Tension on two wheels? Not always. BY: Jana Hollingsworth and Christa Lawler Source: duluthnewstribune.com Minnesota - Other communities say tension rose when the Hells Angels brought their annual event to their town. But whether that extra tension means trouble depends on several factors, they say. Intense privacy, matching leather vests and heightened tension are part of what area residents can expect during the Hells Angels USA run centered in Carlton this week. Newspaper reporters who have covered recent Hells Angels events said there is occasional violence - some started by non-Angels looking to display machismo. "The flashpoint is 2 a.m. when everyone pours out of the bars," said Tristan Scott, crime reporter for the Missoulian in Missoula, Mont., where last year's run was held. "People are recording bikers with their cell-phone cameras." Scott said he didn't observe many problems, and the law enforcement presence was strong. There appeared to be a mutual understanding between Hells Angels and police, he said, and "the tension never rose to anything substantial." The group of about 400 leased a campground outside of town and had nightly entertainment. Guards were posted at the entry points to the grounds, and Hells Angels colors were required to gain entry, Scott said. "Aside from there being huge throngs of bikers wearing vests that say Hells Angels and it being a spectacle, it was business as usual," he said. Reporter Steve Miller of the Rapid City Journal in South Dakota has covered the Sturgis Rally, where Hells Angels convene every year. In 1990 he interviewed George Christie at the rally, who has been known to be an unofficial spokesman of the group. Many members don't speak to the media, Scott said, perhaps because they may have arrest warrants or because of the group's notoriety. But Christie spoke openly with Miller, he said, even giving him his phone number. Miller said Christie told him: "We're not here for trouble, we're here to party and have fun. "All during the interview, another Hells Angel member was standing next to me threatening me and cussing me out as I was taking notes." The usual assortment of disturbances and violence happens at Sturgis, not always begun by bike gangs, Miller said. "Some guys I know have met Hells Angels on the road and haven't had any problems," he said. But "there's always a certain amount of tension when they are around." He said he'd be surprised if the number of bikers reached 500. Authorities have estimated between 500 and 1,000 bikers will gather. Police told Missoula residents to avoid challenging bikers and doing things like cutting them off in traffic, Scott said. The run in Missoula was mostly a nonevent, he said, "which has been the case in a lot of towns over the years. But there have been flashpoints." Richard Reeder was the managing editor of the Cody (Wyo.) Enterprise in 2006 when about 1,000 Hells Angels came for their annual run and stayed at the local Ponderosa Campground and hotels. They were met with about 600 police officers from around the area, in a town where some people had fought to keep them out. Reeder said reporters had access to the Hells Angels when they were around town. Members of the group toured nearby Yellowstone National Park and hit the local rodeo, where a few of the Angels hopped on bulls and joined in. "They were pretty nice - talked about riding bulls and testing their manhood and those types of things," Reeder said. Reeder said that when photographed around town, Hells Angels members typically gave no more than a first name, if that. They traveled with women, but he didn't remember seeing any children. Above all, they are recognizable. "They fly their colors," Reeder said. "You know who they are when they're in town."