The Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally this past weekend has proven to be both boon and bane for Four Corners communities. The bikers — many of whom are doctors, lawyers and accountants rather than Hell’s Angels — poured a lot of money into the local economy, and the amusement provided by some of their antics was priceless. One newly-minted biker, his leather chaps still creased from the box, was embarrassed to find himself unable to start his bike in the presence of fellow riders. A reporter, eating in a Durango restaurant, met a biker couple and their young daughter, Harley.

Less amusing were the six fatalities and assorted injuries incurred by rally-goers. Assessing responsibility for those problems is complicated. It’s not all because they’re bikers. Local drivers aren’t very accustomed to sharing the roads with hordes of bikers — 25,000, by one estimate — and the added traffic volume has a lot to do with the increased number of accidents. Some of the weekend road warriors aren’t all that comfortable on their iron horses, and that makes their behavior unpredictable for drivers sharing the road with them.

Also a problem is the noise associated with thousands of motorcycles. Some residents find it intolerable; others are willing to put up with it for a few days in the interests of economic gain.

That gain is spread across the entire region as the bikers venture out on day trips. A group of young soccer athletes in Cortez, holding a car wash to raise funds to travel to camp next summer, unexpectedly spent their day rinsing off expensive Harleys, and they found the bikers both polite and generous. Local businesses did a booming business in souvenirs, with the unbreakable variety selling best. Cooler weather helped to sell some warm clothes as well.

Not only did the Iron Horse visitors spend money, their presence pushed more traditional travelers out of Durango and into other communities. Motels in Cortez were filled over the weekend, and some area businesses said Labor Day weekend traffic was the heaviest they’d seen all summer. Again, the cooler weather helped; hikes to ruins aren’t nearly as strenuous when the temperature is in the 70s rather than the 90s.