Hills.
The first Bikes, Blues & BBQ rally was held in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2000 with just over 300 riders. It is now estimated over 400,000 people attend the rally each year. Once again, I suggest it is the magnificent rides within the Ozark Mountains which brings so many bikers to Fayetteville.
I have ridden Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills, and gazed into the faces of dead presidents at Mt. Rushmore. Yet neither of these sites surpasses the splendor I’ve observed at Buffalo National River near Harrison, Arkansas. The stunning Ozark Mountains are every bit as picturesque as the Black Hills. The rides originating from Harrison are some of the most scenic in our nation, and the twisties are comparable with those in Tennessee or North Carolina.
Last month Reverend Troll’s Rock-n-Roll Revival was born in Harrison, Arkansas. The two day music and motorcycle event will be held in a park in Harrison on August 19th and 20th (remember how Sturgis began in a local park). Reverend Troll’s Rock-n-Roll Revival will feature live music and showcase the impressive rides of the Ozarks. On two sides of the park runs a cold spring-fed creek, so be sure to bring your swimsuit (or not). Guided poker runs and tours will be offered by area motorcycle organizations on Saturday.
This is a history making event because Rev Troll’s Rock-n-Roll Revival is the first motorcycle event in Harrison to ever serve alcohol. After more than seventy years of being a dry county Boone County recently enacted laws permitting sales of alcoholic beverages.
Free tent camping next to the creek is available with modern facilities and hot showers. The 1929 Hotel Seville is offering discounted rooms for only $79 which are ordinarily $94. Reservations can be made by calling 870.741.2321. Be sure to mention Rev Troll’s Rock-n-Roll Revival for the discount. There are only 50 rooms available so be sure to make your reservations soon. Obtain more information at
http://www.oklahomabiker.net for this event