Laughlin River Run

[fastglide]

Another couple and us are planning to make the trip this year and have already booked the room. We will be leaving early enough to ride to San Diego back through Las Vegas down to Laughlin for a couple of days and on to the Grand Canyon continuing on back to the east coast. Any advice or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks.

[kingsoftail]

Having attended last year, I would recommend that you arrive on Wednesday and depart on Thursday. You'll miss the live entertainment but the place really starts getting crowded on Friday with some people doing some really silly things. I think that all vendors are setup and open for business on Wednesday but I could be mistaken. Nearby is the old town of Oatman, AZ., it's a must see. There are also power boat rides down the Colorado River to Lake Havasu and back. Sounds like you have a good trip planned. Enjoy.

[Ultra89Rider]

I agree, in part with Kingsoftail. Get there Wednesday morning. Just not leave Thursday. Leave Friday, (or stay till Saturday if you want to pay the high prices). The contract the merchants sign to sell at the Laughlin River Run requires them to be up and ready by that morning. The big crowds don't get there till Friday afternoon. I have been going from the start in 1983. I leave on Friday, and don't stay the weekend any more because of the crowds and prices. And I can get the rooms free (comped by the casinos) before Friday. They raise the prices from Friday and Saturday to outrageous prices and will not comp the rooms free any more. You will miss the free concerts, but you can go to Vegas and get a room for the weekend, but the Cops are thick on the weekend too.

One suggestion I have for the trip is a small side road going up to Laughlin from I 40. Take the Goffs exit (before you get to Needles). It is the old Route 66. Then at the "T" intersection of US 95, turn left toward Las Vegas. You can then turn to Laughlin right after you cross into Nevada on State Route 163. This way is smooth, and has curves and hills. I will be there on my Ultra. I go up from San Bernardino Wednesday. I might see you there.

[route66paul]

Lock your bikes together. These theves will put a locked bike on dollys and roll your bike right into a truck. We have video of them doing it to my indy's bike. they were gone in less than 30 seconds.

[1bdBagr]

we also do the old RT 66 ride thru the desert and usually take a breather at Goffs rd Oasis Gas. Continue on down RT 66 to 95 then to Nevada / Laughlin. Way better than the Needles/River Rd path. To me that's the most fun of the whole weekend...the ride out. You're fresh and ridin' & relaxing just diggin' it.
Possibly going on Wed then staying one night and going out thru Oatman/Kingman and more RT 66. Perhaps some Grand Canyon sights. Don't get me wrong I like the Laughlin run but after seeing 10 years of same ol same ol...i'd opt for some new scenery. See the run & vendors...gamble a bit & grub (last year the Outback at the Aquarius was pretty good)..then haul a$$ & ride!
Tim

[fastglide]

I would like some suggestions for best lodging Laughlin, Vegas, Grand Canyon, San Diego we already have a room for Laughlin but are always open for suggestions. Advice on the sights
in and around any of the places listed would be welcome. Thanks

[highrider]

Places to ride during Bike week!
1.Lake Havasu City ( See the actual London Bridge and teh ride down is pretty cool too (1 hr one way)

2. Hackberry (rte 66) to Seligman see the old general store 1 1/2 hrs

3. Las Vegas What can you say " Oh Baby" Red Rock, Mt Charleston, Valley of Fire, St George ( Virgin River Gorge)All day rides

4. And Laughlin is cool all the time, crowds are polite and order is under control ( necessary today) I enjoy the whole event. Foreigner is playing Friday and Saturday night at the Aquarius

Enjoy yourself

[fastglide]

Thanks guys for all of the information, could possibly see you there.

[Fatchance37]

Thursday nite.... 75 cent beers at Colorado Belle micro brewery...

Yoohoo drink em up, c-ya

[03GLIDE_]

Originally Posted by Fatchance37

Thursday nite.... 75 cent beers at Colorado Belle micro brewery...

Yoohoo drink em up, c-ya

I tied one on there once

[Antonio Pendejo]

Yea, good luck getting in the Boiler Room at the 'Belle during happy hour during the rally.
Also in case you didn't know already, Nevada has gone lockstep with Ca. about smoking in resturants. It may be a bar but if they serve food you can't smoke. I was there in Dec. and after a 100 dollar meal walked over to the bar and lit a cigar. The bartender went instant ahole on me, ranting about who knows what. I put my cigar out, called for the manager and told them I would not tolerate a surly bartender. Ended up costing the bar free drinks for me and my OL the rest of the night. They make a nice IPA.
Leaving Fullerton on Fri. morning. Work my way over to the 10, then 62 to Amboy Road.
Stop at Roy's and have a cold one from the tourpak. Then old 66 past Essex and jump onto 40 for a couple of miles. J street to AZ 95 and onto Ft. Mohave where I can be found by the pool at the in-laws when I am not in Laughlin.
Cya there
AP

[loclhero]

Originally Posted by highrider

4. And Laughlin is cool all the time, crowds are polite and order is under control ( necessary today) I enjoy the whole event. Foreigner is playing Friday and Saturday night at the Aquarius

Enjoy yourself

Umm....cool as in, it's a cool place to hang out right? LOL.
My wife made it clear: Last year was the last year she rides out to Oatman. We pulled into a Taco Bell in Bullhead on the way back as she was completely overwhelmed by the heat. We were icing her down, literally, and one of the local kids who worked there came in and proclaimed, "114 degrees in April?? Goddamn I ****ing hate Bullhead."
It was funny and would have been funnier if I wasn't worried the wife was going to pass out.

So this year she parks it in the casino by a slot losing fistfuls and me and my buddy will do the day rides.

But otherwise I agree with ya, we have a blast there every year. Almost everyone I know bags on the River Run (coz I guess they want more shootings?) but we totally dig it.

[Antonio Pendejo]

Originally Posted by loclhero

Umm....cool as in, it's a cool place to hang out right? LOL.
My wife made it clear: Last year was the last year she rides out to Oatman. We pulled into a Taco Bell in Bullhead on the way back as she was completely overwhelmed by the heat. We were icing her down, literally, and one of the local kids who worked there came in and proclaimed, "114 degrees in April?? Goddamn I ****ing hate Bullhead."
It was funny and would have been funnier if I wasn't worried the wife was going to pass out.

So this year she parks it in the casino by a slot losing fistfuls and me and my buddy will do the day rides.

But otherwise I agree with ya, we have a blast there every year. Almost everyone I know bags on the River Run (coz I guess they want more shootings?) but we totally dig it.

Yes, Laughlin has become sort of the red headed stepchild of rallies. Kind of like it that way, keeps the riffraff out, ifyaknowwhatimean.
You really do need to watch yourself there as far as sun and heat exposure is concerned.
I see it every year, fairskinned, lilly white folks soaking up the sun. Guys with wifebeater shirts, no shirt at all, wimmins with bikini tops and shorts. You just know they are setting themselvs up for dehydration and serious sunburn. Nothing worse than paying all that $$ for a room pakage so you can be right in the middle of all the activities and the only thing you get to do the last 2 days of the rally is lay in the room because you feel like you are gonna die from sunburn.
AP

[Black02Ultra]

Coming in from the east a side trip to Sedona is recommened the ride down the canyon is great. Time permitting check out the Pink Jeep tours. Take Old 66 after leaving Flagstaff.

[JJBBQ]

With Laughlin coming up really soon, Im surprised that there is not more posts???

Im there, will be in a glamorous suite and we are leaving on weds. about noon from O.C. anyone wanna roll with 10 Cops fully boozed-up 100 MPH all the way up there???