Imagine perfect riding weather - this is it, since Wednesday morning. People have been out enjoying it on every road within a day's ride, from Havasu to Hoover Dam, and out east on Route 66 through the Arizona outback.
The locals are raking it in. Business people say they do ten percent of their year's income in these four days. The total money dropped by motorcyclists during the River Run is estimated at about $25 million.
Up in the mountains southeast of Laughlin, the old gold-mining town of Oatman is a regular stop for most riders during the Run. On old Route 66, surrounded by volcanic crags and canyons, the town's historic buildings and board sidewalks are a great place to kick back and watch the bikes and bikers passing through.
Today the Sheriff's Office counted 22,000 bikes coming through Oatman - a record day. And people were able ride up and down Main Street without hassles this year because deputies out on the highway went out of their way to discourage gawkers in cars and RVs from clogging the town's 2-lane main street.
With them out of the way, the scene was smooth - a parade of beautiful bikes and beautiful women all day long.
Beautifying main street and digging the bikes.Of course, people also come to Oatman to pet and feed the town's wild burros. Oatman is world famous for its wild asses:
After spending the day living large on the road, riders head for the night life in Laughlin, a 24-hour town, living large in the bright lights of the casinos. On the schedule tonight:
George Thorogood and the Destroyers, 9 p.m. at the Flamingo
Survivor, 8 p.m. at the River Palms
Lover Boy, 9.pm. at the Riverside Resort
"Hot Rocks" topless oil wrestling, 8 and 12 at the Avi
Free outdoor blues bands, til 10 p.m. at the Colorado Belle
A free concert by Branscombe Richmond and the Renegade Posse Band, 10 p.m. at the River Palms
Stinger, a dance band at Tarzan's in the Golden Nugget, starting at 10 p.m.
And all night there's a free show out on Casino Drive, courtesy of the West's wildest wheelie and burnout artists. Ride all day, party all night!
