Flip through for more 'Blessing of the Bikes' photos
THE economic impact of the annual Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is set to extend into a whole week of festivities after Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation initiated the Island’s first motorcycle festival at the weekend.
While the weather was against the set up for the event and Saturday night’s performance by leading 90s live band, Chocolate Starfish, the ‘Blessing of the Bikes’, in Cowes’ main street, on Sunday was a cracking success.
Hundreds of riders started arriving from early morning and by the blessing time, shortly after 12 noon, the whole lower end of Thompson Avenue was filled with 400 or 500 bikes.
The event is expected to grow from here.
They represented an instant ‘show and shine’ bike show as enthusiasts, visitors and interested locals wandered around, coffees and lunch in hand, inspecting the shiny machines, old, new and historic, and enjoying the ambience.
Speaking at the formal part of the event, in between sets by Dirty Rats Old School Oz Rock band, father of Zaidee and co-founder of the Rainbow Foundation with his wife Kim, Allan Turner praised blessing event initiators, Marcel Widmer and wife Sabine who started it all at Mirboo North seven years ago.
He said the event would help raise money for Zaidee’s charity, awareness of joining the organ donorship register, in memory of Zaidee’s lifesaving donations to save seven other people, including a newborn baby.
“Zaidee was one of only six children across Australia who donated organs in 2004, when she died of a brain aneurism 18 years ago.”
Former motorcycle rider Bass Coast, Deputy Mayor Cr Leticia Laing, welcomed the visitors on behalf of the council, inviting them to call in at local shops in their travels. Acting Sergeant Scott Simcock provide a road safety message around wearing the right riding apparel and Tarwin Lower motorcycle group chaplain, Steven Ward, did the blessing.
With blue skies overhead and a reluctant sun finally making its first appearance for days, the first blessing event in Cowes could hardly have been more successful.
