Bike rally ruins the Durango vibe

Labor Day is here, and for yours truly it meant figuring out where I was going to flee for the weekend. Why did I leave town? The Four Corners Bike Rally is staged at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, a stone's throw from my condo on North Main. For starters, I have no problem with individual motorcyclists. But I do have a problem with thousands of them staging a loud, noise-polluting event at a taxpayer-funded facility in the heart of our town. And as this unfolds, I know I'm not alone. This event has come to be despised by many Durangatangs, especially those who live near the Fairgrounds and those who have motorcyclists ripping through our neighborhoods with no respect for our sleepy little mountain town. The constant noise for days on end – heard through the well-insulated walls of my condo – makes it impossible for me to focus and do my job of writing at home. The roads are also full of intoxicated motorcyclists who create a hazard for everyone else. And when the inevitable accidents occur, this event becomes a further strain on our local police and first responders. Durango needs to stop rolling out a welcome mat for this event in the heart of our town. La Plata County needs to stop using our tax dollars to host it at the Fairgrounds. The Four Corners Bike Rally would do all Durango residents a big favor by moving to a more remote location and allowing Durango to be Durango on Labor Day weekend. Cliff Cash Durango