You Never Know What You’ll Come Across On That First Motorcycle Ride Of The Year

That first motorcycle ride of the year truly is a special treat.  Especially after being cooped up inside the house for what seems like an eternity!  That, and having to walk past my motorcycle each and every day as it's neatly covered up and put away in the corner of the garage.

With temps Sunday in the 60's, I decided to head out on my first "real" motorcycle ride of the year - real, as in, over 100 miles.  Before heading out into the rural area, I first had to check out the west side of Sioux Falls.  Given the fact I live on the east side, I typically don't find myself visiting the west side that often.  My, how that side of town has changed.  I'm sure west siders say the same thing when they visit east Sioux Falls.

It's amazing to me how much building can still go on during the winter months.  It seems like it wasn't that long ago when construction would pretty much come to a complete halt between November and March - not anymore.  I couldn't believe how many homes and businesses had gone up west of the Tea-Ellis road.

Same thing can be said about south Sioux Falls.  For all practically purposes, Sioux Falls and Harrisburg are now separated by maybe a mile.  And have you seen the new Walmart on the northwest side?  The city seems to be growing in every direction.

What this goes to prove - to me at least - is that the economy in Sioux Falls takes a backseat to no one.  We're so lucky to be living where we do.  The latest figures I saw showed somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 people move to Sioux Falls each year.  That's a lot of people!  But not so many that it catches the city off guard.  We've managed to keep the city growth at a nice, steady pace.

So, the next time you find yourself with a few spare hours and don't know what to do, hop in the car (or on your motorcycle) and take a drive to the other side of town.  You'll be amazed how the other side of town has changed.