Death of the motorcycle rally?

First the City of Hollister revokes its contract with HIRC, and refuses to allow any of the alternate bids through, resulting in the Hollister Independence Rally being cancelled, at least for the year, but most likely permanently.

More recently, Four Corners Rally in the Rockies is stopped dead by a last minute injunction (http://www.rallyintherockies.com/images/injunction.pdf), stopping this rally dead in its tracks. Yes, they are fighting it, but the fact remains that this years event was cancelled and a lot of people had their plans ruined.

Is this a sign of the times? Who is next? Why is our money any less green than any of the other events that both towns allow?

This rally is too far away for many of us. That judge will find that he has hurt the town's economy short and long term. Here are their issues:
http://www.rallyintherockies.com/issues/

It doesn't seem that there are any motorcycle issues. It is all bassed on who owes what and how much sleazy eazy 'tax free' money the lawyers can steal.

Not to far away for me....I hail in from southern Colorado, just east of the rockies

southplatte, I should have figured that out myself, with Platte river insinuated in the name. I used to live in Colorado in a small town between Denver and Greeley.

Anyway, I was browsing different news items today and found two interesting tidbits.

The first was Ignacio, Colo., motorcycle rally turns profit in first year under new sponsors. (http://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=27805&cat=NMTOPSTORIES)
Notice here they say that the Ignacio Chamber of Commerce had only 6 weeks to organize, yet they still made a profit. Funny thing is, that the injunction that halted Four Corners Rally in the Rockies occurred about one day before the scheduled event. What had happened was the rally changed from the Indian reservation location to a different location, due to problems referenced earlier. So the rally was not cancelled, and many people showed up at the new location, only to see the injunction notice. Some of these bikers went to Ignacio to check out the "repacement" for the cancelled event. Could it be that Ignacio had a big part in the push to cancel the actual event?

Now on to another rally that was cancelled this year. It appears that Hollister Independence Rally (http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/contentview.asp?c=193476) will be on again next year, after being cancelled by the same town of Hollister this year. Only under their control...
The rally committee, which met for the first time earlier this month, is trying to organize an event that can bring back the motorcyclists, ease the financial burden on the city and be a boon to local business, Scattini said.
So here are two situations where it appears the towns hosting the event were not satisfied with the contributions from the event organizers. What better way to get a bigger piece of the pie than to eliminate the organizer, then take that portion also.

I am not normally this suspicious of events leading to the demise of events, but it sure does look to be government trying to get more and more of our money, and closing down the people who brought the mone to them in the first place.

Looks like they are trying hard to revive the Hollister motorcycle run..

http://www.freelancenews.com/news/contentview.asp?c=198957

Yeah, FX, I been keeping my eye on the news too, and agree. It also appears that some semblance of four corners rally will also take place.... most likely the one in Ignacio that the chamber of commerce took over and three or four surrounding towns have expressed an interest in a smaller event during that time frame.

I sure hope both get a fresh start next year. The history surrounding Hollister, and the beautiful riding around Durango both call to bikers to attend!

We've had some similar things happening here in Michigan....in as much as towns have tried to stop rally's.
Baldwin Michigan is home to the oldest Biker Blessing in the country....anywhere from 25000 to 50000 bikes show up there every spring.The town of Baldwin counts on the income.
A couple of years ago, some towns people...those that hate everything, tried to get an injunction to stop the rally...it's been going on for years,(over thirty that I am aware of)...luckily the they were voted down, and while they may shake their fists at the bikers as they arrive in town, the merchants all shake their fists...full of greenbacks at them as they leave...we (bikers) spend big bucks there every year....
Another case was the HOG rally at West Branch...this one had gotten so out of control that the county refused to let them rent the county fair grounds anymore, so they moved to a neighboring county and dramatically cleaned up their acts.
The rally had seen some really big changes over the past several years, with all the yuppies buying Harleys and "thinking" that qualified them as bikers and that they could attend traditional HOG rally's...they were welcome to attend, but they started bringing their little kids with them and then they began crying and complaining to the county board about the drunkenness and nudity and all the other groovy stuff we have at hard core rally's...
Here you have outsiders coming to something that they don't understand in the first place, and then going into shock, because they had their morals slapped in the kisser...
The rally moved and now West Branch suffers from the loss of millions in income and another town prospers....the rally is more like a carnaval for families than it is a real biker rally, and a lot of the guys I know won't be going back....Then we have the Easy Rider Rodeo at Fowlerville...this is one of the raunchiest nastiest rally's I have ever been to...ladies running around nude exposing their boobies for the biker world to see, and the town loves it!!! They understand that we keep it at the rally and don't mess with towns folks...we leave the place better than we found it and wealthier too....
Bent nose towns with stiff pants residents will learn that the year round peace and quite they get from banning rallies will cost them all more than they bargined for with the lost income...deminished services, and lack of up keep, because of the lost tax dollars....
I know some rallys are notorious and they have shoot outs and killings, and maybe that's why some get cancelled, but most always make money ...if not for the promoters, at least for the local merchants....

Hey guys, one of my club sisters is organizing next years big party out there. They have now gotten the approval of the locals towns to have it next year over Labor Day. Sounds like a great time in the making. Shelly aka Stork has had several meetings around the area and a gentleman has given them the ok to use his 200+ acres to hold it on.

Here's some infor from Shelly out there. Thought you might find this interesting.

Over the years there have been a couple rally groups - holding events in Ignacio, CO - which is down here in the corner of CO as well. It started back in the day by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and was called Iron Horse Rally I believe and held on the Ute Reservation land - problems over money surfaced after a couple years and it got cancelled for a couple years. Then a new promoter came in and started Rally in the Rockies in Ignacio with the same natives - a few years went smooth then money hungry type stuff reared its ugly head again so last year the promoter decided to move the rally over here to a big dude ranch in Mancos called Echo Basin. The promoter and the ranch owner unfortunately lacked people skills basically and pissed off all the powers that be around here - pissin contests essentially and this rally last year was cancelled by injunction the day before it was to start mainly for lack of a high impact permit - that was never needed by this ranch in years past when they held large concerts etc......anyway a grassroots group of locals (me included) started our own committee with no involvement by the problem boys----we are in the permitting process first for a 200 acre ranch - right now - we have made many good relationships with those that were not so nice to the boys......so that is the deal --Montezuma County Biker Days -- Sugar Pine Ranch Rally is what we are calling it - websites etc to follow after we get the high impact permit. Sheriff was main obstacle last year and he is on board with us totally - as well as all the towns here.

I am new here and don't wish to presume. I came across this website when I was searching for info on the Sugar Pine Ranch Rally. I am involved with the group in Montezuma County and can bring you up to date. As of Monday 2/26 the County Commissioners granted the required high impact permit. The county sherriff gave his full support as did the LE from Cortez and Mancos.

Stork and her husband put in many many hours of effort as did a bunch of other good hearted biker guys and gals. There Will be a Sugar Pine Ranch Rally. To add to the celebration the towns of Cortez, Dolores and Mancos are adding events and BBQs and biker build offs and etc. etc. you know. BIKERS ARE WELCOME TO MONTEZUMA COUNTY banners will be flying.

Just a taste of what to expect. Big Brother and the Holding CO, Janice Joplin's original band. I have heard the new female vocalist she will give you goose bumps on Me and Bobby Megee and Summertime and Piece O My Heart. Jesus it gives me the willies. I saw their last concert in Seattle in 1968.

Fryed Brothers Band is the most sought after motorcycle party band in the nation and they will county rock the ranch Friday night.

KRYSIS is out of Sierra Vista AZ. We heard them at the Rally in Rocky Point and believe me when I say that they will keep you dancing.

On site camping and beer and all the other stuff you'd expect. See the website any day now. http://www.sugarpineranchrally.com

Sorry if that is too much of a commercial but I azoomed you'd want to know.

Did I assume too much.. oops that is why they call me Lefty.

Thanks for the update Lefty. That's what this place is about, finding the rallies and making sure folks know about them.

Appreciate the opportunity to spread the word. This here cyberspace is making the world appear smaller than before. For example ThumperFL knows Stork. I know Stork. Maybe I will get to meet ThumperFL at the rally.

Maybe get to meet you too FX. Cool!

Lefty

Hello Thumper. If you are still reading here you will find that Stork and K-Pax are swaping stories on the Sugarpine Ranch Forum. Dang this world gets smaller every day. I met K-Pax via her website and then learned that she and stork ride in the same club. And now meeting you here too is like well too much. Small world, motorcyles and cyberspace.

Yep Lefty, I am in the same club with Stork and K-Pax. Small world huh, then you must know the Horse Whisperer, Lamoyn is one of my favorite guys, what a sweetheart!

I hope to get to know all the people in our group better. Lamoyn was fantastic at the County Commissioners office. He wore cowboy chaps and cowboy boots and spurs and when he spoke before the commissioners they knew he was the real deal. Hope to see you at the rally. Check out Wikipedia..... Lefty

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Motorcycle_rally&oldid=114819893