Tribune editorial staff

The rumbling sound of a motorcycle turned into the sound of hope and progress last weekend in downtown Ironton.

With one concerted footprint striking the kick starter, the future of Ironton rumbled to life as the first Rally on the River roared to life.

Blessed with a small group of impassioned people, namely the Friends of Ironton, the Rally surprised a number of Irontonians.

How?

First, it showed some folks that with a little ingenuity and a lot of hard work, something positive could be created here.

Second, the Rally's participants showed that in many respects the stereotypical "biker" from the 1950s and 1960s films are not true today. Most modern motorcycle enthusiasts find themselves right in the heart of the middle class, from engineers and attorneys to soccer moms and teachers.

Last, the event proved that people would come to Ironton, have a good time and spend money. We just have to give them a reason.

And, for all practical purposes, the motorcycles could have been replaced with many other things that would attract people - concerts on the river, restaurants sampling their foods throughout downtown, and the list could go on and on. The motorcycles cruising in the area were not the purpose, just the, well, vehicle to help get this community going again.

If the number of people in town was any indication of its success, the Rally on the River was an enormous success. One that we're proud to say started in Ironton. Residents should be thankful that a group of their neighbors loved the area so much that they rolled up their sleeves and worked hard to make the event happen.

Will there be another Rally on the River next year? We hope so.

But what we hope even more is that the event will inspire others to get involved, get to work and get down to the business of making a difference in our community.