Motorcycle rally gets a weather break

Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally co-founder Eric Folkestad is excited about the weather.

And yes, he knows all about the severe flooding parts of Baker County have endured over the past week.

But Folkestad also has had a look at the forecast for the event that starts Friday.

And sunshine figures prominently in that prognostication.

“It looks like the weather is turning in our favor,” said Folkestad, who lives in Camas, Wash.

In past years, by contrast, rally riders have had to go, quite literally, against the wind.

And the rain.

But it wasn’t until 2006 that the brothers decided to extend an invitation to, well, everybody.

Many of whom showed up.

This year’s fifth-annual rally will be a bit different.

The City Council decided not to close Main Street. Instead, parking on Main Street between Church and Auburn will be limited to motorcycles from 4 p.m to 10 p.m. on Friday, and from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

And although the headquarters for the rally shifts to the Sunridge Inn, Folkestad said vendors, as they have in past years, will set up booths on side streets off of Main Street in the downtown district.

“We’re fine with Main Street staying open,” he said. “There will still be motorcycles all over the place downtown, along with vendors.”

Rally organizers have hired Community Connection to bus riders to motels and to Baker High School, where rally participants will camp outside.