Whether you ride or just wish you did, it's time to make plans for this year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the annual celebration of two-wheel travel and hard partying. It's also an excellent excuse to explore that mountainous enclave in the northern Plains called the Black Hills of South Dakota.

The 66th Rally -- http://www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com/ -- is set for Aug. 7-13. Once you get past all the advertising and sponsors, take a look over the "Events Schedule" to plan your time for the daily Marine Corps pancake breakfast, any number of concerts, races, motorcycle demos and exhibits, horse shows and parades. If you're taking your bike, they have suggestions for scenic rides all around the Black Hills and surrounding region. And if you don't want to push your personal wheels all the way to South Dakota, click on "Travel Services" for links to companies that will ship your motorcycle or rent one to use when you get there.

Just remember, this is no relaxed little county fair; attendance each of the last three years is estimated at more than a half-million, and Sturgis is a town of only 6,000 and some, according to their "FAQ & Statistics." In order to take care of that many people, their "Lodging Info" section is divided into regions starting at "within 5 miles" and going out to more than 75 miles away, ranging from motels to RV and tent campgrounds. Even if you're taking a tent, you'd better make a reservation.

How much of a party is it? Visit the Buffalo Chip Campground -- http://www.buffalochip.com/ -- and look at the big name bands booked for that venue this year, and Glencoe CampResort -- http://www.glencoecamp.com/ -- has more big acts on its calendar.

Sturgis, on the north side of the Black Hills, is just a few miles from Deadwood -- http://www.deadwooddiscovered.com/ -- the rough-and-tumble frontier gold-mining camp that lent its name and some of its reputation to the series on HBO. Its violent early days included the killing of Wild Bill Hickok, who was gunned down while playing poker. Check out "History" to learn more about Hickok and Calamity Jane, the woman of decidedly colorful background who is buried next to him in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Check out the photo collection at Historic Deadwood -- http://www.deadwood.org/ -- along with extra details on the modern town's casinos, and the city's Web site -- http://www.cityofdeadwood.com/ -- has more history.

Deadwood is practically next door to Lead -- http://leadmethere.org/ -- where the Homestake Mine -- http://www.homestaketour.com/ -- was once the biggest gold producer in the Western Hemisphere.

Explore the rest of the region with the help of Black Hills & Badlands -- http://www.blackhillsbadlands.com/ -- where "Parks & Monuments" provides maps and links to Mount Rushmore National Monument, the Crazy Horse Memorial, official scenic byways and Badlands National Park. Browse "Great Outdoors" to learn about trout fishing, gold panning, mountain biking, photography, trail rides and hiking. And, be sure to spend some time learning about the culture off the Black Hills and the Great Sioux Nation.

It doesn't end there. Click on "See & Do" at the top of the page to get to their search menu, where you can track down everything from aerial sightseeing to zoos. For the kids in your group, use that menu to search for "dinosaurs" and locate spots including the Mammoth Site -- http://www.mammothsite.com/ -- a big fossil dig at the southern town of Hot Springs.