Sounds like you have a plan! What type of bike are you going to be riding?

 

I have a 99 RoadKing..Just want to be ready if things don't go as planned..

 

Been doing it for the past 9 years. I like the ride there from Illinois down to 40 and across. My son lives in Vegas so I stay there and ride down on Saturday.

It is a small rally and one day is sufficient.

 

Go and have a blast.
My family lives in the Bullhead City area, I will be retiring and moving there early next year.
I don't go over there during bike week anymore but go during Easter week for the Blues and Brews event.
If you plan on doing any zooming around on the bike to like Kingman and Oatman or out to the Avi Casino please do so sober, the police are out in force and would like nothing better than for you to become part of their revenue stream.

 

It will be fun for a first timer. After once or twice you'll be good for a while. Room packages get more expensive every year and it's the same vendors. The ride from SoCal will be a good one. The ride back to SoCal will be windy. Go have a good time with the wife and do whatever you gotta do to feel 'comfortable'. Screw the haters. DO NOT drink and ride. Try to follow the law as best you can out there because cops are everywhere. That plain jane toyota camry you just cut off will light you up with red and blue lights. If you get arrested good chance you'll end up in a Vegas holding cell.

 

Laughlin is a good run. Been there four times - twice in the early 1990's then 2013 and 2015. Its changed over the years. In the early 1990's Oatman was a little wilder. I recall one year the gals on the 2nd floor of the hotel dropped tops to chants of "show your t*ts!" from guys in the crowd. Gals in the crowd responded with "drop your pants" which the guys in the hotel did. Pretty funny overall. In 2015 Oatman was full of tourists with their families. No dropped clothing.
Make a point of riding in the surrounding areas - Oatman, Cholride, down to Arizona, etc. Lots of good warm weather to ride in. My suggestions:
* I've stayed in south Vegas the last two times at Arizona Charlies. Much cheaper. Its a 90 mile run to Laughlin. If you take a day off you can see Vegas.
* Plan on hot weather for you and the bike, particularly if you are from up north or east. Suntan lotion and water a definite must.
* Make an effort to talk with other people. Its a broad swath of riders and probably some you don't normally interact with. I've found folks pretty friendly.
* If you're not coming from SoCal plan on cold weather. I went twice from Wyoming, once from Oklahoma, and once from Washington. The coldest trip of all was heading west through Texas panhandle. Bring the cold weather gear to get there, then Tee shirts when you arrive.
* For Tee shirts, etc shop on the last rally day as it winds down. Last time shirts were $20, but in the last hour of the rally I got 3 for $15.

Enjoy! Tom

 

There was around 30 of us that went together, some stayed in RVs at the Riverside and some in a hotel. We partied, BBQd and road for 4 days. I could have fun with my group of friends alone in the middle of BFE. The event sucks and I wont go back, thats my opinion and it wont change. It has nothing to do with me or the group I go with not knowing how to have a good time, none of them are going back either..........

 

I wouldn't ride the 250 miles (for me) to go to that hell-hole.

 

It rained pretty good last year on Saturday, take your rain gear lol...

 

Highway 1 in Big Sur is closed indefinately in several places. It's been tough winter.