Hi-Line Living - Bikers ride for veterans

More than 90 motorcycle riders from all over the region put on their leathers, strapped on their helmets and roared through the wind at nearly illegal speeds, raising over $8,000 for wounded veterans in the process.

Bikers began gathering Saturday morning at 8:30 for breakfast at the Eagles Club for the fourth annual Havre Eagle Riders Spring Opener Poker Run. Everyone began spilling onto 2nd Avenue about 9:30 a.m., before getting on their bikes an hour later and riding to bars in Big Sandy, Fort Benton, Chester, Inverness, Hingham and Fresno.

For the poker run, registered riders picked up a poker chip at each stop. At the end of the ride, once everyone got back to Havre, the playing cards the chips correlated with were revealed and the winner of the best hand received $200.

But the emphasis was on raising money rather than winning it. Aside from registration fees, money was also raised by selling T-shirts, 50/50 raffle tickets, donated items sold at a silent auction, high-value items sold at a live auction, dinner at the Eagles Club once in town and the street dance. An American flag flown during the ride was signed by all the participants and auctioned, as well.

Montana Wounded Warriors Founder Neil Baumann said all the money raised will go to sending veterans, who have been impacted in combat, on trips.

Wounded Warriors makes it possible for veterans to go on fishing and hunting trips with all the expenses paid, he said.

Jason Marheine, 31, had come from Belgrade early that morning to ride in the poker run. He served in the Army and drove a truck in Iraq from 2006 to 2007. He went on a Wounded Warrior-funded guided trip last fall with Trophies Plus Outfitters as part of a group. He said everyone in the group each came away with a buck, and the group totaled two antelopes and five mule deer. Baumann said any meat that was not kept was harvested and given away.

Marheine, who has PTSD and has incurred some back problems from his time in the service, said the trips are one of the few events that get him out of the house.

The Banque Club in Fort Benton was one of the longer stops.

Tacos were served buffet-style. The entire restaurant area and the bar was occupied by leather-clad bikers.

Kermitt Johnson, from Harlem, stood near a table and discussed why bikers wear so much leather. He said the attire "keeps your tattoos afloat."

"Pavement is the fastest tattoo remover they've found yet," Johnson said.

As everyone was coming back late afternoon and parking their bikes on the closed portion of 2nd Avenue next to the Eagles Club, members of the Warrior Creed Northern Rockies chapter, President "Shrek" and Secretary Treasurer "Reb," talked about why bikers ride.

"It's freedom. You're out in the open and there's no care in the world," Shrek said.

Reb, who had a little patch of a confederate flag on his leather vest, or cut, said riding was "really good therapy."

"You've never seen a Harley in front of a therapist," Shrek said.

Shrek added that people who don't ride motorcycles will never understand.

The men agreed that motorcycles today are made better than they used to be made.

"The old bikes, guys used to have parties on the side of the road, drinking while one guy was putting his bike together," Shrek said.

But times have changed and so have bikers. Bikers don't have to fix their motorcycles as much anymore and riders don't discriminate against those with certain bikes anymore.

The men agreed that a small percentage of deviant motorcycle clubs give all bikers a bad reputation. They said they're the type of bikers who stay out of trouble. Shrek said he joined his chapter for the camaraderie, at the protest of his wife at first. But both he and his wife now agree that joining a motorcycle group has turned out to be one of their best decisions.