STURGIS - Even though Dee Fowlkes of Sturgis can see from his front door onto Junction Avenue that overall rally traffic is down, he said that the number of people camping in his yard is up 30 percent to 40 percent from last year.

"I thought it was going to be very slow, but campground wise, this year is up for me," he said. "This year has been very good; the campground has surprised me on how many people have actually stopped in this year."

But not everybody who rents tent space or bedroom space during rally week is having the same luck as Fowlkes.

Mike Petrocco said his numbers are down this year by 50 percent. He has been renting tent space in his yard at 1320 Junction for the past 10 years and said the low numbers are due to high gas prices and the fact that some of his annual campers are getting older and not returning this year.

"I thought it was going to be down. I talked to people at the campgrounds, and they said they were 30 to 40 percent down from last year; there are hotel rooms open, too," Petrocco said.

Fowlkes said his ex-wife started renting out bedrooms and tent space 20 years ago, and he took over by himself 10 or 12 years ago.

He has never had to advertise, and he also said he has never had to turn anybody away. Fowlkes said people hear about him through world of mouth, referrals, or see his "Beds N Tents" sign out in his front lawn.

"All hours, day and night, they straggle in. They will see the sign; they will ask these people sitting in the front yard, ask them a few questions, and then come on in and find me," he said.

This summer is the second rally that Angi Bergman has lived on Junction; she took over for the previous owner's camping rentals. She said she didn't know where all of the bikers would stay if it weren't for the people who rented out their houses and yards.

Bergman said she has about 17 people camping and an additional five people staying in bedrooms in their house. For $20 per person per night, Bergman said the campers have tent space, a porta-potty and a shower in the garage.

"I enjoy it. It's fun, and we have bikes, so we get involved," Bergman said. "I just like to meet the people."

Fowlkes said he has met people from all over the world through renting tent space and bedroom space. He has three bedrooms, a bunkhouse and sometimes uses the basement for barracks-style housing, plus the tents set out outside.

"I like the people, people from all over the world. Every year, we get people from a different country," Fowlkes said. "Bikers have such a camaraderie; they meet people here from last year. They just cannot wait to get back to see those people, and of course, the landlord has a little tiny bit to play with that part."

This year, Fowlkes said, two of his bedrooms are filled with people from Germany. He also has someone from Mexico and two people from upstate New York this week.

Campers come and go throughout his house day and night. He has two bathrooms inside, an outhouse and laundry facilities.

"It's enjoyable. We get good people. I hardly ever turn anybody down," he said. "I just get some very, very good citizens."