Recently on this site, I requested assistance in locating a Harley with a sidecar I could rent...silly me! A very kind gentleman from this forum quite graciously informed me that learning to ride such a rig can be a dangerous learning experience to someone who has never ridden one and I have NOT...so I am altering my request for help. (Also, the same gentleman, who lives in Asheville, NC, offered me money for gas to bring AJ to Asheville for a ride on HIS classic rig!!! Does that ROCK or what??? I also had a lady in another state offer to GIVE MY BROTHER her no-longer-needed sidecar if it would fit his bike!!Are people great or what???)
To steal from Martin Luther King:
I have a dream...
And in that dream, my brother (Ronnie) and AJ and his other kids and myself are in their house Saturday morning, casually eating breakfast oh say around 10 o'clock when we hear a low thunder approaching, gradually getting louder...there's a knock on the front door and I innocently open it up. I am greeted by a sea of riders, one of whom announces that they have arrived to escort Adrienne on her birthday ride. She is presented with a jacket, and my brother and I carry her out to the middle of the pack, where she is placed in a sidecar rig. (No it does not have to be a Harley) Ronnie and I join the group for an easy ride. We take some photos (one of which will be blown up for a permanent memento).
We make a girl incredibly happy on her 16th birthday....
WE can do this; I cannot do this alone. I live and work out of Michigan and won't arrive in Clearwater until Friday afternoon; I simply do not any riders in Clearwater to arrange anything...and part of this surprise is for my brother's benefit as well, so I cannot ask for his help;nor have I mentioned my dream to Ronnie or AJ as I do NOT want to disappoint the birthday girl should my dream fail to materialize.
I have saved $200 to take AJ shopping for her birthday (my back-up plan if the ride doesn't happen). I will gladly spend that--and whatever more is necessary--for the jacket.
Please PLEASE PLEASE get the word out--anyway you can--to help me coordinate this (oh and please let's pray for clear skies!!) I can provide the address in Clearwater (MapQuest will get ya there)--I'll turn loose my cell phone number...I'll make sure Ronnie, AJ and I are at the house if I know riders are coming!!
PLEASE help me rally!
thanks,
lori
You may plead your case at the Ural website. Those "foil" folks there are generally big hearted and may well indeed offer you a ride in a hack.
The website is at
http://www.imz-ural.com.
One poster there recently took an older lady from his church for her first ride. The people at the site were well pleased with the pics he shared and the fun he had put into the woman's life. In the past, I have had offers for someone to meet with me and give me a ride. This was when I was thinking of purchasing a Ural. Not sales people, but the regular folks who happened to own and enjoy a Ural.
You may also go to a local dealership of any make and present your case right there in person. The dealer may know of someone who would help. Worth a try.
Riding a sidecar is one thing, but driving one is quite another. That is, if you have not had any training. It is not like riding a bike and for the experienced motorcyclist, you probably have to "unlear" several habits in order to operate the hack properly and safely.
Good luck with your quest and may your dreams be fulfilled.
Huey
Thank you for the information!
lori
Try this organization. It is custom made for helping people share the wind:
http://www.motorcycleridevolunteernetwork.org/
See if they have a member in your area. You may be able to connect someone directly, or contact the management for help finding a sidecar in the area. Most members are 2 wheelers, but they may know someone with a hack who has not yet signed up. Good luck!
Did this young lady get her ride? I am a member of MRVN also and have asked over on their board as well. If she didn't get her ride and wishes to still ride, we will be down in Clearwater July 21-25 on business and I would gladly bring our rig to give her a ride.
God Bless,
Tim and Tanya
CMA
ABATE
MRVN
USCA
lORI,
I posted your previous mesage at SCT and will post this one too. What a great story!! Thanks you for sharing it with us.
Will pray fr clear skys too 🙂
Claude ..USCA National Chaplain
