It was a great day for motorcycle ridin' Saturday as Jefferson was swamped with riders and bikes of all shapes, sizes and sounds attending the 2005 Boo Benefit.

Though the sky was clear and temperatures ideal, some attendees, such as Jannie Allen, said they would come to this particular rally "rain or shine." Her riding group, Heavy Metal, has attended every year since the benefit's inception due to their friendship with the rally's namesake, Charles "Boo" Chaler.

In fact, the first year of the rally on a street in Jefferson, Chaler wasn't even able to ride his Harley but was instead confined to a wheelchair, according to Dr. Kevin Sittig. Chaler was severely burned in a pipeline explosion in 1998, and recovered with the help of Sittig, who is director of LSU Health Science Center's burn unit.

It was in that unit Chaler and his wife Patsy learned about the Louisiana Burn Camp for Children, which sends young burn victims to a free, one-week summer camp each year. Once based in Louisiana, the camp now operates out of Scottsville Camp and Conference Center.

While the first Boo Benefit motorcycle rally was actually to help the Chalers with medical expenses, it spurned a tradition that has grown significantly over the years. Poker runs, bike games, merchandise and plenty of fun and fellowship has drawn in riders from as far as Minnesota and Georgia, Ms. Chaler said.

"We're looking at anywhere from 7,500 to 8,000 bikes showing up," Chaler said of this year's attendance, in comparison to the 2004 benefit number of 4,500.