Police checkpoints never materialized, at least along our route. Non-DOT helmet infractions weren't an issue with the riders we interviewed. There was an overwhelming number of patroling officers, a definite heightened police presence. They strolled through vendor areas on foot, cruised the lots on bicycles in gangs, roamed the highways on motorcycles, and in cruisers, always in large numbers.

The weather during the day was fantastic. At night a gentle breeze rolled off the Colorado River, and the sky was packed with stars. The vendor areas along Casino Drive accommodated strolling crowds without asshole to elbow jams. The show areas located at the South end of town had plenty of stretching room early on but filled up as the weekend progressed.