Motorcycle rally draws 4,000, turns Hudson into 'mini-Sturgis'
By Doug Stohlberg
and Sean Scallon
The number of cycles was more than double the previous high of 2,000 in 1987, causing the area to look more like Sturgis, So. Dak., home of the annual Harley Davidson get-together each summer. "It was such a gorgeous day, and the motorcycles kept coming and coming," said Mallalieu Inn owner Sandy Moelter. "People came from everywhere, but most were from this region and the Twin Cities area. With the huge gathering, however, there was plenty of congestion all along the motorcycle route and six area motorcycle accidents were reported, all apparently associated with the ride. None of the accidents were life threatening. The most serious were two accidents near El Paso in Pierce County. Less serious accidents occurred in North Hudson, Hudson, Baldwin and Roberts. Moelter said the ride was scheduled to begin in North Hudson between 12:30 and 1 p.m. "Nobody wanted to leave at that time, it was almost 2 p.m. before riders started to leave," Moelter said. "I know the police were getting nervous because of the traffic situation on Highway 35 (6th St. No. in North Hudson)." She said, unlike other years, not all motorcycles left at one time. "Most of them left in groups of about a 100, so not all cycles were in one big line." From Hudson, the cycles traveled to Beldenville, El Paso, Baldwin and Roberts. The motorcycle ride was started about 15 years ago and is held each spring and fall. Moelter said the event is held for "fun." The first accident was very minor, and reported at 12:55 p.m. at the corner of the 6th St. No. and Wisconsin St. in North Hudson. The intersection, just east of the Mallalieu Inn, was extremely congested. During the peak of the congestion, cars were backed up close to downtown Hudson to the south and to the edge of North Hudson to the north. The second incident occurred at 821 Second St. in Hudson at 1:40 p.m. when two motorcyclists from Osseo, Minn. were involved in a rear-end collision. A pickup truck driven by Kay L. Lambert, 39, of Osceola, was hit in the rear by a Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Eric W. Johnson, 40, of Osseo. The cyclist behind him, Janette R. Walker, 45, then hit his bike. There were no injuries. The two Pierce County motorcycle accidents took place on County N near El Paso. The first accident took place at 4 p.m. two-tenths of a mile north of 650th Ave. Richard Schwein, 48, Islamoranda, Fla., and passenger Anita O'Rourke, 40, Eagan, Minn., were traveling northbound on County N on a 1995 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The driver failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway on the left side into a ditch. Both Schwein and O'Rourke were injured in the crash and were transported from the scene by Ellsworth ambulance. The bike sustained severe damage to its left and right sides, front and right front corner as well. The second accident occurred when a 1984 Harley-Davidson bike slid into a state patrol vehicle, a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria just minutes after the first accident was reported. The motorcycle was being driven by Thomas Evers, 50, St. Paul, Minn., with his wife Wanda, 47, as a passenger. Evers was leading a pack of motorcycles northbound on County N. The state patrol car, driven by Dan Morrow, 32, Eau Claire, was stopped at a Stop sign on 750th Ave. and was heading south on County N to attend to the first accident. As the pack approached the intersection, Evers' bike slid across the roadway into the Crown Victoria. Both Evers and his wife were injured and taken from the scene by Spring Valley Ambulance to Baldwin Hospital. Spring Valley Fire and other state patrol units were also at the scene. The bike suffered moderate damage to its right side. Two more St. Croix County motorcycle accidents were later reported later in the day. At about 3:40 p.m. a motorcycle collided with a car at County YY and Highway 63 near Baldwin. At 4:25 p.m. a motorcycle driven by Michael A. Bjorklund, 37, of Somerset tipped in the roadway on Main St. in Roberts. Bjorklund apparently lost control of his cycle. A passenger, Sara L. McPhetres, 34, of Somerset, was transported to the Hudson Medical Center. The event also generated other calls to law enforcement officials. Around noon the Hudson Police Department was notified that a motorcyclist had gotten off his bike at 11th Street and Coulee Road to stop traffic to direct some 20 cyclists through the intersection. A North Hudson resident called and complained that motorcycles were blocking his driveway. Another North Hudson resident reported that motorcycles had blocked the road near the intersection of Highway 35 (6th St. No.) and Sommers St. No. The caller said bikers were off their bikes and on foot on Highway 35. There were also several noise complaints about the motorcycles.
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