About 190 motorcycles trekked from 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn to a bar in Port Angeles on Saturday to promote a holiday toy drive for needy children.
And who did they see at the destination?
Who else? Santa Claus.
The Jolly Old Elf’s first North Olympic Peninsula appearance of 2009 came at Steele’s Sport Bar & Grill on Saturday afternoon to culminate the 18th annual Biker Toy Run.
Dozens of collected toys rode to Port Angeles in style — in a truck to keep the items out of the elements — but some bikers carried toys aboard their rigs as they rode along U.S. Highway 101 for the 21-mile run.
As before, beneficiary of the Toy Run is the Salvation Army, which will distribute the toys to children during the holiday season.
It’s too soon to tally up this year’s proceeds, but the 190 participants was a big jump from last year’s 106 bikers.
Recession impact
Which is good, because the recession is expected to bring more requests from Santa, said Laura Anderson, vice president of the Clallam County Mothers Club, an all-woman biker group which organizes the Toy Run.
In 2008, the Salvation Army served 1,200 families in Clallam County at Christmas, Anderson said.
Donations also were taken at Steele’s Sport Bar & Grill on Saturday afternoon.
As the sun set Saturday, food, live music and door prizes continued the party that started at 7 Cedars Casino earlier in the afternoon.
There was no word on whether Santa hung around or hurried back to the North Pole.
