WILMINGTON -- A priest's blessing rose lyrically over the low rumble of Harley Davidson motorcycles as morning mist lifted off the summit of Whiteface Mountain.

For a second year running, riders looked to the spirit in the sky for safety on the pavement at the annual Blessing of the Bikes here last weekend.

Before the sweeping, scenic climb up Veterans' Memorial Highway to the priest, the motorcade mustered at the Whiteface ski lodge down below.

As they signed in, the angled row of parked bikes grew steadily longer until it stretched over the bridge.

Part of riders' registration fees were given to young Gabriel Crouch, a 12-year-old fighting a rare form of cancer.

At about noon, a slow moving storm of 50 motorcycles came in at once, a contingent from the Plattsburgh Harley Chapter, with Casey Spiegel riding in front.

Spiegel owns North End Harley Davidson and rides along with the nearly 160 members of the Plattsburgh club whenever he can.

"It was a nice drive over here," he said, watching the sun burn mist off the forest.

Bob and Cathy Lobdell, the director and secretary of the club, said they ride all summer for beneficial causes and the blessing is a good way to start.

"Yes, yep, it is," Bob said. "We go all over."

"Anything we can do to help," Cathy said of the fundraiser for Crouch.

Plus it's a good reason to spend a day running the roads.

The couple bought not one, but two motorcycles about six years ago when their sons graduated from school.

"I told him, here's the deal, if you're going to buy one you have to buy two."

"She has the low rider and I have a fat boy," Bob said.