‘It’s a bunch of great people’: Bike Week wraps up in the Grand Strand

MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WMBF) - With parking lots nearly bare, and crews sweeping away remnants of another successful year, people uniting in the Grand Strand said there is the first time for everything.

“I started meeting random people, just showing up to places and say, ‘yeah I saw you on Facebook,’” said Bobby Love, a Murrells Inlet resident. “You know, shaking hands and getting to know their families and where they’re from, that’s kind of fun you know.”

Love said it was his sixth year attending the Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally along with thousands of bikers sharing memories and a sense of community.

“It’s a bunch of great people,” said Love. “Sometimes, I think from the outside people look at bikers, think it’s a rough crowd, but there’s such a loving group of people, you know take care of each other and take care of you know a lot of kids organizations and with bikers so it’s it’s a great feeling,” he said.

Nearby businesses hosting events said turnouts were a success, despite some weather, but other bikers like Tamara West visiting from North Carolina said otherwise.

“Everybody is so friendly, and the weather is just great we got to the beach and bikes and the babes,” said West.

In fact, things took an unexpected turn for West, making the annual event even more special.

“We got married here, on the stage, yesterday,” said West. “I can’t believe I’m standing here right now, I was like it just fell in my hands.”

As bikers packed up to return home, Love said he was already envisioning his year seven.

“It’s pretty repetitive, you’ll get used to the same crowds, and that you kind of develop a pattern of where you end up going to this bar the one down the street or up in North Carolina,” said Love. “I followed that kind of same pattern, I try to get a lot of riding in and see as many shows as I can.”