Did anyone go this weekend? Looking for pics and feedback

 

I went up on Saturday. Thought it was rather nice of them to cancel the THREE DOLLAR parking fee for bikes and instead, ask for donations to give to Katrina victims. Just the usual assortment of vendors and stupidity. I went inside for my H.O.G. (I try to avoid HOG stuff but I've been a life member for 20) pin,since it was one of the pin stops for this year. The local HOGGIES were pretty damned rude, yanking my card out of my hand and tossing me a pin, and I wonder if they were just a bunch of bored R.U.B.'s

I've been going to rallies and runs for 30 years... and this was about the biggest waste of time I've experienced.

Next year we'll go to Rally In The Rockies in Ignacio. By Bikers, For Bikers. Not the Loveland thing.. By Thunder Mountain H-D, for Thunder Mountain H-D

 

well that answer it...lol thanks

 

[/quote]Next year we'll go to Rally In The Rockies in Ignacio. By Bikers, For Bikers. Not the Loveland thing.. By Thunder Mountain H-D, for Thunder Mountain H-D[/quote]


The Rally in the Rockies was pretty much a bust this year from what I hear. It is really not a "By bikers for Bikers". It is a corporation out to make money, and they have raised the prices considerably, including charging for camping. Something that has been free since the start of this rally.

I did not miss this rally for the first nine years that it was in existance, when it was a charity event. After being taken over by the current for profit management, I have not been back, and don't intend to.

This might get me sued. The new managemnet seems to want to sue everyone that doesn't agree with them and their agenda.

Just an opinion.

Regards,

Bill

 

I am resonding to Bill's comment about the Four Corners Rally in the Rockies. I am the event director of that rally, and on my fourth year.
It was not a bust this year, but instead we had the highest attendance yet, over 48,000 paid to attend. It is estimated nearly double that number came to the area. Saturday was the biggest sales day in the entire history of the rally for beer. You can verify this through our local Bud distributer.
Sales tax during our rally was over $550,000 on $18.5 million dollars of income for just the City of Durango, this according to the website and tax records for the City. In comparison, Loveland had $27,000 in sales tax revenue according to an article you can read at:
http://www.lovelandfyi.com/Top-Story.asp?ID=2667
We did expect more bikers, and there were a lot of last minute cancellations. No doubt to Katrina and emails/press releases/forum post that stated our rally was cancelled.
Yes we are a S corporation, not a non-profit. However, last year we donated over $90,000 back to the community, nearly twice what the old group did. We find that running this large of a business is much easier as an S, directors and workers can be paid legally. Almost all big rallies are that way now, even Hollister has changed over this year. Their are so many reason why this is beneficial to all we could spend pages on the benefits. Number one benefit is pay to directors. As large of a rally as this has become, you cannot put it on anymore by volunteers only. Two people work all year for the rally, a third for six months, and four others for several months. Hundreds for days. How could we ask all these people to do it for free? Maybe years ago when it was starting, but now now.
Our prices last year were $45 for four days, Iron Horse in 2001 was $35 for three days. Not much change there.
Yes we charged for camping this year. Who doesn't? I don't see it free in Sturgis, or any other rally. We have to pay for all LE, security, trash pick up, porta potties, clean up, rental of the grounds and I lowered shower prices from $5 to $3. Price to the corp for the campground: Over $100,000. We still lose money on it, but boy is there a party out there, the best I've seen since Sturgis in the late 60's early 70's.
Yes we file lawsuits. Two.
One against the Colorado Highway Patrol for actions and charges we felt we not legal. We won. The Colorado State Attorney General agreed with us, and a settlement was put in place.
Second one is against Thunder Mtn. Harley and Thunder in the Rockies Rally. We have used and have registered the name Thunder in the Rockies before they came along. They decided to use a name that is not only almost exactly like ours, but they use a name that even belongs to us, then have a rally on the same weekend as ours, then put in print that ours is cancelled. Why wouldn't we sue them?
As for the old group, Iron Horse: they put on quite a rally, started something good and made it big. Then some mis-management came into play, they lost the permit and could not find anywhere else to hold events. That's it in a nutshell. Someone else stepped in to keep it going.
They just never got over it. Bill: time to get over it, unite bikers in our area again. Tell me what to do and I will do my best, but the rally is going on.
As for suing someone who expresses freedom of speech, nope, won't do that, but I will express my freedom too.
Thank you for your time.

 

I went to thunder in the Rockies, it was like a big craft fair!! Although lots of bikes, we stopped in & waited in traffic, (wasn't as bad as I thought for a couple thousand bikes) Then we went for an awesome ride up Poudre canyon, lots of bikes out riding as well, thats where I like to be, not standing around talking about riding and "looking" like a have a million mile ***, I ride!!! he he

 

To all bikers: "Bikers" on this web site & all biker folk who went to the rally this gent tried to put on in 2006 got robbed & cheated by Southern CO politicians, corrupt Law Enforcement in Montezuma County & the Southern Ute Tribe when Rally In The Rockies was illegally cancelled just 36 hours before the rally was to have begun. Riders & Vendors were coming from all over the US & Canada. The man in charge was set up, lied to & thrown in jail on a dismissed warrant from another state! Nancy Paganelli wrote an article about this debacle that was published in theNovember '06issue of Thunder Press / west. My co. made a film about all the crap - "Showdown in Durango." The film premiered for the Press & friends in Manhattan Beach, CA on March 16th. Best selling author of the "Original Wild Ones" & Thunder Press Reporter Bill Hayes reviewed the film for Thunder Press & the review was published in the May '07 issue of TP / west edition & in the June '07 /east edition. Kit Maira, the News Editor for Easyriders / Biker magazine was at the film premiere, too. His article about the film & his warning to all bikers to see my film before they think of ever returning to Southern CO for whatever is going on will be publsihed in the July issue of Biker Magazine. You can seeBill Hayes'review & order the film on our web site www.southbaycustomcycles.com My crew & I ain't goin quietly & the story of dicrimination & conspiracy against this gent & all bikers needed to be told.That's why the film was made.

As far as Todd & ShelleyErtman & Co. @ "Thunder Mtn. HD in Loveland, Colorado & the corporate bike show that is represented as a rally....don't waste your time / or $s. This dealer has no soul. The fancy location is just a veneer 4 a bunch of buckaloo vampires waitin to pickbikers' pockets. These people & most of their staff are about the rudest bunch of yuppie scum I have ever met.What they do in Loveland is NOT a biker rally. They overcharge. They pretend. They have no manners. Now I'll tell ya how I really feel!
C'ya in the movies,
EZJ