If you're wondering where all of the rumblings in and around Taos are coming from it's the bikers.
Red River is hosting their 39th Annual Red River Memorial Motorcycle Rally May 27 - May 31 and there are motorcycles everywhere.
In previous years the Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally has attracted up to 20,000 bikers and if the number of motorcycles I've seen on the roads this weekend is any indication, this year promises to be a banner year.
The small town of Red River sits in the center of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In the 2020 census, they have a population of 477. The bikers, however, can be seen taking over the roadways all the way from Questa to Santa Fee. For the first time in a long time, the town is bustling and the restaurants, bars and cafes are all packed.
The motorcycle tour goes around the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway. The highway in and around the Red River is rolling and lightly trafficked. Mountain views pepper the landscape and the Rio Grande flows past. The roadway is lined with wildlife sightings like big-horn sheep and elk as you make your way into the town.
The rally is set to take place along Main Street, which is the main thoroughfare into and out of town. It’s reminiscent of an Old West town, with a saloon and the local trading post. Many still made of lumber and rough-hewn logs.
Special ceremonies honoring United States veterans and fallen soldiers were held in Brandenburg Park on Saturday.
After the final events, the bikers head out together along the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway, a 110-mile loop through northern New Mexico’s most beautiful scenery. They stop in Angel Fire to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The surrounding communities of Taos, Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, and Questa have all been noted to be hosting farmers and flea markets and have additional staff on hand to accommodate the expected influx of travelers.
