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With the biker mall in her backyard and a view of train station activities from her front door, one might think Margaret Barkley would dread having Thunder in the Valley bikers surround the home she has owned since 1968.
But it’s hard to find a bigger Thunder fan than the petite Washington Street woman.
“I think it’s wonderful,” Barkley said Sunday, watching bikers pass from her front door.
“These people have been really nice. Every year they get nicer.”
Barkley admits her friends can’t believe she puts up with the “racket” at night, but she says it doesn’t bother her.
“I close the doors and go to bed,” Barkley said. “They are waiting patiently for me to complain, but I won’t do it.”
Bikers are nice here because Johnstown is a welcoming community, vendor Alexis Eisele of Ventura, Calif., said while packing away leather goods and clothing at her biker mall shop.
“The city that puts it on is very helpful,” Eisele said.
“What I really like here is law enforcement. They didn’t hassle the bikers here. We see that in other places.”
Although no official crowd estimates have been made available, Andrew Brogden said it seemed like the largest yet. The owner of Brogie’s Bikewear in Dale said the downtown crowds were surprising since the rally has expanded to include events in Ebensburg, Windber and Richland.
“Before, when everything was downtown, this was the place to be,” Brogden said. “Just wonder where the heck everybody sleeps.”
He heard some out-of-town bikers were taking rooms in Greensburg and State College because local hotels were booked.
And visitors were in a buying mood, he added.
“With the scare in the economy, things were not as good last year,” Brogden said. “Things are loosening up this year.”
Brogden was not the only one with positive reports, said Lisa Rager, executive director of Thunder-organizer Greater Johnstown-Cambria County Visitors and Convention Bureau.
“I am hearing lots of really good things from our vendors,” Rager said. “I hear attendance is really good at Richland and Windber. There certainly have been great crowds downtown.”
Sunday’s crowds are traditionally smaller as activities wind down and bikers start making their way home. A full slate of musical acts on the biker mall, train station and Central Park Gazebo stages kept the visitors entertained and serenaded vendors as they closed down booths. Others made the trip to Adams Township for the Beaverdale Hillclimb.
While music and other features are important, Thunder is about the camaraderie of sharing time with others, bikers interviewed said.
“I had a great time,” Jaime Grandl-Hess of Monkton, Md., said. “I met some people at Greenhouse Park. I’m seeing a lot of people I have not seen in a while.”
The former Johnstown resident comes back to Thunder in the Valley on her Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster.
“It is all about the crowds,” Jim Dunmyer of Somerset said. “And it’s getting a better crowd.”
“Bikers are a good group of people,” Mike Domineck of Solomon Run Road said. “Biker events are nice to go to.”
Thunder in the Valley
Related Photos
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Thunder in the Valley concluded Sunday with music from Randy Hunter and the Ole 97 Johnny Cash Revue. John Rucosky
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At the Beaverdale Hillclimbs an unidentified rider gets to the top with help from volunteers. John Rucosky
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Jordan Miller of Stoystown flips his ATV at the Beaverdale Hillclimbs. John Rucosky jordan_miller
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Larry Foor Jr. flips his bike at 103 feet up the hill. John Rucosky
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Mike and Gina Muha of Central City ride their motorcycle on Main Street in downtown Johnstown on Friday. Dave Lloyd
Discussion
Thunder officials, vendors say crowds may be largest yet
- Thunder in the Valley
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Thunder in the Valley Map
Click here to view what is happening during Thunder in the Valley.
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[VIDEO] Greenhouse Park bash: ‘They love to have fun’
Along with Thunder in the Valley come thousands of leathered bikers with grizzled, twisted beards and tattoos to make your grandmother faint. For 10 years, the local chapters of the Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) have packed them all into Greenhouse Park for what’s now called “Thunderbash.”
The rumor mill may suggest that all that gasoline and light beer in such a small area could become a powder keg of debauchery and drunken fisticuffs. But what really happens after the sun goes down at Greenhouse Park’s “best adult party in town”? -
[VIDEO] Thunder tattoos: Various body art offered at expo
Tattoo artist Scott McMahon sports a light manner and, hopefully, an even lighter touch.
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[VIDEO] Events kick start biker rally
Eleven-year-old Nikki Kot and her family helped to kick off the start of Thunder in the Valley on Wednesday evening at the Richland Township Fire Department grounds on Scalp Avenue.
Thunder in the Valley formally starts at 9 a.m. today. -
Camping a must for some bikers
Camping is a favorite way for many to enjoy their stay while attending Thunder in the Valley.
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Dry weather is in forecast
When bikers roll into Johnstown for this year’s Thunder in the Valley, they likely be greeted by clear skies, sunshine, and – most importantly for safety reasons – dry roads.
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Fairgrounds will become campground for bikers
Fun-filled events, music and hot showers are just some of the attractions for the fifth annual BikeFest being held at the 73-acre Cambria County Fairgrounds in conjunction with the Thunder in the Valley festivities.
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Thunder: Ebensburg gears up for Wheels & Wings
Businesses and community supporters of the Ebensburg area are hoping, as in previous years, some of the thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts coming to Johnstown later this week for Thunder in the Valley will make their way up Route 219 to the Cambria County seat.
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‘Signs, signs, everywhere a sign’ | Johnstown upholstery shop owner designs, makes banners for events
The colorful signs and banners seen at PolkaFest, Thunder in the Valley and Johnstown Music Fest are designed and made by one man. Bob Shaw, who owns an upholstery shop along Frankstown Road in Johnstown, studied pageantry – defined as a colorful, showy display – in art school and has been creating signage for the three events since their inceptions.
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Atmosphere, crowds, friendliness keep vendors coming back
Whether you’re looking for the latest biker apparel or a way to trick out your motorcycle, you’re sure to find a vendor at Thunder in the Valley to meet your needs. More than 100 registered vendors will line the streets and designated areas in downtown Johnstown selling their goods to thousands of visitors expected to attend the bike rally.
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Thunder in the Valley Map
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