2007 Laughlin River Run Day 1

A steady stream of rolling thunder stormed across the Mojave Desert Thursday with one destination in mind. An estimated 70,000 people converged on Laughlin, Nevada for the 25th annual River Run, according to the estimates of the Laughlin Chamber of Commerce. The rumble of V-Twins filled the valley from every direction as a steady stream of motorcyclists continued to fill hotels to capacity late into the afternoon.

A visible police presence, bolstered by a couple hundred officers from Las Vegas' Metro Police, has kept incidences to a minimum. In order to curb the theft of motorcycles, the police are using bait bikes outfitted with GPS systems. If a decoy bike is stolen, the police will trail the suspect using the GPS coordinates to trail the suspect and apprehend them. The ploy started in 2005 after a rash of motorcycle thefts plagued the event. After its institution, the number of bikes stolen dropped drastically last year, according to Metro officer Jose Montoya.

Other measures to ensure the public's safety is the prohibiting of drinking from glass bottles or in cans. Retailers have stocked up on beer in plastic bottles and cups are provided by the casinos so drinking is allowed while walking around but only in a responsible manner. A zero tolerance policy has been instituted for people not wearing helmets. Riders who wish to exercise their freedom of choice not to wear a helmet need only to cross the Colorado River into Arizona where there is no mandatory helmet law. I watched one dredlocked rider peel off his helmet halfway across the bridge as he rode into Arizona.

Measures have been taken to keep the party orderly and to avoid the incidences that marred the celebration five years ago. These measures are necessary after a confrontation between Hell's Angels and the Mongols resulted in three deaths and numerous arrests. Harrah's, the scene of the altercation, has a huge banner on the fa‡ade of the hotel stating that it supports a no-color policy. From my observations, most motorcycle clubs have been in compliance.

With temperatures predicted to get into triple digits this weekend and with the major custom shows scheduled for Saturday, it was a good day to pound some pavement and visit the hundreds of vendors and booths in the extensive maze of the biker bazaar. Seeing how Harley-Davidson is the steed of choice for many in attendance, one of my first visits was to the Harley Traveling Museum. Started in the early '90s, the Traveling Museum pays a visit to the biggies on the rally circuit like Daytona, Myrtle Beach, Laconia, the River Run, and Sturgis. When it's not at a major event, Harley sends it to various dealers for promotional purposes.

The air-conditioned environment offered a nice reprieve from the 90 degree desert heat as I entered the converted big rig trailer that hosts the display. The glass cases contained old leather jackets and hats with vintage Harley patches and pins. Black and white photographs and posters paid tribute to women riders over the years. A light blue and white 1960 XLH Sportster was the first bike in the display as Harley celebrates 50 years of the Sportster, the longest continuously produced model family in the history of H-D. Another popular exhibit featured the history of the Harley-Davidson V-Twin. From Flatheads to Knuckleheads to Panheads, a wall was covered with pictures of the famous engines along with the model years they were used. Push a button on the interactive console and the different sounds of the engines would come to life, giving visitors an auditory lesson on the evolution of the H-D V-Twin. A permanent museum is being constructed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, scheduled to open in 2008 in time to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the iconic motorcycle company.

Outside of the museum, bikers lined up for a crack to ride the latest models in the Harley-Davidson contingency. V-Rods, Buells, Softails, Tourers and more provided adults the pleasure of a kid in a candy store. When I pressed the Harley PR guy as to which model was the most requested of the day, he smiled and circumvented the question by saying that all models had been receiving lots of attention, but that the Softail and the Touring bikes were always high on the popularity list.

A visit to Victory Motorcyles was next up. The sharp styling of the Victory Vision models was receiving a lot of attention. Jake, a representative from Arizona Victory, fielded numerous questions about the models from curious onlookers. The Vision Street and Tour are scheduled to hit the streets in Fall 2007. Victory had plenty of other sweet bikes on display as well, like a Hammer with a custom bronze paint job with the Arizona Victory logo painted on its tank and custom pipes in the same color as the bike. Victory also has a Ness Signature Series that was popular with the crowd.

Being an old metalhead, I was psyched about running into Count's Kustoms out of Las Vegas. Count's claim to fame is its Leather Chopper, created for the Motley Crue/Aerosmith 'Root of all Evil' tour. When I say leather, I mean leather. From rear fender to front fork, the stretched out chopper has been wrapped in a weathered-looking brown leather. And the Crue is not the only customer on Count's Kustoms celebrity list. They have made a bitchin' bike for Ozzy Osbourne with a tank fabricated in the shape of a gothic-styled cross with Ozzy's name boldly printed in the middle of it. The celeb list that Count's has built for doesn't stop there, as country stars Tim McGraw and Keith Urban also ride custom creations coming out of the Count's shop.

But heading the list of the unusual and unique was Marty Baumgartner's converted '68 Electric Start Harley-Davidson. Baumgartner has converted the back end of the bike with a popcorn machine, the same style you see in the movie theatres. He bought the motorcycle back in '71 from the Phoenix Police Department as it was used formerly as a meter maid's bike. He travels to the more popular stops on the biker rally circuit, recently attending Daytona before heading West to the River Run. The smell of his fresh-popped popcorn wafted around the adjacent Jack Daniels tent, offering attendees a tasty treat to accompany their beverages.

"Lauglin is my favorite show," Baumgartner said. "It's only about 200 miles from my home."

The rest of the afternoon included free samples of jerky, an old No. 7 patch from the girls at the Jack Daniels booth, a free mini Swiss Army knife given to me by a booth of motorcycle lawyers, and an invitation for a kiss if I visited the Laughlin Bay Marina from a leggy blonde as she handed me a yellow coupon with a big pair of red lips on it and the words 'Meet Me at the Bay.' If you're looking to gear up in cruiser garb or are searching for that one piece to the puzzle to top off the customization of your bike, you were bound to find it in the rows of vendors set up along Casino Drive. I salute the vendor's persistence for enduring the heat under their tarps as they peddle their wares from early morning until late at night. But tomorrow the big custom builders set up shop inside the cool confines of the casinos. That's where you'll find me Friday as I seek out the work of builders like Gard Hollinger and Matt Hotch. Stay tuned for another installment tomorrow as the biker bash continues under the sun in the Mojave.


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