County split over Iron Horse Rally

County split over Iron Horse Rally

Feb. 10, 2001

Journal Staff Report

How the poll was conducted

Journal staff writers Jim Mimiaga, Janelle Holden, Aspen Emmett, Katharhynn Heidelberg and Gail Binkly each polled 20 Montezuma County residents by telephone.

The names were chosen at random from residential listings in the telephone book; half the calls were placed during business hours, half in the evening. Any phone numbers where no one answered or an answering machine was reached were skipped. Anyone who answered and said he or she was not 18 or over or was not a resident of the county was not polled.

Respondents were then asked whether they had heard of the Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally and whether they were in favor of the county commissioners allowing the rally to move to the county fairgrounds next year.

They were also asked to give their reasons for their opinion.

Montezuma County residents appear to be evenly divided over whether the county commissioners should rescind the liquor ban at the county fairgrounds in order to allow the Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally to locate there in 2002.

A random telephone poll of 100 county residents conducted on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday found 39 persons in favor of allowing the rally, 37 opposed to it, 20 with mixed feelings or no opinion, and 4 who had never heard of the rally.

The poll was not a scientific sampling of the county’s populace.

Organizers of the raucous rally, which attracts some 30,000 motorcycle aficionados each Labor Day to Ignacio and the surrounding area, have approached the Montezuma County commissioners about the possibility of relocating the rally to the fairgrounds next year.

However, an existing ban on liquor at the fairgrounds would have to be rescinded. The commissioners, who at first seemed to be opposed to waiving regulations for the rally, now seem to be leaning toward the move.

When polled, locals gave varying reasons for their stance on the issue.

"We’re really excited," said a Cortez woman who favored the rally. "We need to bring people in and treat them good and show them this is a nice place to live or visit. We have a real problem in our community with how we treat newcomers."

"Why not?" agreed a Cortez woman. "It doesn’t hurt anything. Guys have to have their fun. It’s a macho thing."

"It’s a great family thing," said one respondent from Dolores. "My kids love it. I always go in Ignacio."

Most who favored the rally also cited the boost it would give the local economy.

"I think it will bring in good business, and I like the bikes," said one Cortez woman.

"Anything we can do for tourism, we should do," said another Cortez woman. "I don’t think they’re as rowdy as we’ve heard."

"It’s a good activity. It’ll be something for the kids," said a Cortez respondent.

Another respondent from Dolores put his reasons for favoring the rally succinctly: "Money."

But those opposing the gathering cited a host of concerns, including noise, the strain on law enforcement, and traffic.

"I don’t think Cortez has the facilities to handle it," stated one Lewis woman. "I don’t think Cortez has the police to handle it. I don’t think Cortez has enough bathrooms to handle 30,000 people.

"I think it would be bad to have 30,000 nuns come in here."

A Dolores man who said he had worked in Durango last year during the rally said it would "create more problems than people probably would care for.

"It was just a din — continuous noise," he added.

"I’m raising a teen and two little ones," commented a Cortez woman. "I have a job in Mancos and I drive back and forth. I’m concerned about the traffic."

"I object to the crowds, not the people. Our area is too small for that kind of congregation and noise," said a Dolores woman.

"I don’t want it," said a Cortez man. "I think it’s a drunken mess. We don’t need it."

"Absolutely not!" said a Mancos respondent. "They overwhelm us. I don’t want the rally as close as it is already. There’s too much traffic on 160."

"I think it would probably over-extend law enforcement," said a Dolores woman. "I know there are an awful lot of good bikers, but they come to party."

"The town is not large enough to accommodate this," added another respondent. "It’s good for business, not for the citizens."

And several persons said it would be wrong to waive the liquor ban at the fairgrounds.

"The alcohol issue is the problem," said a Mancos woman. "There should be no exceptions."