[ironhorsetim]

Let me start by saying that I worked from the first Friday till Sat. before Fathers Day, a.m to a.m (been doing that for 8 years, not all at the same place) right on Rt 3 (got Fathers Day off cause I'm old ) and there were many times traffic was backed up to Rollercoaster Rd.

Originally Posted by Airwaves

I was up at the lake all week, light bike traffic as compared to past years and I am on a major Bike route! Tues and Sat even took a trip through the Weirs (by boat) and it was slower than I ever remember seeing it. Tuesday there were only a half dozen or so boats at the town docks (plenty of docking) and Saturday there were only 3 or 4 waiting! Went over to Meredith on Saturday and there was plenty of docking and had a late lunch at The Town Docks.

The first Mon. and Tues. are always the slowest day's. If you had gone to Meredith by bike that day you would have had a much later lunch as traffic was backed up in both directions by noon.It's called BIKE WEEK not Boat week for a reason...almost all my boat owning friends tend to stay away by boat that week I have no idea why.........

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

I feel badly for the restaurants and other businesses in the lakes region. This was truely a washout.

Not all businesses did badly, I think all the rain made people hungry and thirsty the local bar and grille I worked was at capacity almost all week long and had a waiting line many times...

Originally Posted by Airwaves

Originally posted by Mike Ray

Mike, I gotta tell ya, I don't know where you're getting the numbers from but I would guestimate about half that at best!

I've been going to Bike Week for decades and as I posted I am on a major route that bikes take.

Went through the Weirs by boat twice during the week and no crowds, and on the final weekend headed up to Meredith and ate at the Town Docks and got in and out without any waiting.

300,000 is a major stretch...of course I watched some of the same bikers drive past my place a dozen or so times during the week. I counted the ones I recognized as ONE.

Next year we'll make sure they all go by your house..cept for the one's coming in from Canada, which by the way account for a big chunk of that "estimate" as they say not all roads go by your house, but they all lead to Laconia... just kidding

Originally Posted by mike ray

you can guestimate if you want, but those numbers came from the new hampshire state police and charlie st. claire at the race and rally headquarters. keep in mind the rally has spread out to all different parts of the state. there may not have been 300,000 bikers in the weirs area at any one time, but the state of new hampshire saw an influx of 300,000 bikers.

Couldn't agree with you more Mike....in any case 1,000 or 300,000 more people spending money in OUR state is always a good thing and that older more mellow crowd made my job alot easier