Hundreds turned out to the La Plata County Fairgrounds, Durango Harley-Davidson and the Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio on Saturday for the 30th annual Four Corners Motorcycle Rally.
The Durango area hummed with the sounds of motors in the lead up to the rally, which started on Thursday and really kicked into gear Friday with stunt shows, Harley-Davidson demonstrations and bike shows.
Trevor Bird, Durango Harley-Davidson dealership owner and event organizer, previously told The Durango Herald the 30th anniversary is a big deal and he expects to have the largest attendance in the rally’s history.
The La Plata County Fairgrounds baseball field hosted more than 600 tents and campsites for Labor Day weekend travelers to make it easy for guests to reach events at the fairgrounds, he said.
The Durango-based rock ’n’ roll group Ben Gibson Band jammed while engines revved at the fairgrounds on Saturday where visitors admired rows of V-Twin motorcycles propped up for display for the V-Twin Visionary Performance Motorcycle Show.
Among the crowd of motorcycle enthusiasts were people who traveled from across Colorado and New Mexico, some attending the Labor Day weekend celebration for their first time and some longtime fans of the event.
Robert Espinosa of V-Claws and Customs in Pueblo rode to town for his first experience at the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally. He and his crew displayed Custom V-Claws decorated with elaborate patterns, vibrant colors and creative murals.
“Real cholo design, low-rider style,” he said. “Works of art. … Strong candy paint jobs. A lot of engraving, a lot of custom work.”
One motorcycle had a 32-inch diameter front wheel, dwarfing the wheels on another ride beside it. Some of the bikes had engravings that were stitched into their metal builds with an engraver tool that looks and functions similarly to a tattoo gun, he said. Other bikes had patterns that were engraved by hand.
Espinosa said he hopes the rally receives a big turnout this weekend and encourages people to come out and show support for the motorcycle scene of Colorado and New Mexico.
An Albuquerque man who identified himself simply by his first name, Scott, said he met a Denver friend and his wife in Durango for the rally. But the crowd seemed a little thin Saturday afternoon, to his surprise.
Regardless, he said he was looking forward to seeing the Wall of Death performance later in the day, where riders take their bikes into a spherical cage and rely on their momentum to carry them in death-defying loops.
He said the weather was perfect and gorgeous for a motorcycle ride with just the right amount of cloud cover. He and his friends’ favorite trip in the area is U.S. Highway 160 between Durango and Pagosa Springs.
“It’s been a great day, man. Went downtown and ate at Carver’s, it was excellent,” he said. “Beautiful weather.”
Another Pueblo resident, Greg Compton, said he and his partner have attended the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally for the last 20 or so years. Durango to Cortez is among their favorite drives in the area.
Food trucks, beer gardens, tattoo artists and motorcycle gear vendors were stationed around the fairgrounds and Durango Harley-Davidson for people’s enjoyment.
Flat track races at La Plata County Fairgrounds were slated to start at 5 p.m. Saturday, to be followed by the Ives Brothers’ Wall of Death performance, the Dixxon and V-Twin Visionary Party, the Brawl Awards Ceremony and an after party scheduled to last until 12:30 a.m.
Sunday also boasts a packed schedule, starting with the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives Ride beginning at Durango Harley-Davidson. A number of contests and bike shows are scheduled throughout the day.
cburney@durangoherald.com
