Riders come to Grand Strand despite Bike Week postponement

GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - Despite Horry County Council voting in favor of pushing back the spring bike rally until later in July due to coronavirus concerns and restrictions on large gatherings, bikers still flocked to the Grand Strand this weekend.

Linda and Fred Anelli are bikers who reside in the Myrtle Beach area. Even though it’s not officially Bike Week, they came to The Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet, a popular spot among bikers.

“We expected it. We think safety first," Linda Anelli said.

“It’s a beautiful day, we just wanted to get out and see the bikes. Usually there’s a lot more but they’re glad they’re not doing as many,” Linda said.

They say while they just want to support one of their favorite recently reopened restaurants, the crowds of bikers on Saturday was concerning to them.

Nearby biker bar Suck Bang Blow saw large groups gathering on Saturday evening.

“Nobody’s wearing masks around, and they don’t seem to be practicing social distancing. I mean, I’m a biker myself but I’m not prejudiced, but disease is disease and we want to keep everybody safe,” Fred Anelli said.

But keeping everybody safe was also on the mind of Bruce Byrd from Durham, North Carolina.

“They moved it to July, it’s gonna be 100 degrees everyday. There’s gonna be about 20 times more people here. More cars. More accidents. And the people in the cars don’t see the bikes,” Byrd said.

Byrd added in July he won’t come down to participate, worried with all the extra summer tourists. He says it’ll be dangerous for bikers.

“It’s gonna be so much traffic, you won’t be able to ride, and ride safely anyway,” Byrd said.

Byrd added that even without the official event, he’s happy to have come down from Durham.

“We’re still locked down in North Carolina, we can’t do anything. At least here we can get out, we can ride, we can see our friends,” Byrd said.

And while the Anelli's say they'd like to participate in July, they're worried it could get pushed back again.

“Hopefully yes. I doubt it though. I think it’s gonna take a long time for this to die down," the Anelli’s said.

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