Beaumont Sandtrap Bartenders Turn Vacation into Full Throttle Experience

Most people wouldn't consider the idea of taking two weeks of vacation from work just so they can go to another job.

But that's exactly what a pair of bartenders from the Sandtrap Sports Bar did this past August.

Margie Haverland and Lindsey Bennett spent two weeks as bartenders at the Full Throttle Saloon as part of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

The duo got the idea of going up to the rally from the reality series about the bar -- and its work during the rally -- that airs on TruTV. The series will debut its new season, featuring this year's events, at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

It was the TV show that inspired the two girls to apply to work at the bar during the famous motorcycle event.

“I didn’t know anything about the bike scene,” Haverland said. “Lindsey and I would watch the show together while at work, and we talked about wouldn’t it be fun to work there.

“So we got our pictures and resume together and sent it in. She got hired first, and a little later, I got called.”

The show chronicles the goings on as the bar sets up several locations to serve the thousands of people who converge on the small town for a week-long celebration of motorcycles. The female bartending staff are not only charged with serving drinks, but entertain guests, including taking pictures with visitors.

“Some nights it felt like all I was doing was taking pictures,” Bennett said. “I think I smiled eight hours straight. I have never taken that many pictures.”

While the women worked, they were shadowed by camera crews, doing interviews about what was happening in and around them. They both said it was a little strange to begin with, but after a while it had became second nature having cameras constantly in their face.

But it may be Haverland who will see her story documented early on in the series, as their were problems at her bar.

“I was at the Underbridge bar, right by the stage where they did the midget wrestling shows, and a lot of the motorcycles would be down there,” she said. “But I got there to start, and the bar wasn’t built. They were still hanging electrical and there was no water hooked up yet. I was talking to the boss, Mike Ballard, and was all dressed and ready to go for five hours, and the bar itself was not set up.”

The experience was different for Bennett, who was shifted to various locations throughout her stay.

“I didn’t have any drama,” she said. “Everything with me was smooth. No crazy, dramatic scenes. Everyone was really chill.”

It’s one thing that both agree upon, the people at the event were all cordial, having a good time not looking to cause trouble.

Haverland came home after 10 days because she was home sick, and made enough money to pay for her trip. Bennett stayed the entire two-week schedule and made a little more than she put into the trip.

But most of all, they came home with good vacation stories.

“I got to meet a lot of neat people, and the film crew and a lot of neat bikes,” Haverland said.

“Everyone was super nice, and in a good mood,” Bennett said. “There were never any fights. You cculd tell people were on vacation. I got to meet people from all over the country, and I’m still friends with three of the other bartenders.”