 "Photo: Vanessa Rivas")
 "Photo: Vanessa Rivas")
 "Photo: Vanessa Rivas")
Russ Shields and Brian Flatt stand under a tree wearing dark shades and bandanas wrapped around their heads. Both are clad in black T-shirts and Lee denim jeans, holding Bud Lights and smoking hazelnut cigars while watching a stand-still motorcycle race.
The "racers," one of them sporting a spike-chain tattoo around his bicep, rev their bikes while a judge measures the horsepower produced.
Shields and Flatt moved to Texas from California two years ago and have attended the Republic of Texas Biker Rally ever since.
"It's like family out here," said Flatt, putting out his cigar. "Everybody just gets along with everybody."
Austin was a prime location in the eyes of Jerry Bragg and Jim Henry, the ROT Rally's co-founders whose business cards display the title "co-honcho."
"Austin is a magic word in Texas," Henry said. "Everybody likes to ride the Hill Country roads, go down on Sixth Street. The people are friendly. I mean it just all comes together in Austin."
Bragg created the event for people in the Southwest region hoping Texas would rival other popular rally areas such as Daytona. This year, they leased an extra 60 to 70 acres of land more than last year.
He said his vision was also to attract people who may not have a big budget, such as students, by holding a Thursday concert for $5 with free parking.
"You don't have to be a hard-core biker," Fuentes said. "It's usually just anyone that knows how to ride or loves bikes can just go out there."
Miguel Garcia-Medina, an electrical engineering senior and president of the University Sport Bike Club, said although he is excited about attending the event, he has some concerns.
"There's going to be a large amount of people here, and someone's going to get hurt," he said. "It's just bound to happen."
Three levels of security will be enforced for the rally, Bragg said, but he still wants drivers to be aware of the bikers out on the roads.
"We are encouraging everybody driving a car this weekend to be conscious of the fact there are a lot of bikes," he said. "They're not here to cause trouble; they are here to have a good time and enjoy the sport."
According to Jamie Hall, ROT Rally spokesman, the event has few misconduct problems compared to other events held in Austin.
Austin is ready for the bike fanatics. Bars downtown are stocked up and ready to serve. Brian Hummel, general manager at BD Riley's Pub on Sixth Street, said this is the second-busiest week of the year. He said he can already hear the constant roaring of the engines.
"We'll be biker friendly," he said. "We're just ready to rock."
Luis Rodriguez, ROT Rally event coordinator, said Austin has accommodated for the rally appropriately compared to other cities.
"Here you go to places like the Driskill, and they actually drop their rates from their standard rates for the bikers," Rodriguez said. "Most of the other locations look at the bikers as a revenue source ... In Austin, the cops are more concerned about making sure that everyone comes into town, has a great time and is safe. The city works well with the rally organizers to make sure we do have southern, Texas hospitality around here."
A huge, camel-colored barn houses vendors selling T-shirts and promoting their companies. Golf carts with people wearing bright yellow staff T-shirts and coolers full of Gatorade, water and beer cruise the grounds.
Outside the barn, Jerry Covington and his son David show off their custom bikes. The Covingtons are considered celebrities in the biker world after Jerry won the 2005 Discovery Channel Biker Build-off competition. They travelled 500 miles from Oklahoma to display their custom bikes and enjoy the event.
"This is more like a party," David said.
Other Discovery Channel participants such as the Martin Brothers, a bike-building pair famous in the motorcycle community, also came to support the event.
Although Shields and Flatt aren't famous and don't ride custom-built bikes - Shields rides a Honda Shadow Sabre, and Flatt is proud of his Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide - both men enjoy the rally so much, they plan to come out every year.
After finishing their cigars and their beers, they lean back against the tree to enjoy the event.
"This place is a little like Vegas," Flatt said. "Whatever happens here, stays here."
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