It’s summer, which means it’s also time for Sturgis, one of the grand old rallies of the motorcycle sport. Just like today, when the calendar turned to August back in 1947, motorcycle riders and racers from around the country flocked to the Black Hills of South Dakota.
     My father, Floyd Emde, was making his living as a professional motorcycle racer in those days and was at Sturgis that year for the motorcycle races, then the center piece of the rally. Riding his #7 Harley-Davidson WR, Floyd won both of his Heat races and then battled legendary Indian rider Bill Tuman down to the last lap in the Main event, settling for a close 2nd place finish.
     Floyd accepted the fact that you can’t win them all, and in his later years he recalled fondly the trip he and my mother made to Sturgis and being a part of the early days of this great event.

Photo from Don Emde Collection.