Fire & Ice Bike Rally already drawing a crowd

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

GRANTS — Steve Archibald, Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce said mid-afternoon Friday a number of people have come into the chamber to visit the New Mexico Mining Museum on the first day of the Fire & Ice Bike Rally here.

Star Gonzales-Elkins, executive director of the chamber, said the chamber will be open Saturday and Sunday and many people come to visit the New Mexico Mining Museum during the annual Fire and Ice Bike Rally.

"Today (Friday) was no busier than a normal Friday though and perhaps a little slower," she said.

"Some of the other tourists that would have come by didn't. We got our share of bikers and we are pleased about that; we are happy to see them come in," she said.

About 30 people had already come to the chamber to get information on bike rally fliers and brochures of attractions around the area by mid-afternoon, Archibald said.

El Cafecito Restaurant was busy mid-afternoon Friday, usually a slow time, Angela Baca, owner of the restaurant said

"We will be busy tonight (Friday) and will have lines waiting all day Saturday," she said.

"We've been swamped every year during the bike rally," she said. "It's nothing but a good thing."

Sky City Hotel's 130 rooms had filled up and were being booked as early as two months ago for the bike rally, said J.D. Meisner, Sky City spokesman.

The story was the same just about everywhere, but on the east end of Grants, people checking in at the Holiday Inn Express made a unique impression on the staff.

"We are swamped and it is hectic and people are rude," said Jessica Ramos, general manager of the Holiday Inn Express.

"I think out of 100 percent of the people, 30 percent are nice, the rest are rude," she said.

She said the motel had six rooms left out of its 58, but those would be gone Friday night.

"We will be filled for the rest of the weekend," she said.

In Milan, the small community just west of Grants, traffic was moderate on the streets, but was expected to be much heavier when hundreds, if not thousands more bikers begin rolling into Grants, said Milan Police Officer J.P. Lozano.

Extra officers are on duty this weekend in Milan, he said.

John Graeble and his wife Margarie decided to stop in Grants for a meal Friday night and found thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts, families and friends gathering for the rally.

"This is really interesting," he said. His wife agreed, but said she was not sure so many motorcycles in one place was such a great idea.

The pair was traveling from Southern California to the East coast to visit relatives.

Leslie Johnson, from Denver, said he comes to the rally every year to see what the bikes look like, and to meet old friends, all of whom are veterans.

"We went to the Memorial Day Rolling Thunder event in Washington D.C.," he said. "We decided to meet here while we were there."