The third day of the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ rally in Fayetteville is traditionally the one in which the fl ow of rumbling engines into the region becomes just a bit overwhelming, at least to the folks who typically don’t engage in two-wheeled traveling.
The riders who couldn’t break free to start festivities when the event opened Wednesday can often manage to take Friday off to make a long weekend in Northwest Arkansas.
It’s gratifying to see thousands of riders come from far and near to experience everything our region has to offer. It is a great place to live, but also a great place to visit.
The festival’s organizers say this to their legion of bi- and tri-wheeled motorists: “If you haven’t ridden the Ozarks yet, you’re in for a treat. Wonderful scenery, mountain highways, quaint towns and friendly people. You’ll love every mile.”
Indeed, a rally like this would not be successful just anywhere. It appears from a distance to be a well-run event, but the real draw for the audience it serves are the highways that take riders through the beautiful views those who live here sometimes take for granted.
Welcome to all. We hope you have an experience that brings you back again many times.
There are, of course, downsides to attracting thousands of visitors to the region. Sure, some locals will complain about the noise. We don’t get too rankled by that. Every event - whether it’s a county fair, an art museum or a craft fair - has some accompanying level of discomfort.
With Bikes, Blues & BBQ , that’s especially true for those who don’t partake of the passion for motorcycles.
The real downside arises from the confl icts such a flood of people and machines creates.
Even folks who love motorcycles have to admit mixing so many of them on already-crowded roads with regular car traftc at the least heightens the opportunity for tragedies.
Combine that with the freedom each rider has to avoid riding with a helmet in Arkansas, and it’s easy to see the danger involved.
For those willing, we strongly encourage riding with helmets. It just makes it easier to pick up the pieces when an accident happens, and increases the odds that a rider might one day be able to return to our slice of Arkansas for a visit.
But we also respect the decision others make to let the wind blow through their hair (or across their domes). We simply encourage them to ride with care.
Likewise, local motorists need to go the extra mile to give motorcycles some room. Particularly pay closer attention at intersections, and not just the ones with traft c signals.
We remain hopeful our neighbors in Northwest Arkansas will demonstrate the great level of hospitality the region knows how to show.
Just because the area gets a little ... OK, a lot ... congested, we’ve got no reason to complain as these fine folks bring their money, eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores and stay in our hotels.
To our visitors, we highly recommend going to eat or shopping at stores that are uniquely Northwest Arkansas. Why not go to a place to eat that you can’t get at home?
As the region experiences the 13th iteration of Bikes, Blues & BBQ , here’s hoping everyone has a great time and safe journeys.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 09/28/2012