By SANDRA K. REABUCK
WINDBER — Hundreds of motorcyclists and their riders ignored overcast skies – and even, at times, some drizzle – to join Saturday in the first Windber Rumbles, a poker run to raise money for the community.
It’s the successor to the Dog Run, which had been held annually for years but the six founders and leaders of that event decided to bow
out.
Barry Jerley, one of the organizers of the Windber Rumbles, estimated that more than 800 bikes
– most of them with both an operator and a rider – were in Saturday’s event, which had stops during a
100-mile route in Bedford, Somerset and Westmoreland counties.
In addition, cyclists who decided not to go on the run because of the weather, turned out at Windber Recreation Park for parties, both Friday night and Saturday afternoon-evening, Jerley said.
Mike Borischak of Windber said in an interview Saturday before starting the run that he and his wife, Lory, had been riding in the Windber event since 2004.
“We like to give back to the community, and we like to ride,” he said.
Jonathan Beskid of Windber, a motorcycle enthusiastist, said, “All my buddies do it, and it’s a good thing for the town. It gives you something to do on the weekend and on the bike. I just like being out there with everybody.”
Dave Wright of Beaver Falls, along with his friend Le Murtha
of Johnstown, said he decided
to join the run again “because
it’s a great ride, and I like the people.”
Kevin Franklin of Lawrenceburg, Ky., made the trip back to his wife’s hometown for Windber Rumbles because “it’s a family thing. We have five or six family members who will be riding. It’s a good way to get together with family from all over the country,”
Darlene Siska of Windber, who sat out this year’s ride because of a leg injury, but still volunteered in organizing, said it’s a family event for many.
Her two daughters – Taryn Block and Leah Cook – were volunteers at stops along Saturday’s route while her mother, Dolores Block, was working in the kitchen at the park.
Jerley was unsure how much money was raised by Saturday’s event, but he said that some of it would be kept to start building a fund for next year’s event. Proceeds also will be used for charitable projects, he said.
