Photograph courtesy of Rob Marhefka

For many people, summer time is a great time to relax, enjoy the beautiful weather, and have a great time outdoors with friends and family. Johnstown BMX is a great place to do just that. Nestled in the hillside, minutes from downtown Johnstown, lies a place where people of all ages can come together and enjoy the sport of BMX racing.

BMX racing originated in the 1970s in Southern California where children would race their bicycles on dirt tracks in order to imitate their favorite motocross stars. In 1974, during the rapid growth of this exciting sport, the National Bicycle League formed to bring organization and a point system for racers throughout the BMX community. In the late 1970s, BMX hit the East Coast and Johnstown BMX was born. BMX recently became a full-medal sport during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

Johnstown BMX officially opened for business in 1980, accommodating racers of every skill level and age group. Jeff Layton, President of Johnstown BMX, says, “It is our goal to provide a safe and enjoyable facility for family members of all ages and abilities to ride bicycles and compete in organized races.” Being home of one of “the most enduring tracks in the NBL,” Johnstown BMX attracts a fair amount of attention from many higher-skilled BMX riders throughout the BMX community. With different parts of the track dedicated to more advanced riders, Johnstown BMX has something for every skill level of bicyclist.

Holding many events throughout the year, Johnstown BMX relies heavily on their volunteer staff which handles everything from selling food and 50/50 raffle tickets, to keeping the racers safe, organized and checked in. Johnstown BMX draws in around 75 riders weekly. Many of these riders come in from all over the state to take part in the weekly State Qualifiers, held almost every Wednesday throughout the summer months.

Learn more by visiting www.johnstownbmx.org.

While Johnstown’s downtown is the heart of Thunder in the Valley activities, the event has grown to include communities throughout the region. This year there are activities scheduled in Ebensburg, Nanty Glo, Richland, Windber and Somerset.

Each year Thunder in the Valley provides a host of entertainment options for motorcycle enthusiasts, including organized rides, live performances, product vendors, demo rides, the Budweiser Clydesdales and so much more. Rally planners, the Greater Johnstown Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, do a great job making sure that the event is well-organized and fun for riders of all types. For complete rally details, including event schedules and maps, visit the CVB’s Thunder in the Valley section of their Web site.

Update

We’ve uploaded a handful of photos from this and previous years’ rallies, which you can view by visiting the “Thunder in the Valley” photo set on the Do Johnstown! Flickr photostream.