Red River says ‘bring on the bikes’

Off the Wire
News RED RIVER — Memorial Day weekend is stacking up to be another memorable one around the Enchanted Circle as an estimated 20,000 bikers descend on the picturesque valleys, high mountain passes and winding back roads in and around Red River.

The 28th annual Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally runs Friday (May 28) through Monday (May 31) with plenty of events and entertainment to amuse visiting riders from across the region and across the country.

Live music, great food and vendors will line Main Street during the four-day event. Around 40 vendors from as far away as Florida will set up shop amid the rows of countless bikes, peddling an assortment of biker paraphernalia.

The onslaught of hogs and leather-clad riders has become an annual tradition in the normally tranquil mountain town, which embraces the event as the major harbinger of the busy summer season.


“We expect at least 20,000 people, but it can be anywhere between 20,000 and 30,000,” said Rebecca Sanchez with the Red River Chamber of Commerce. “Some people are making some long hauls. We get bikers coming from all over.”

As of Monday (May 17) much of the lodging in Red River was already booked solid and campgrounds around town were expected to swell with rally participants.

The Town of Red River has beefed up many of its departments in preparation for the annual invasion. “It’s become standard for us,” said town administrator Russell Church. “Everyone knows what to do.”

Church said the public works department pays extra attention to the town’s parks and infrastructure. The police department also brings in reinforcements to ensure a safe weekend. “We hire off duty officers from Rio Rancho, and this year we are going to have a motor patrol out of Santa Fe. We’re also going to have law enforcement from the surrounding area like the state police and sheriff’s office.

The Red River Support Group will also be moving in full force, providing food and other essentials for personnel from these agencies. “We couldn’t do it without them,” Church said.

With a reputation for hosting a good party, many bikers have made a point to come back to Red River year after year for the early summer rally.“People really love the area,” Sanchez said. “It’s nice, crisp, clean, and we try to be the friendly Red River we always are. I think that’s what brings them back.

For 2010, organizers have put together a fun run — something that has been lacking in recent rallies. “We were trying to get some kind of run back into rally because we haven’t been able to do it for a couple of years,” Sanchez said. The run is scheduled to leave Red River at 11 a.m. Saturday for a loop tour of the Enchanted Circle. A $5 registration fee buys riders a pin, patch, entry in a 50/50 cash drawing and some fast cash to be used at Taos Mountain Casino.

In addition to Saturday’s run, a caravan will be assembled Monday to make the trek over the hill to Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park. A flag march will take place at 9 a.m. as the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 318 from Albuquerque and other participants carry a giant American flag up the hill to the memorial.

The park will be celebrating the official grand opening of its newly renovated visitor center Saturday, but has planned a host of activities to fill the entire holiday weekend.

Guest speakers from the David Westphall Veterans Foundation are scattered throughout the schedule Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday, the Fab Faux, a Beatles cover band from Santa Fe, will be performing from 2 to 4 p.m. at the memorial.

Given the unpredictable nature of mountain weather, even this late in the year, organizers recommend riders come prepared for anything. “We normally have fairly good weather, but there is nothing we can do about it,” Sanchez said. Snow put a damper on the festivities last year, but riders persevered. “They still came out,” Sanchez said.

With just over a week remaining before the vanguard of the massive crowds comes roaring into town, Sanchez had only one thing to add.

“Bring on the bikes,” she said.

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