Out here everyone is a brother. Male, female, tattooed, bearded, tall, stalky, wild or professional, you’re a brother.

It’s a motorcyclist’s term of endearment for their own, like a raise of the fist when they pass each other on the open road.

And at the Cruisers Biker Bar & Grill’s Mini-Sturgis motorcycle rally off West Seltice Way, that camaraderie will be shared with thousands of riders, campers and partiers all weekend as the sixth annul event plays prelude to the real deal Sturgis rally next week in South Dakota.

“I hate the term lifestyle,” said Scott Kline, a Spokane firefighter who rode in for the event’s kickoff Thursday night that featured an opening cruise through the drive-through friendly bar, a bagpipe hymn, a prayer, and some hooting and hollering. “But it is our enjoyment.”

The rally has grown almost every year, and its hosts, Cruisers owners Larry and Sheri Herberholz, expect to see 10,000 visitors over the weekend — much more than they have in years past.

“Saturday,” Sheri said of the mini-event copying the big one, “is pretty much mayhem.”

Oh, brother.

The riders starting coming Thursday from across the west, and had more than 1,000 two-wheelers lined up by early evening.

But loud pipes and a roaring bar aside, the event is safe, friendly and a convenient gathering place for motorcyclists heading east, Sheri said, and it raises money through donations and fun runs for local charities.

“Bikers are caring people,” she said. “They know what dogs know: Your face out in the wind makes you a happy person.”

But the bigger-than-normal bash — with its line up of events from bands, vendors and an imitation comic, to less run of the mill activities like an appearance from a 70-year-old woman who was a past national champion for the most tattooed body — hasn’t gone unnoticed by surrounding officials.

“We’re watching it cautiously,” said Eric Keck, Post Falls city administrator. “We have no problem with an event like that. We just want to make sure it’s appropriate.”

The site is just outside of city limits near the state line, under county jurisdiction. Post Falls officers offer back up deputies if they need it, but in years past there hasn’t been a problem, Keck said, although deputies have responded there on occasion. Still, the larger the crowd, the larger the potential pitfall, or at least there will be more trash to clean up afterward.

“You get concerned about all the campers,” Keck said. “I don’t know where you put 10,000 people out there frankly.”

They’re there, starting to come anyway, and the bikes are lined up in parking spaces and across Seltice in the grass next to tents and campers. Cruisers, crotch rockets, hot rods, touring bikes, you name it: after all, the event’s other real focus is to show off the hardware.

“That’s the name of the game,” Kline said, pointing to a red 1941, 80 inch flat-type he’s been riding for 35 years. “To show each other your stuff.”

Plus all the camaraderie, which if you ask them exactly how they celebrate it, they smile, wink, and leave you guessing a little.

“Brother, I don’t know what to expect,” said Russ Ajux, a 25-year rider with a handlebar mustache, shoulder ink, and an American flag bandana on his head. “I’m just going to be people watching.”

But if the Mini-Sturgis is a copy of the big one, and the big one has been known to get wild, is it an accurate title?

“Just let your imagination roll,” said Jim, who didn’t want to give his last name, something several of the crowd didn’t want to do.

Still, others said, it’s not as all out as the South Dakota experience, although staff helper Laura Sala did say making sure clothes are kept on is a policing practice.

“It’s not as shocking,” said Teri Carlson, 40, whose rode her old retro Honda to both events over the years. “It’s tasteful . . . But things start happening.”

But the staff, more than Sheri can count to help her, keep it under wraps, she said.

If a biker gets intoxicated, they lock up his or her bike until the next morning. And the name of the game is meeting friends, and raising money for charities. And the bikers will buy in to cruise by and throw beads to the lawn of home where a local abused child lives as a show of love as part of their Bikers Against Child Abusers.

“There’s no groups,” said Jason Mundell. “Everyone gets along.”

Camping is free, across from the bar at 6105 W. Seltice Way. Take Interstate 90 exit 299.

Just remember, keep your imagination open, brother.