MURRELLS INLET, SC (WBTW) – Thousands of motorcycle riders will be coming to the Grand Strand starting this weekend.
The annual Myrtle Beach Bike Week kicked off Friday afternoon.
It was a long journey for some bikers, like Dave and Connie Landers, who traveled from western Massachusetts.
“It took 24 hours with all the traffic, but it’s worth it,” said Dave Landers.
They’re finally on the Grand Strand for the annual Myrtle Beach Bike Week.
“We went all the way up to North Myrtle Beach,” said Dee Davis, who traveled from Pennsylvania.
“We just love the whole area,” said Jeff Davis, who’s Dee’s husband.
“Yeah, so we went up all the way to the state line,” Dee said.
Vendors set up for the first day of bike week outside the Beaver Bar.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol and Horry County police were nearby, directing traffic on U.S. Highway 17 Business.
Tom Herzog was one of the vendors outside the Beaver Bar on Friday. He owns Carolina Reflection, which is a car and motorcycle wax company in Myrtle Beach.
Herzog says he does a lot of business during the rally.
“This is going to be huge for us,” Herzog said. “Every bike rally is huge for us. This being the first day has been tremendous, compared to the prior year’s first day.”
Sonny Copeland has come to Myrtle Beach Bike Week for about 40 years.
He now runs Sonny Productions and organizes events during the week.
“One thing new this year is Myrtle Beach Bike Week Thunder,” Copeland said. “That’s motorcycle drag racing at North Myrtle Beach Drag Strip. The drag strip’s been redone. It’s a whole new surface.”
That drag strip is located on 2003 Star Bluff Road in Longs. Drag racing will be held there May 17-19.
Some businesses will have specials during bike week. Legends in Concert on Hollywood Drive in Myrtle Beach will have a night with specials for bikers on Thursday, May 17.
The bikers also get to travel along nearly 60 miles of oceanfront and even cruise beyond the Grand Strand.
“We like going to the beach,” Dave Landers said. “We like taking a ride down to North Carolina. The rides are beautiful down here.”
Myrtle Beach Bike Week will continue through Sunday, May 20.