GILA THUNDER RUN
(September 4th – 7th, 2003)

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 “PUTTING IT TOGETHER”  

Sil LVER CITY, NEW MEXICO: Mark & Lillian Grady have been putting on the Gila Thunder Bike Run since 1999, only missing one year, 2002. With that missing year the Grady’s and family where nervous about the number of registrations and not sure how the 2003 Gila Thunder Run would turn out. All this changed by early a.m. Saturday though, with the high number of bikers registering in the Hotels around Silver City.

It took a good year of hard planning, and with the dedicated help of many volunteers and employee’s of Yesterdays Lounge and Flame Convention Center to pull off a successful four-day-event.

Silver City is a growing town in the lower South/Western corner of the State, right on the Continental Divide, with a population of around 12,000. As Biker Rally News soon discovered, Silver City and the surrounding areas have a great number of bikers, along with several Motorcycle Shops. One can see how this area would attract so many bikers, this part of the Southwest has not only some of the most scenic roads to putt on, it is also loaded with it’s rich History of the Old West just begging to be explored on two wheels.   

 “THE FIRST & SECOND DAY”

At 12 p.m., the Flame Convention Center opened its doors to kick off the 4^th Annual “Gila Thunder Bike Run.”

The first day of registration was slow as bikers trickled in from all over the Western and South Western States. Registration fees for the 4-day-event was $25 per person, which included all four days of activities, or $12.50 per person for one day only. The winning money for this years Poker hand was, $1,000 for the high hand, and $500 for the low hand.

Vendors setting up inside the 16,000 sq. ft. Flame Convention Center included the Iron Horse Corral Custom Harley-Davidson Shop, Indigo Tattoo Studio, High Desert Leathers, DJ Reed’s Double-R-Sound Inc., and the Crossroads Band. With only one outside food vendor to feed all those hungry bikers. I don’t put to much dust in these food venders as most of them like serving up sawdust and grease, so I must say the food vendor that Mark and Lillian Grady had set up to cater the biker rally was damn good food.

 Friday’s registration began picking up all day long as bikers hit the open road on one of three scheduled Poker Runs, including a guided tour by one of the Gila Thunder Run volunteers. The Poker Run went through some of the most beautiful country in the Southwest, and the weather was perfect. The Grady’s laid out some of the best scenic routes for this years Poker Run, which went up Hwy.15 going into Pinos Altos, and back down Hwy.35 into Silver City.

All day Friday and into the late night a good size crowd roamed around the Flame partying and dancing to the great rock and roll sounds of the 60’s through the 90’s, by DJ Reed. While DJ Reed played the sounds of music, he jammed behind the MIC calling out dozens of winning ticket numbers for an array of door prizes donated by the many different merchants of Silver City. Drawings for the door prizes went on throughout the entire four day Gila Thunder Run Event making many happy campers with such prizes as bike lubes, motorcycle oil, motorcycle clothing, tools, free eats at restaurants, and you name it. 

Up stairs inside the Yesterday’s Lounge the Indigo Tattoo Studio was busy with bikers wanting that special tattoo put on their bodies by artist and owner James Lamoreaux. On the floor of the Flame bikers browsed the High Desert Leather shop looking for motorcycle leathers and accessories by Captain Ken O Brien.

 In the far corner of the Flame was the Iron Horse Corral Motorcycle shop with all the Harley –Davidson products.

When 8 p.m. hit, Gila Thunder Run kicked off it’s riding Apparel Fashion Show. The lady’s modeled in Captain Kens High Desert Leathers, motorcycle clothing, getting this crowd of bikers hopping and howling to the end of the show at 9 p.m.  For the rest of the night everyone partied into the early a.m. hours to the sounds of D.J. Reeds music.

“BIG SATURDAY”

8 a.m., the doors of the Flame opened as more and more bikers poured in from all over the West, Southwest, and Southern States to register for the last day of the run. While those who partied late into Friday night looked a little bit under the weather as everyone was trying to get their stuff together downing a hot cup of coffee at the Flame, or getting breakfast at one of the many restaurants that Mark and Lillian Grady had listed on the back side of the poker run registration form.

This was one busy day of activities at the Gila Thunder Run, which included the final day of the Poker Run and guided tour. This day would include the Bike Games, Bike Show, the Bike Parade, the Wet T- Shirt Contest, Live Music, and the drawing for the little green Motor Scooter donated by Iron Horse Corral Motor Cycle Shop of Silver City.

 “BIKE GAMES”

At 1 p.m., P.A. Charlie and his assistant, David, kicked off the Gila Thunder Run Bike Games with the first event up, the Ring Toss, followed up by the Beer Keg Roll which almost took out some of the on lookers. Next up in the bike games, came the Slow Race, in which I think this would be a good test to see if anyone is drunk.

By damn far the biggie of the games, the Winnie Bite Contest, and what would  the Winnie Bite games be without the one and only Crazy Charlie getting this event off and running. As the dogs hung on a string dripping with mustard the lady’s tried to bit off as much dog as possible trying not to grab the hot dog with there hands. I think everyone in the area of the Winnie Bite Contest wet their pants watching the lady’s standing up on the back of there Ol’ man’s putt, trying to bit off as much of that mustard dripping Winnie as they could.  

“BIKE SHOW”

4 p.m., and on schedule around 15 scooters lined up in hopes to be crowned in any one of the four categories which included, Best original Bike, Best Stock Bike, Best Custom Bike, and Best Painted Bike.

Also entered in the bike show was three little Chopped Custom one-lunger scooters, and this guy really put some heart into these little putts.

                                                     “BIKE PARADE”                                                         

Around 6 p.m., everyone rolled out of the Flame Convention Center and headed into the Down Town business district of Silver City in a show of color, chrome, and the loud rumble of hundred’s of Harley-Davidson motorcycle’s.

The Bike Parade took a little more then 20 minutes from start to finish from the Flame Convention Center on Pinos Altos Rd., which this gave everyone time to eat and relax inside the Flame waiting for the big night of events that were secluded.

“THE BIG PARTY”  

As 8 p.m. came the Trophies and awards were given out for the Poker Run, Bike Games, Bike Show,  who came from afar, and the drawing for the little green scooter donated by Iron Horse M.C. Shop.  The lucky winner of the little green scooter was Anthony Chavez of South Carolina, while his Ol’ lady claimed the bike as hers.   

When 9 p.m. rolled around the Crossroads Band took stage, as the 16,000 Sq. Ft. Flame Convention Center came alive as hundreds of biker party animals started whooping it up into the a.m. hours, and what’s a biker rally without a wet T-Shirt Contest of nine beauties all lined up to take the drip in front of hundreds of crazies yelling and whistling. After the 9 lady’s lined up for the T-Shirt contest, PA host Charlie got the crowed whooping it up more as he had beer pitchers being passed around to the crowed filling them up with money to the rim for that winning lady, who ever she may be. After Charley colleted over $300, he started the bidding to the highest buck bidder to get the great honor of pouring the water over the lady’s, must be something to this that I missed?   

After the big ta do over the Wet T-Shirt contest, everyone gave a loud approval for the winning lady, “Megan Peterson, from Australia, winning a big money pot of almost $700. Then the party got started once more when the Crossroads Band came back on stage, rockin’ and a rollin’ the night away for all who came, bikers and none bikers alike all having one hell of a time, thanks to two special people who put all this together, Mark and Lillian Grady of Gila Thunder Run and the rest of the crew.   

Mark and Lillian not only were great host, but pulled off one of the best Gila Thunder Runs without a hitch in the four years of it’s existence, making sure everyone was taken’ care of and had a great time.

“COME SUNDAY MORNING”

It was three days of activities and party hardy, and now it was time to say good-bye and see you next year.

At noon those who attended the farewell at the Flame Convention Center gathered around for the blessing by biker preacher Jeremiah of the Arizona Riders. 

Then every one sat down to slowly sip down a good old batch of homemade hot menudo soup that lit up the old taste buds and clearing out the cobwebs, all hand made by the Ol’ lady’s of Gila Thunder Run, and that’s a WOW lady’s, thank you so much.

Many thanks to the town of Silver City, and to the 45 business’s that the Grady’s listed as biker friendly. Mark and Lillian hope to see you all back for the 2004 Gila Thunder Run.

 “GILA THUNDER GANG”

Mark and Lillian Grady, and all those who made it possible for the four best days of this Biker Rally.

                                                  “TROPHY AND AWARD WINNERS”

“THE STATES FROM WHICH THEY CAME”