The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-08-22, Page 15Serving Oxer 24,000 -homes in.LawelR Wingharn,
• Mount Forest, Milverton, Ariss, Arthur, Drayton,
Harriston, Moorefield, Palm.erstori, Bloomingdale,
Breslau,, onestogp, EJmira; Heidelberg, Linwood,
Maryhif,, St. Clements, St. Jacobs, Wallenstein,
Wellesley and West Montrose:
Wednesday August 22, 1984.
FOUNDER AND FAMILY—Ed Brouwer, founder and president of the !CBA,
poses with his wife Judi and their children, Rebbeca Lynn 3, Casey 6, and
Aaron 7. Judi is a singer and assists her husband at fellowship services.
by Marion 1. Duke
It's one of those old action songs that
youngsters get a kick out of singing at
Vacation Bible Schools. The one in.
which the girls` stand whenever
"Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah" is
sung and then sit down and the boys do
the same while singing, "Praise Ye the
Lord."
It's usually good for two or three
rounds including a couple of quick
switches of who sings what. That's
when those anticipating the wrong line
of the song are caught standing with the
wrong group. Much merriment ensues.
It's the same song all right. But this is
no Vacation Bible School, no Sunday
School picnic either. And the people
jumping up from their lawn chairs and
picnic tables are a good many years
from being boys and girls, although
there area number of children in the
crowd:
Anyone not knowing what was
happening here would wonder what he
had stumbled upon...
The crowd covering the front yard of
Larry and Shirley Bott's well -kept pig
farm near the Village of Gorrie on this
warm, summer evening is a curious
mixture.
Clustered in one area .are con-
servatively dressed men and women,
the women wearitig the white net
"prayer, coverings" familiar to people '
living in the areas of Ontario inhabited
by 1Vlennonites.
Scattered here and there are
residents of the area who have come out
of curiosity, or because they are friends
of the Botts, or both.
Curiosity?
You bet.
The biggest part of this crowd of
around 200 iscomprised of bikers, their
spouses, or girl friends and in some
cases their small children. The paved
driveway into the Bott farm is lined on
both sides with bikes. And what bikes!
Harley Dressers, Honda Gold Wings,
Aspencades, Interstates, and a whole
bunch of other makes and models —
nothing much under 750cc. Big touring
bikes and all the paraphernalia that
gdes with them nowadays. Fairings,
expensive luggage, CBs, audio
systems, lambskin seat . covers,
trailers.
Three or four bikes like these parked
in one place at, one time make people
pause long enough for a hard look. Over
a hundred of them lined up on display__
are an open invitation to gawk. But it's
Aaron and Casey have their own mini bike choppers. The Brouwers live at an invitation seldom accepted.
Niagara -on -the Lake where the head office for the International Christian. Given the reputation of biker gangs
Bikers' Association is located. and the fact that most bikers, outlaw or
otherwise, are as protective of their
precious machines as the proverbial
ONE WAY—This 1966 Harley Davidson Dresser belongs to Ed Brouwer, founder and president BACK PATCH—Patches such as this one are worn
of the International Christian Bikers' Association. proudly by the Christian bikers.
mother hen of her chicks, most people
steer clear of anything having to do
with motorcycles.
So the sight of ordinary types oohing
and aahing over the big machines lined
up at the Botts is enough totip anybody
off to the fact that this isn't an ordinary
weekend gathering of bikers.
From a distance these bikers and
their machines appear to be the kind of
gathering best avoided. There are some
tough looking cases here and enough
leather vests over hairy chests and
bulging muscles and tatoos to make
Charles Atlas look and think twice.
Upon closer inspection, however,
these bikers and their machines are
different.
The motorcycles are decorated with
Christian crosses and with rear signs
such as "I'm co-pilot. God is pilot.",
"One Way", "Jesus is Lord".
The patches on the backs of the
leather vests and 'jackets carry a
similar message. The patch is centred
with a chopper topped with a cross. The
message top and bottom reads, "Jesus
Is Lord. Ye Must Be Born Again."
A number of bikers in the crowd are
wearing 'T-shirts with a similar logo,,
bearing the wording, "International
Christian Bikers Association".
Those messages say it all. This get-
together is a weekend rally for the
International Christian Bikers and in
the words of their president,. Ed
"Dutchy" Brouwer, "Every member
here is a born again Christian."
Public Confession
If curious onlookers have difficulty
trying to figure out where these bikers
are coming from, whether they're
sincere, or if this is some big put-on, the
bikers themselves exhibit no such
uncertainties. They are more than
willing to answer questions not only
about their organization, but about
their personal experiences.
"We usually draw a big crowd
wherever we go," a biker said. "We
might not get so many people out here
because this is private property.
Usually we have a rally like this in a
public park."
But during the afternoon and evening
a number of people' hearing about the
rally have dropped by. Two women, a
mother and daughter, invited to come
along by a third person, somewhat
hesitantly work their way down the line
of motorcycles.
A biker, spotting them, immediately
goes over and greets them, handing
them his business card.
"Not quite like walking into a bunch
of outlaws, is it lady?" he grins.
Looking somewhat startled, the
woman replies, " No, no it isn't."
"Traise the., Lord," ..the_ baser- replies_
andmoves on.
The card with the biker's name and
address on the back carries a message
on the front: If you meet me and forget
me, you've lost nothing. If you meet
Desus and forget Him, you've lost.
everything.
A few minutes later when the woman
puts out a hand to touch one of the
bikes, her daughter yanks it back:
"You keep, your.hends off that man's
bike,fifr some -of theegays haven'tbeen
„
The same thought is probably going
through more than one head. But ap-
pearances_can be,deceiving.
This is One of the best behaved
summer gatherings one is likely ,to find
anywhere. Members of the association
greet one another warmly, exchange
pleasantries about the ride down and
then get down to discussing what most
bikers ,consider to -be the most im-
portant topic of; conversation. — their
machines.
'We usually draw
a big crowd
wherever we go.'
Worth $26,000
The machine that's the centre of
attention is a 1980 Harley Davidson
Dresser, customized to the hilt. It is the
"pride and joy of David "not Dave"
Crosby of Newmarket who says the
bike has been appraised at $26,000,
He's a big, unassuming 'man who
when he 'isn't wrapped up in the world
of biking is the custodian of Grace
Church in Newmarket. He isn't the type
to volunteer information about his bike
but ask a few questions and he's willing
to talk.
"I've been riding since I was 14. I
bought this bike new in 1980."
What inspired him to fancy it up the
way he has?
"Every show I went to, I noticed it
was always an outlaw bike that won the
prize and I just thought if an outlaw
biker can do it, why not a Christian
biker."
David Crosby says he's entered 30
shows with the Harley and has won 28 of
them. He remembers the two he lost.
"The first show I entered, I came in
cold. Nobody knew about me or my
bike. There was another bike there that
was heavily promoted and it won. Then
here not long ago I entered a show in
London. It was raining and I didn't have
'a chance to clean my bike up before it
went on display."
Crosby's wife Jean rides with him to
all the rallies — at least she does now. It
might have been a case of if you can't
beat 'em, join 'em.
"I don't know what changed her
mind. It used to be she wouldn't go near
a bike — wanted nothing to do with
them. Then back about six years ago I
got an old Harley. She got on it and
she's been riding ever since."
David Crosby has had his bike coast
to coast in Canada and in at least five of
the United States of America.
"I've had to lit the brakes a few
times, but probably no more than I
would have to if I'd been driving a car."
Crosby's bike proclaims its rider's
religious affiliation. "Jesus Saves" is
written on the windshield and the aig
on the rear reads, "Jesus Is Lord". A
small panel in front of the saddle bags
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