OFF THE WIRE
agingrebel.com
This is Street Vibrations weekend in Reno. It is also the second year
the event, which was once and may yet again be everything Laughlin and
Sturgis are not, will try to enforce a no colors policy.
The gutless boilerplate reads: “Due to events which have occurred at
recent motorcycle rallies, and for the safety of participants, Street
Vibrations prohibits the display of colors affiliated with Outlaw
Motorcycle Gangs as defined by the US Department of Justice. Persons
displaying these club colors at Street Vibrations Reno and Sparks venues
and participating sponsor properties will be asked to conceal them or
exit the event.” Presumably, the “events which have occurred at recent
motorcycle rallies” means the gunfight Gary “Jabbers” Rudnick started
two years ago at John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks.
Color free or not, most of the event will take place on public
property in downtown Reno where visitors can wear anything they want.
Local resident Troy Regas told Emerson Marcus of the Reno Gazette-Journal,
“The event will survive. This (the color ban) isn’t going to hurt this
event. This event will grow. It will come back to be normal again. It’s
just going to take time.” You can read all of the Gazette-Journal article here.
Money
Event planners expect about 1,000 people to “register” for the event.
Registration costs $70 and entitles you to a parking pass, “Official
Event Participant T-Shirt,” “Official Event Participant Ride Pin,” bike
games, two poker runs, three poker walks and three “VIP Parties.”
Another 29,000 motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to just show up. A
room for Friday and Saturday night will cost them about $400. Room
packages include soap, towels and shampoo but do not include food, beer,
liquor, drugs, women, lawyers, court costs or medical fees.
Reno boosters expect registered visitors to spend $614 per day during
their visit. People who just show up will spend an average of $390 each
day. The five day event should pump about $56 million into the local
economy.
Safety Ueber Alles
Biker visitors who are as afraid of motorcycles as they are of the
people one may meet riding a motorcycle may want to visit the website
for HaulBikes Motorcycle Transportation.
HaulBikes appreciates your neuroses and is there to help. “Cycle
transport makes getting to Street Vibrations a smooth ride,” the
company’s website explains. “Planning to make Street Vibrations road
show your next cycle rally destination but don’t want to deal with
weather or wear and tear along the way? HaulBikes understands that when
you go to a rally like Street Vibrations you want your bike waiting for
you when you get there – battery connected, fluids intact and ready to
ride.”
“HaulBikes Motorcycle Transportation will haul your motorcycle from
almost anywhere in the United States, with shipping rates based on
mileage from pick up to delivery location, making delivery of your cycle
to Street Vibrations hassle-free.”
Bikers who intend to pose on their outlaw machines for a few photos
then leave them parked will also be happy to know that there will be a
free shuttle from the Nugget’s valet area to Downtown Reno every half
hour from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. A woman named Lauren Garber who works for
the Nugget explained “The Nugget encourages event goers to take
advantage of the free shuttle to help keep our roads safe.”
