CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT Denise Petito straddles a Harley-Davidson bike while her friend, Debbie Nelson, looks on at the Short Branch Saloon in Crystal, the last stop of the Bordello Thunder Run, a charity fundraiser. CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT Another biker rolls up to the Short Branch Saloon in Crystal Saturday to join bikers from three states participating in the 4th Annual Bordello Thunder Run. Advertisement

The bikers who participated in the 4^th annual Bordello Thunder Run had already descended in full force on the Short Branch Saloon in Crystal by early Saturday afternoon, filling every inch of desert around the place and across the street with a sea of chrome and a perpetual throaty rumble that universally signals a motorcycle nearby.

For Kevin "Alex" Alexander, a member of the Las Vegas High Rollers crew, the best thing about the run was "girls, girls and girls."

It was an appropriate enough answer considering the blackjack run (also a fundraiser for charity) featured stops at all the major brothels.

The bikers paid a $25 entry fee and rode from Sin City to the Chicken Ranch brothel in Pahrump, made their way to The Kingdom Gentlemen's Club, and ended up at the Short Branch Saloon to get their share of the 700 pounds of rib-eye steak, 300 pounds of chicken, Dutch-oven potatoes, baked beans, and macaroni salad.

Leather-clad and more often than not with a cigarette and beer in hand, the bikers arrived at the run's final stop in a steady stream group and solitary riders.

The thousand-plus riders came from three states, but Las Vegas contributed more than its fair share, most wearing leather vests that proudly proclaimed the biker's affiliation: the Ironcrossmen, the Gents, Soul Brothers, Iron Crew, and even a Marine biker group had all made the 176-mile ride.

"It's a great run," Fred "Knuckles" Boudreau, who rode with the Gents, said. "You meet a lot of people you don't see all year here and then they all show up here."

For Rich and Sandy Glauben, who participated in the run for the second time, it was a perfect chance to just get away from it all.

"We just like riding," Sandy said. "We like getting out of the city for a bit and the run gives us a destination."

Rick described the ride up as simply "cold," though he seemed to be having a good time.

Between the classic rock staples being played by the band and the smoke billowing from the giant barbecue, it was hard not to feel like a guest at a huge party as opposed to a member of a charity event.

But for all the tattoos and long hair, that's exactly what the Bordello run is.

The proceeds go to raise money for Adaptive Action Sports and Adaptive Sports Medicine, both nonprofit organizations that work with amputees.

In addition to riding for a good cause, however, the participants also got a chance to win the run itself, having picked up a card for a hand of blackjack at each of the stops.

First place was worth $300, second place $200, and third place got a C-note ($100) for their trouble.

The Short Branch was also where a harried Kathy Bragg, owner of the saloon, was selling raffle tickets for a spa/golf weekend Mesquite among other prizes.

Last year Bragg said 1,158 showed up to the saloon, but this year it was easily just as many, if not more.

By mid-afternoon plenty of riders were still turning off Highway 160 and heading down a long, lonely stretch of road to the white smoke billowing from the barbecue.

But they wouldn't be lonely for long -- there were plenty of their friends waiting for them at the end of the road.