"Roar By The Shore 2001"

"Thanks for traveling!
photo album

That's how I will remember this year's "Roar by the Shore" rally. And I hope I can tell this story from a different perspective than I normally would and not be misunderstood.

(Editor's Note: The 9-11 attacks have had a profound negative effect on tourism in our country. The people on South Padre Island were looking forward to the economic boost that the "Roar By The Shore" bike fest would bring in. Who could have imagined that less than a week after the terrorists attacks that a barge would crash into and destroy the bridge on to South Padre Island. The people on SPI who depend on the tourist trade have really taken a "double whammy" this year.)

Yes, there were the ferries to the Island and yes they took some time.

Yes, there was an incident on a ferry when a biker refused to act like an adult and put out a cigarette that he should not have been smoking anyway. And yes, the reaction was over reaction.

But at this time in our country, I think it would have been the mature thing to do to extinguish the cigarette. Besides that is the law, instead he chose to create problems and cause inconvenience for all the rally goers.

This is a difficult time for the United States; cooperation is the way to go, but maybe that's just me.

All the normal and expected activities were on hand. There were wonderful toys to touch and buy. It was definitely a biker's paradise. The weather was great - blue sky for the most part. And there were numerous businesses vying for our attention and business.

But that is not the story I felt while I watched the parade of bikers riding onto the rally grounds on Saturday evening. The streets along the route were lined as always with the locals. But this time I saw a different look on the faces, not just curiosity and fascination. At first I didn't recognize that look but by Saturday, I did. It was a look of gratitude and yes, even friendship.

"Thanks for coming" was what I heard everywhere I went. And it was heart-felt, even with tears at times. It was the first time in all the years I can remember where there were open and welcoming arms everywhere for bikers. Also everywhere was a sea of red, white and blue, flags flying, bandanas, shirts, vests, hats, you name it, the our Nation's "colors" was represented well.

I thought about all the people I knew personally who made a decision not to attend this year for one reason or another. And as I watched the parade I saw that a lot of riders had made the decision not to let terrorism or a bridge or weather or anything change their plans. We can do that in the United States, we have that luxury. We can make a decision, change it, and change it back, whatever we want!

Once in a while there is a breakthrough that is so stunning it is scary. We, the bikers who made the decision to attend ANYWAY, were representing what the President has urged Americans to do, go back to normal, return to the business at hand. If we don't we will see more of what I saw on this trip, closed and closing businesses.

I watched the number of bikes and only one thought was prevalent in my mind.

Thank God they came.

I defy you to count the number of times the flag is represented in the pictures from the weekend. Yes, the black was still there, but intermixed with Old Glory and representatives thereof.

I heard a few complaints, of course. I always do. I think sometimes there is a misunderstanding when people attend rally. There are always events but it seems the expectation is to be entertained 24-7.

You have to find your fun sometimes and not wait for someone to show you. Personally, that's one of the things about being a biker I am fond of, the ability for most bikers to make the normal be uncommon and spectacular!

Yes, it was a biker event. Next year, it will return to the Island, I assume, and more people will attend who were not able to be there this year. And, I am sure it will be a great party. But this year I had an enormous, colossal, gigantic pride for being a part of a group of people called "biker". I smiled and took pictures but there was a lump in my throat and watery eyes every time I thought of what "we" as a group were doing in South Texas.

And to those of you who traveled, I want to be the voice of the people of Harlingen and South Padre Island, if I can be so nervy as to give you a heart-felt "Thanks for traveling and come again next year. Because of you, we may still be here!"

I'll hope to see you in 2002!

Carmen