Why the Devilstone Run is my favorite motorcycle ride of the year

My thoughts about group rides or riding in a pack are fairly well documented, and I'm not what you’d call a fan. Generally, it's the constraints placed on riding in a group that seem to irritate my normally sunny disposition. So you would think that I probably wouldn't be a fan of a "motorcycle run" in the traditional sense. But that's where the Devilstone Run sets itself apart, kind of redefines the prototypical biker run, and launches a whole different kind of motorcycle event.

The event's creators are the folks located over in Sheridan, Wyoming, at the Go Fast Don't Die headquarters, and their approach to motorcycling is a tad unconventional and refreshing. I attended the second-ever DSR back in 2018, and the thing that stuck out to me the most was the vibe of the event. In true GFDD fashion, it was based around having fun and total inclusion, upholding the "ride whatever" message those wonderful folks continually preach. The event has grown over its seven years from "wondering if anyone would show up," to quote company co-founder Brady McLean, to a sellout every year of around 300 registered riders.

The three-day ride was originally created in part to promote Go Fast Don't Die's home state of Wyoming, showcasing the natural beauty of the least populated state in the union. So it makes sense that the starting point is on the eastern edge of the state at the magnificent Devils Tower National Monument and from there it stretches west across Wyoming. Your Devilstone ticket ($385) will get you a T-shirt, pay for your camping at all the stops along the way, provide you with free lunches, a few free beers in the evening, and a breakfast burrito throughout the weekend — a helluva deal.

The philosophy of the Devilstone Run

The weekend kicks off Friday morning at Devils Tower, which is just a scenic rip across the edge of the Black Hills from where I live, so I generally show up just in time to see Brady McLean delivering an evangelical-like speech to the group of a few hundred motorcyclists who gather at the trading post for our trek across the Cowboy State. I have watched Brady over the years start each Devilstone event perched on the top of a van with a bullhorn, capturing hearts and minds like only he can. It's almost like some sort of evangelist preaching about how you can save your soul, but on a motorcycle.

I specifically remember the 2019 speech that kicked off the event. As I scanned the large group to see who I would be riding with that weekend, my gaze wandered to the back of the crowd, where I noticed a dude that clearly wasn't with our group of motorcyclists but was as equally interested in Brady's sermon as the rest of us. He was a normal-looking, sandal-wearing vacation dad topped with a straw hat who had wandered over from the campers at Devils Tower. Little did he know when he set out to grab a soda at the trading post that he'd wander into the parking lot and be promptly immersed in our motorcycle soiree. He seemed captivated by the goings-on, the nodding and clapping as Brady talked about the bitchin' roads we were about to ride, the new friends we were going to make, the sights we were going to see, and the campfires we were going to share. I swear if we had had an extra bike, he would have abandoned his current life and gone full-on road warrior with us that weekend.

What he was feeling in that moment was the reason we were all there — motorcycle adventure, plain and simple. No one cares what bike you're riding, what flannel you're wearing, whether or not you have the latest stainless exhaust, or how many Instagram followers you have. Moto-adventure is the order of the day, and everyone who attends the Devilstone Run is sure to get plenty of it.

The adventure starts with our rather large group spilling out of the parking lot and streaming down the two-lane highway in quite a spectacle of bikes and bikers. But it quickly splits off into small groups to avoid the madness and potential dangers of riding in a massive pack. But it's also not as cliquey as a standard Harley "ride" seems to be. Every year I end up riding with complete strangers day in and day out, which is something a bit unique to this event. Devilstone is the complete opposite of your prototypical leather-clad bike event, and it lives up to its unofficial motto "old friends, new friends" with an air of inclusivity that is welcoming and not often seen in the motorcycle events space.

Two things always stand out to me at this event: The first is the number of new riders, not just riders new to the event but just new to motorcycles in general, and the second is the diversity of motorcycles. There is everything from Harley baggers to sport bikes and ADV bikes. Hell, a couple guys did the whole ride on Yamaha TW200s last year. And that, to me, is the magic of Devilstone; it doesn't have any of the ego and "biker" bull crap. It is solely about having a good time on your motorcycle.

The ride

The ride itself starts with two-lane sweepers from Devils Tower that take you through the unending prairie across the plains to Spotted Horse, Wyoming (population two) where the group descends on and overwhelms a small, eclectic watering hole before moving on to Sheridan for the night. Sheridan being the hometown of the GFDD crew, the hospitality is off the charts. Food trucks, slow races, and a local band provide entertainment and sustenance, and if you are worried about a transportation dilemma or if you want to tip back a few local golden sodas, fear not; the problem is solved by the Go Fast Don't Die shuttle bus that provides on-the-spot transport for folks from the party spot to the campsite.

On the morning of day two, you are greeted with a breakfast burrito before you head out early to get a crack at the Bighorn Mountains and their twisting roads. The paved route over the Bighorns is top-tier riding, but a couple years ago I took it upon myself to make a dirt option for some of the adventurous types. I would classify it as an easy or moderate route on an ADV bike. It bears noting that all the routes, both on- and off-road, are provided and can be easily followed using REVER. The switchbacks up the side of the Bighorns outside of Sheridan are a spectacular way to start the day and set the tone for an epic day of riding either on- or off-road. Partway through the mountains is the lunch stop in Shell before heading onto Cody for the night. Cody is steeped in old west history and is one of my favorite places in Wyoming, with a legendary rodeo and spectacular museum.

Day three, the scenery again levels up as you head through Buffalo Bill State Park, Shoshone National Forest, and then on to America's first national park, Yellowstone, eventually ending the day at a campsite in Grand Teton National Park, completing a bucket-list day of travel for most folks. That's the end of the Devilstone ride, but you will be in some of the best riding areas in the country, so I recommend you do as I normally do and extend your ride a few extra days and explore Idaho, Montana, or more of western Wyoming. No matter which direction you go, you will not be disappointed.

Devilstone is something I look forward to every year now. After the frantic scene at the Sturgis Rally, it's the perfect palate cleanser to set all things right in motorcycledom for me. It's a pure example of what motorcycling should be: adventurous, easy, fun, and without ego. Motorcycle events always seemed stagnant to me, and most don't have a lot to do with actually riding your motorcycle. Devilstone is the antithesis to that. Instead of being at an event where you generally leave your bike parked and stay in a confined area, it's a traveling circus of sorts that keeps you on the road and engaged with your machine and the landscape.

I highly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to join us, but if you can't, make sure you take the time to have your own motorcycle adventures. Don't get caught up standing in a parking lot somewhere that social media has deemed a motorcycle event. Go ride your motorcycle.