For some reason this year it was decided that if you did not participate in the parade you were not allowed to park on 6th street and if you happened to already be downtown prior to the 6pm barricade of 6th street for the parade you were made to move your bike to a side street. There were also lines painted on the streets and no bikes could be past these lines, roughly one bike deep. The cities logic--so emergency vehicles could get down the street. You also could not ride your bike off Sixth Street you had to push it past the barricades.

What brought about this year's parking tactics is still a mystery. Fear maybe from some of the events that have transpired this year? Who knows? I know for a fact that since this run began there has not been any major incident involving bikers. This cannot not be said for the other events involving the straight citizens of Austin where riot police have had to be called in to quell the parties.

Even though there was a police escort during the smoldering parade run, I spoke to several people who said they would never ride in it again. There were numerous bikes dropping out from overheating.

I spoke with the manager of the bar we have frequented the last three years, and he informed me that the bar owners were to meet this week to discuss this policy about not allowing anyone onto Sixth St. We'll report on further developments.

On Saturday afternoon one of the local radio stations KLBJ and Austin Harley Davidson/Buell gave away a prize package, which consisted of a 2002 Dyna Super Glide, a trip for two to an some island, concert tickets for a year, pizza for a year and a few other tasty items. To enter you had to be the 9th caller each time a certain song was played, you were then registered to win plus you won $100 dollars. Yours truly was entered and went to the grand opening at the new location of Austin H-D to win my prize.

As for the contest giveaway, you can still call me Rigid Frame Richard.

For the most part it was a good weekend. The temperatures in the mornings and at night have been cool & crisp. I met more good people this year and I have not heard of anything bad happening. I know of some riders who went down, but for the most part were OK with just some scratches.

There is plenty of room for the run to grow as for as the Heritage Center is concerned, however this run has been tied hand in hand with the Sixth Street party since it's beginnings and if the city chooses not to adapt with this growth this run will peak.

Some people were disillusioned with some things this year, but goddamnit it's tough to make everyone happy. We'll keep you up on the progress of next year's event.

Till Then Everyone Ride Safe!

--RFR

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