By MIKE FERGUSON

Baker City Herald

Steve Folkestad knows 1,500 people registered for the 9th annual Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally, and he figures three people participate for each person who signed up in advance.

That means at least 6,000 motorcyclists attended this weekend’s rally, held in and around Baker City to the delight, Folkestad said, of virtually everyone he spoke with over the weekend.

andquot;The people I talked to all loved it and plan to come back,andquot; he said this morning from a La Grande restaurant a violation, he admitted, of the motorcyclist’s rule of thumb, that one should ride at least 100 miles before stopping for the first meal of the day.

andquot;Our guess is a lot of the hotels are probably already booked for next year.andquot;

There were mishaps and glitches, said Folkestad, who together with his brother Eric organizes the rally. One rider broke some ribs in an accident. Another accident occurred in Adams County, Idaho.

Then there was the snow scare Tuesday snow which, fortunately, was replaced by sunshine that persisted throughout the rally.

andquot;Our only fly in the ointment was that Tuesday snow,andquot; Steve Folkestad said. andquot;It caused some concern and panicked some hotels. But the people who were supposed to be here got here.andquot;

And, apparently, quite a few more.

Folkestad said he talked to numerous rally attendees who rented space in homes all over Baker County.

andquot;A lot of people opened their homes,andquot; he said. andquot;For 50 bucks a night, you could get (a place to stay) and the guy would open up his garage where you could park your motorcycle. Those things make it really nice.andquot;

The welcome signs displayed all over town also made a positive impact, he said.

andquot;Eric and I both want to thank the people of Baker County for being open and welcoming to all bikers,andquot; Folkestad said. andquot;The welcome signs were out everywhere, and the merchants seemed to do really well.

andquot;It means a lot to bikers to know they are welcome, because some towns (hosting rallies) have turned against bikers. When they know they are welcome, it makes it better for both the biking community and the town. We look forward to a bright future for this rally.andquot;

Folkestad said the rally could use more vendors next year, a problem he and his brother aim to address between now and the 2009 rally, the 10th anniversary.

Well-received, he said, was Miss Oregon, Mary Lee Horuch, who awarded trophies following the event’s three poker runs

andquot;She really knew how to work the crowd,andquot; Folkestad said.

The motorcycle club Bikers Fighting Cancer was one of the big winners over the weekend.

andquot;When all the smoke had cleared Sunday morning, we had $8,000,andquot; said Reg Madsen of La Grande, a local member of the club and a former lieutenant with the Oregon State Police who is himself a cancer survivor.

One moving event for Madsen was when Tanner Davis, a student at Baker Middle School who’s battling cancer, was presented his colors and his club patch from about 35 BFC members who motorcycled from throughout the Northwest to participate in the rally.

Davis had his picture taken aboard Madsen’s custom-built motorcycle.

andquot;We had a ceremony, which he loved. He ate it up,andquot; Madsen said.

Madsen donated two pistols which were raffled off for the cause. Somebody Madsen had not seen since school days roared by, called out his name, and pressed $100 into Madsen’s hand.

andquot;It was one of the truer things I have ever been involved with,andquot; Madsen said. andquot;(Baker City Police Chief) Wyn (Lohner) and I had secret aspirations of raising maybe $4,000 or $5,000. When we tallied $8,000, we were really moved. That’s why we live in Eastern Oregon for the people who make it God’s country.andquot;

Baker City Police officers were out in full force over the weekend, with only minor disturbances linked to the Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally, Lohner said.

andquot;It went well,andquot; he said, noting that police responded to a couple of arguments among visitors to the community Saturday night and early Sunday morning, but no arrests were made.

andquot;It was a no-vacation weekend (for police),andquot; Lohner said. andquot;We utilized just about everybody on staff.andquot;

Eight officers were on duty Friday night and nine were patrolling Saturday night, he said.

A Pendleton officer spent Friday and Saturday working patrol in Baker City as part of the two communities’ mutual aid programs. An Ontario Police officer also helped out Friday.

Sgt. Wayne Bailey and officer Mike Regan rode the department’s two new motorcycles donated by the Hells Canyon Rally organizers. The motorcycles allowed Bailey and Regan to maneuver through the crowds and easily navigate through the street closures during the event, Lohner said.

While strolling through the downtown area Saturday, Lohner and other officers issued reminders to those whose enthusiasm got the better of them.

andquot;We had a few people during the show who meandered in the street with their drinks,andquot; he said. andquot;All complied (with directives to return to the bar) and were very polite.andquot;

Although crowds might have appeared smaller this year, Lohner said people and motorcycles were stretched farther along Main Street. Whereas last year’s crowds were concentrated between Court and Washington avenues, this year they stretched south to Auburn Avenue.

Much of the action also was contained in the area of the Sunridge Inn this year, he noted.

By Monday morning the rally was clearly in participants’ rear-view mirrors, Steve Folkestad included.

andquot;Everyone,andquot; he said, andquot;is headed back to the bonds of daily life.andquot;

Chris Collins of the Baker City Herald contributed to this story.