Oyster Run

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Oct 7, 2005
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This weekend (Saturday and Sunday) is the annual Oyster Run weekend in Anacortes, Washington. The actual run is Sunday morning.

Weather is expected to be near perfect - sunny, clear and high 60s. Last year, the estimate was about 25,000 bikes.

Anyone coming?
 
That's what our local paper said after last year, Dave. The bikes were parked nose-to-nose, herring-bone style in the center of Commercial Avenue, and nose in to the kerb on an angle both sides. The lines extended from just north of 10th Street all the way to the end of the street, north of 1st Street. They were also parked on both sides of the cross streets for two blocks in each direction over that same distance.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any Nortons or other British classics. There were a few of the new Triumphs, some Ducatis and Japamese brands, but well over 90 percent (my estimate) were Harleys and Buells.

The festival was remarkably accident free considering the overall numbers. I think 5 spills with minor injuries occurred in the immediate Anacortes area and there was one wreck in Burlington where the two riders on one bike were killed when they couldn't stop in time when traffic ahead of them stopped.

Though the crowd in town was not someting you'd take a 5-year old to mingle with, they were quite well mannered. The taverns sure went through a lot of beer. I'll probably wander down there Sunday morning to see what's going on.
 
Cookie:

I don't know how the journalist came up with that number. He may have counted the number of wheels and divided by 2 for all I know!

I'm going to wander downtown tomorrow and try to get an idea. If you figure that a third of those bikes had two people on board, that's a hell of a late-season boost for the various tourist-oriented businesses. Even those out 20 miles or so are going to see some extra activity, particularly those known to be biker friendly.
 
I do a couple events a year and we go by police estimates, which are mostly guesses. Regardless, an extract number isn't important. a lot of bikes, hopefully a good time, and good business for the merchants.
 
An absolutely gorgeous weekend - bright and sunny, high 60s, slight breeze. Bike count down from last year (which I'd mis-remembered, it was 25,000) with just over 16,000 this time. Again, almost all modern stuff with a very high percentage of Harleys and I didn't see a single British bike.
 
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