Tony Overman/The Olympian
More than 160 motorcyclists line up at Saint Martin's College after Saturday's Bike Blessing. The annual event was followed by a group ride to Yelm for a dinner and raffle.

Bikers flock to abbot's blessing

JIM CARLILE THE OLYMPIAN

LACEY -- More than 150 motorcyclists thundered into a parking lot at Saint Martin's College on Saturday to be blessed by an abbot at the school.

The fourth annual Bike Blessing is a fund-raiser, memorial, social gathering and religious service for scores of bikers who want the extra protection a helmet won't give them.

"Last year, about 145 bikes showed up," said one of the organizers, "Indian" Mike Griffith.

Griffith is a member of ABATE -- which stands for A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments or American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, depending on whom you talk to -- one of two groups that benefits from the fund-raiser.

Proceeds also benefit Bikers Against Statewide Hunger.

Griffith said the event also is a memorial to Darrel Waters, who started the event four years ago.

"This is my third time here. It's just a great place to be," said Darla Hale of Lacey.

Abbot Neal Roth of Saint Martin's Abbey performed the blessing. Dressed in white, he stood out like a drop of milk in an oil slick among the black leather-clad bikers.

When the blessing was over, the choir of motorcycles rattled molars from Lacey to Yelm, where they were all heading for a dinner and raffle at the Moose Lodge.

"It's quite a roar when we all go through town," said Tom Wortman.

Roth said he blessed the motorcycles last year and has done the same type of blessing for students at the college.

"There's a long Catholic tradition of blessing bikes, cars, boats and things like that," Roth said. "I think many of these people come from all different religious backgrounds. They just want God to bless them and give them safe travel."

Indeed, there were members of the Christian Motorcycle Association as well as those not religious at all who showed up to get blessed.

"I'm not really religious but I thought I'd get the bike blessed as a safety measure," said Vern Patterson of Federal Way.

Patterson has been riding motorcycles for 21 years and has never crashed. It's his third time attending the bike blessing.

"On a personal level, I'm a Christian. I live the Christian lifestyle," said Erich Kecht of Lacey, explaining why he was getting his bike blessed. Kecht is a member of the Christian Motorcycle Association and ABATE; it was his second trip to the blessing event.

There also are social reasons why the bikers choose the attend. Joe Sullivan, coordinator of the Olympia Toy Run, said the bike blessing is like a high school reunion for most of the bikers.

"It's like shaking the cobwebs off after a long winter," he said. "All varieties of people come to this, and if the blessing and the holy water will help me, I'll take it."

"Lawyers, doctors, mechanics -- they all come to this. We've got all breeds here. It brings the groups together and helps us ride safe all year," said Wortman, who does public relations for ABATE of Washington.

The smell of leather, oil and gasoline is another motivator, Wortman said.

"These are all real nice people. I enjoy visiting," Roth said.

"Public perception of bikers is not quite right. They all look a lot wilder than they are," Kecht said.

Jim Carlile writes for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or jcarlile@olympia. gannett.com.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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