University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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A student closely examines a motorcycle in front of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house on Arkansas Avenue. Because Dickson Street was so crowd¬ ed, many bikers lined up along other streets on campus. Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler A student grills a rack of ribs in an afternoon barbeque con¬ test. The delicious barbeque lured many UA students to Dickson Street over the week¬ end in search of a change from the everday selections in Brough or the Union. Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler 18 Student Life

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Students wait in line for free Pizza at the Union mall dur¬ ing Welcome Week. Various activites, including the annual Convocation and Burger Bash, were planned for students to help ring in the new semester and adjust to living on cam¬ pus. Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Traveler Warm Welcome A 17 ,L

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Motorcycle enthusiasts crowd the Dickson District each fall for one unforgettable ride Carolyn Finnie ♦ Laura Haynie ♦ Bikes revving down Dickson. Live music blaring from the ampli ' fiers. Ribs basking in the afternoon sun. Once a year, UA students shared their domain and wel¬ comed hikers and bahes to gather on the Hill. Each fall, thousands of motor¬ cycle enthusiasts traveled from all across the nation, lining Dickson Street to see motorcycles, hear music and eat barbeque. The 5th Annual Bikes, Blues and BBQ Festival was held the weekend of Sept. 28, 2004 in Fay¬ etteville. The 620-mile ride started in Huntsville, Ala., continued to Memphis, Tenn. and ran through Branson, Mo. before groups finally arrived in Fayetteville on the last day of the event. Other motorcyclists began roll¬ ing into town on Wednesday to participate in the numerous events associated with the festival. The brightly shimmering hikes and leather-clad riders were not the typical sights among the week¬ end college crowd. These elements sent UA students swarming the Dickson area for quality entertain¬ ment of a different sort. U A students attempted to some¬ how fit in with the festival’s crowd as a means of gaining respect from the tough-looking visitors. Wom¬ en searched frantically for leather mini-skirts, while men tied hand¬ kerchiefs around their heads. If visitors were unable to find apparel before the weekend, there was no need to worry. On every corner, vendors set up shop, sell¬ ing everything from Harley David¬ son T-shirts to leather chaps and jackets. This year, special attractions Emily Milholen included stunt riders in the Globe of Death, and the Dyno Tester, a simulated track which measures a bike’s horsepower and other per¬ formance features. Other activities for bikers in¬ cluded the Poker Run, a parade from the Northwest Arkansas Mall to Dickson Street, as well as countless bike shows, contests and a ride to Arkansas’ wine region. Portions of the festival were even televised nationally, as The Discovery Channel’s program “Biker Build-off,” used the event to film the season’s last episode. Each builder was allotted ten days to assemble a custom motorcycle. The Bikes, Blues and BBQ fans were then given the task of voting for their favorite custom bike. The free festival grew from about 700 bikers in the first year to 25,000 this year, not to men¬ tion the 125,000 non-hikers that attended the festival. The size of the crowd was un¬ imaginable, considering the size of the Dickson area. As bikes lined the main streets closest to the events, spectators were forced to park what seemed like miles away. Without doubt, Bikes, Blues and BBQ offered something for every¬ one. Young or old, rich or poor, Harley, Chopper or moped, the festival bridged the gaps between generations and lifestyles. Dickson Street, the striking set¬ ting for the festival was surely one of the driving forces behind the event’s success. And although Dickson was al¬ ways a colorful place for UA stu¬ dents to roam, Bikes, Blues and BBQ brought extra flavor that everyone looked forward to each fall. Easy Rider 19