Speaking with authority as someone who did not attend last year’s 70th anniversary of the Sturgis Rally, I was really pleased when Tim Remus and Scooter Grubb’s colorful and informative book, Sturgis 70th Anniversary, landed on my desk.

Sturgis is not only the biggest motorcycle event, it’s also the oldest. Last year marked the 70th anniversary of this uniquely American event, and the writers and photographers behind this book did a great job of capturing both the history of Sturgis past (the real history, not the one told to you by the guy seated next to you at the bar slurring into his cup), and the energy and electricity that is Sturgis now.

The Black Hills are even older than Sturgis. The History section starts with the hills, the earliest inhabitants, and then describes how a camp out in the backyard of the local Indian Motorcycle dealer grew into an event that attracts upwards of half a million motorcycle riders each year.

More than just a biker party, Sturgis includes hundreds of events within the event. This photo-intensive section includes images from the numerous bike shows and concerts.

The heart of Sturgis is, of course, Main Street. Another photo intensive section, these images highlight the best tattoos, the sexiest bar tenders and the energy that makes Main Street a must-see.

What makes Sturgis the ideal place for a biker bash is the riding—the two lane highways that twist and turn through the Black Hills and across the rolling prairie. Maps, photos and first-person stories, give both old and new riders someplace to go.

Having fun while staying out of trouble is easier with a Sturgis Survival Guide, so the book has that too; tips on everything from riding in a pack to a list of emergency phone numbers. You might wanna write those down.

With 144 pages and over 500 color photos and illustrations, Sturgis 70th Anniversary is a look at years gone by, a celebration of the 70th anniversary, and a guide for anyone with future plans to make the pilgrimage to that little town on the western edge of South Dakota.

So did I like the book? Yes, very much. My own advice if you’re going to Sturgis for the first time this year: Read this book; Keep the hideous torturing of innocents to a minimum and buy awesome clothes; Say a prayer for all those saps living on 1,000 calories or less per day and then eat and drink as much as you can physically tolerate. And oh yeah, don’t take the brown acid.

Sturgis 70th Anniversary is available for $27.95 with free US shipping, at www.wolfpub.com, or by calling 651 275 0194 24 hours a day.