Sunday, November 17, 2019
Harrisburg, PA
After watching the weather forecast for upper East TN. I felt it was in my best interest to load the van on Wednesday the 13th for my trip north to
Jam-On Productions National Swap Meet held in Harrisburg, PA. Wednesday wasn't a warm day in the Tenessee mountains where I live, but it wasn't freezing either. Although it was a chilly day it beat loading on a rainy Tuesday, and Thursday started a dip in temperature.
Boy, was I glad I did? Got up Thursday morning and it was cold just like the weatherman said it would be. It was nice drinking hot morning coffee looking out the window, and appreciating working a day inside instead of outside in the miserable cold. Thursday and Friday, I spent inside the warm house pecking on a laptop doing my blogging and internet marketing work.
Saturday was a travel day, so I was up at 7 am and on the road by 8 am. The trip to Harrisburg was 8 hours long but the ride up I-81 was easy. Around the Roanoak area, there was a traffic accident involving a tractor-trailer, and both lanes of I-81 south were shut down and traffic was backed up for miles. Sure was glad I was going north.
I arrived at the Farm Show Complex on N. Cameron St. around 3:30 pm, signed in, and had spaces assigned and located. The Farm Show Complex is a very large building, and I was able to pull the van close to my booth space and unload. Upon arrival, I always thank the big man upstairs for safe travel and no mechanical failures. Once the highway stress gives way, you can actually get involved in your work and have a good time.
Being a motorcycle rally vendor is one of the very best jobs a biker could ever ask for. You get to travel, you're around motorcycles and motorcycle lovers, you're exposed to thousands of cool motorcycle related items, and many places you get to see lots of music entertainment. Some famous and some not so famous.
Once the van was unloaded of merchandise and tables the
Jam-On Productions staff ask that vehicles from inside the Farm Show Complex. This repeating process allows the next arriving vendors the opportunity to pull their vehicles on the inside and unload,
Exiting the nice warm building was no problem on this particular day, for my vending spaces were located near the entrance/exit door, and it was still fairly early Saturday evening. Once outside the realities of cold weather set in quickly. Although official winter was still a few weeks away, the existing cold spell would never let you know it. It was so cold outside, that even in layered clothes, and a winter coat, it was still uncomfortable. There was no dilly-dallying around on my part, as I quickly made my way back into the well-heated facility.
Once the van is unloaded of merchandise and tables, the real labor work is finished until the breakdown at the end of the event. Placing the merchandise in their proper table space is a breeze because I basically do it weekly during the work season. As I place the merchandise on the tables, I check to make sure each is not damaged in transport and that all are clean. If something is damaged it is immediately removed. If something needs to be cleaned, I make a mental note and come back to it after set up is completed.
I personally enjoy this part of set up, because of the circus-like pandemonium going on around you. You here fellow vendors greeting each other and a passing travel stories, or they're joking around with each other. The ruckus of the entering and exiting vehicles and the clamor of unloading merchandise.
Another cool thing about this process is the hooking up with old friends. Over a period of time, you develop relationships with various vendors. Usually, during the setup process, you run into them because everyone is roaming about the building trying to locate their booth spots.
Fortunately I,
Ghost Riders Leather, arrived on schedule this trip and had plenty of time to set up without rushing. So often starting out late, hanging out at gas and food stops to long, road work, traffic accidents, mechanical problems, etc., can make you arrive late so you have to do a hectic rush job. Stressful.
After the uneventful procedure of setting up merchandise, it was suppertime. Two peanut butter sandwiches, an oatmeal cream pie, and a Pepsi. Yummy-yummy. After that premium meal, it was cleanup time. The cleaning, rather your working outside or inside, never ends.
At the wee hour of 8 pm, it was off to my van for a good night's sleep in the parking lot. Did I mention cold? After sunset, it was freezing cold. It was so cold, I climbed under six blankets with my clothes and winter coat on. After the covers warmed up, I had intentions of undressing. Guess what? It never warmed up. Even under six blankets, fully dressed, wearing a winter coat, it was still cold. It was bearable, however, and I slept until 5 am.
After doing my essentials I was back in the Farm Show Complex by 6 am. Heated, warm, yea... Opening time to the public was 8 am.
Jam-On Productions offers an early bird entry at the Harrisburg event. The normal public enters at 9 am. Why in the world would anyone want to get there that early on a Sunday morning, you may ask?
Parts seekers are an unusual crowd. When you start buying motorcycle parts you got money. If you got the money you have a job. If you have a job you are used to getting up early. Of course, there are those who work different shifts, but they are a minority. Getting up early to them is normal, and arriving at an event early is normal. They call it beating the crowd. That is the nature of the beast.
Another reason, however, is the event itself.
Jam-On Productions is world-famous for producing motorcycle events featuring new and used parts and accessories, up and down the East Coast for years. They draw some of the biggest motorcycle parts dealers in the country.
Therefore, the customer knows that the special part they are searching for is going to be there. It is human nature that if you are looking for a product that is special to you, you will make extra effort to get it before someone else does. That reader is early birds.
At 9 am, regular shoppers were admitted into the Farm Show Complex. Besides the staggering amount of motorcycle parts that greeted them, there were other vendors present like
Ghost Riders Leather from Johnson City, TN. Also, there were T-Shirt, jewelry, novelty, boot and sunglass vendors mixed in for variety. Add in an antique bike show, money drawings, and a parts auction you have a successful event. One that everyone has fun at, and feels like they got there dollars worth.
The
Jam-On Productions National Swap Meet has been going on for 32 years in Harrisburg, PA and the event has a huge following. A following that returns every event, and they buy. If you love motorcycles, if you are a motorcycle parts buyer, you need to put the two Harrisburg events on your to attend calendar for March and November 2020.
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