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Home > Archive > Jul 26, 2007

Motorcycle Rally Thunders Through the Mountain
By Ashley Langston
Contributing Editor
About 350 motorcycles rode 160 miles through the mountains during the 10th annual Thunder on the Mountain, which raises funds for the Brian Head Volunteer Fire Department.
Larry Hughes, a Las Vegas resident, is one of the organizers for the event. He said the rally started in 1997 with 42 bikes and they lost $500. Since then, it has grown in popularity and they usually give the fire department between $2,500 and $3,000.
Last year was the biggest year with the most turnout, but Hughes said gas prices affected the event this year. There were about 350 bikes, and around 500 riders registered.
Thunder on the Mountain includes a 160-mile poker run, motorcycle games, good food, bands and fun.
It started the evening of Friday, July 20 with a gathering at Cedar Breaks Lodge in Brian Head. Participants could register and there were finger foods, live music, and socializing.
The next morning riders could again register from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Hughes and others served up pancakes, hash browns, eggs and sausage. The pancake breakfast was one of three meals included with the registration fee.
Riders were scheduled to leave at about 10 a.m., but the “thunder” started first thing in the morning as groups of bikers left Brian Head a few at a time. “Thunder on the Mountain” seemed an accurate title for the event, as the rumble of motorcycle engines filled the air and echoed off mountain walls.
The thunder from the bikes was accompanied by some real thunder Saturday afternoon, as the bikes were on their way from Panguitch back to Brian Head. A storm hit that dumped rain on the riders and lit the sky with lightning. The thunder growled across the mountain and some riders stopped under trees to wait it out.
Hughes said the storm didn’t dampen any spirits though, as everyone was back out and enjoying themselves the minute the rain stopped. He said some told him it was nice and cooled them down.
“They loved it,” he said.
The bikes left Brian Head and traveled by Cedar Breaks, Duck Creek, Mammoth Creek, Todd’s Junction, and Bryce Canyon. After a lunch stop in Panguitch they rode back to Brian Head. Boy Scouts from Panguitch did a clean-up for the group, in exchange for funds to send six boy scouts to camp, Hughes said.
The ride was a “poker run,” so riders would participate at each of the five stops. The rider who got “high hand” received $400 and the “low hand” winner got $300.
Other prizes included 4 spa weekends in Mesquite, $1,000 toward a cruise, two Richard Petty driving experiences and two Richard Petty drive-alongs, Hughes said.
After the poker run, riders returned for motorcycle games and a dinner of choice rib eye steak and barbecue chicken, Dutch oven potatoes and other delicious eats.
Hughes said he owns Larry’s Great Western Meats in Las Vegas, and does the cooking for Thunder on the Mountain each year. They prepared about 1,800 meals on Saturday, he said. There were about 50 volunteers who helped put on the event.
Stef Purdy, who also organizes the event, said he and Hughes’ volunteer their time in organizing and putting it on, and many of their family members and friends pitch in. He said they “do it for fun.”
Participants booked the rooms in Brian Head and many nearby campgrounds and lodging areas, Hughes said. Many riders brought RVs that they stayed in. It is a great boost for the economy each year, he said.
Riders come from all over, including Nevada, northern Utah, Colorado, Arizona and even New Mexico. About 10 percent of the riders are from Southern Utah, Hughes said.
Purdy said Thunder on the Mountain has some faithful riders who come year after year, and it is a good social event and a good fundraiser.
Purdy and Hughes have two other “thunder rallies” that they have started. Bordello Thunder, which supports the charity Adaptive Sports Medicine, runs from Las Vegas, through Pahrump, and to Crystal, Nev. Virgin Thunder runs from Las Vegas to Mesquite and supports Dollars for Scholars, a charity in Mesquite. The hotels in Mesquite match the amount of money the group raises, Hughes said.

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