Cycle begins anew: Bikers descend on Laughlin for annual River Run

Dan Kulin

Friday, April 23, 2004 | 11:04 a.m.

When Laura Moshier told friends in the San Fernando Valley that she was coming to the Laughlin River Run, they all brought up the deadly brawl between rival motorcycle gang members at the 2002 rally.

But Moshier, a 45-year-old Californian, and others strolling through the thousands of motorcycles in Laughlin on Thursday, the second day of this year's event, said they aren't worried.

"They didn't want us to go," Moshier said about her concerned friends. "But they don't know what it's like. They think it's motorcycle people and it's tough. But it isn't like that. Everyone is friendly."

Still, the April 2002 brawl and shootout between the Hells Angels and Mongols that killed Salvador Barrera, Robert Tumelty and Jeremy Bell was not far from the headlines. On Monday nine alleged gang members entered not guilty pleas in District Court in Las Vegas to 73 criminal charges, including murder, in connection with shootout. In December 42 Hells Angels were indicted in Las Vegas on federal racketeering charges in connection with the deadly confrontation.

But for those who have been coming to Laughlin for the River Run for years, the event -- part outdoor mall for everything motorcycle and part parade -- is a friendly, comfortable vacation. And while tensions may have been heightened last year at the first River Run following the deadly fight at Harrah's Laughlin casino, event patrons seemed relaxed this year.

"Since the shooting there's been more police and none of the gang colors are around, but the crowd is the same and there are no problems," said 72-year-old Raul Pena of Las Cruces, N.M. He has been coming to the annual River Run for 10 years.

"Everything here has just been great," Pena said. "It's a nice friendly atmosphere and they put on a good show here."

The police presence was toned down compared with last year, when 500 officers worked the River Run. This year Metro Police has 320 officers working the event.

But even with fewer officers, the police were still very visible in and around the event, at times setting up in small groups of officers every 50 yards or so down the street."

Metro Police spokesmen said the River Run was keeping Metro Police busy but there were no major problems. Police had arrested 27 people, two on fugitive warrants and the rest for misdemeanors, including one drunken driving charge, Officer Jose Montoya said. Five motorcycles have been stolen, and three stolen bikes recovered, Metro Sgt. Rick Barela said.

The five-day event is expected to draw 70,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to Laughlin, a town of 8,000 residents on the banks of the Colorado River about 100 miles south of Las Vegas.

The rally, now in its 22nd year, includes concerts, a poker run, trade show exhibits, a custom bike show and the Miss River Run contest.

The event began Wednesday and ends Saturday night, with today and Saturday expected to be the busiest days as bikers from nearby come for the weekend. But the rally's draw is nationwide.

Jim and Michelle Sample from Wheeling, W.Va., scheduled their family vacation around the River Run.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen in my life," Michelle Sample said of the number of motorcycles and countless styles of bikes around them.

Jim Sample said he was impressed with the creativity and imagination in the custom paint jobs and artwork on many of the motorcycles.

Among the tents selling motorcycle saddlebags, customized parts and leather jackets, many also covered sleek and polished motorcycles with intricate paint jobs of women, skulls or colorful designs that made the flames along the sides of a gas tank seem dull.

The event is also a hit with vendors.

"The people here are all great," said Charlie Bryant, who coordinates the road shows for Arlen Ness Motorcycles.

Bryant said his company sent 21 motorcycles to Laughlin -- ranging in price from $26,900 to $75,000 -- and will probably sell at least 10 by Sunday.

Rick Whitehead, 49, owner of Oceanside, Calif.-based Custom Cycle Engineering, said the River Run is a good opportunity for his company to get noticed.

"There's a good draw of people. The weather is usually nice and then there's the entertainment too," he said. "You've got gambling, what more do you want?"

For some, the best part of the run is sitting alongside the city's main strip, Casino Drive, and watching the procession of motorcycles rumble by.

"It's great," Robert Valencia, 30, of San Bernardino, Calif., said, while he sat in the shade of In-N-Out Burger with a cooler between his feet. "You come out and see all the different styles of motorcycles."

Mike and Paula Bischoff from La Grande, Ore., said the Laughlin rally is better than many others because it is contained to the relatively small strip in front of the casinos on the river.

"You can walk and see everything," Mike Bischoff said.

"It got some pretty bad publicity from what happened a couple years ago," Paula Bischoff said, referring to the fatal fight.

"But that was a freak accident," her husband said.