Quote from Deleted user on March 7, 2008, 8:32 am

First off Welcome to the world of Sidecaring. I am south of you in Fla. we have a Rally coming up in about two weeks. There is a link below also GA has a very active club you may want to try them also.

http://members.cox.net/georgiasidecarclub/

Quote from wlandahl on April 26, 2008, 2:36 pm

I live in the Montgomery area. Family affairs limit my riding time but perhaps we can meet some Saturday at a point between us (Auburn, Opelika, ...) for a ride. I'm new to sidecars, less than 1000km on my Ural, but enjoying them.

Quote from Miles on April 26, 2008, 9:37 pm

Hi Bill,

Thanks for writing back.

Opelika/Auburn works for me but I'll be busy the next month with prior committments. My wife won't ride on two wheels with me but said she would ride in a Ural out at Fort Benning so we bought a 07 Gear Up and just picked it up in late February. I've been riding it work through town to break it in slowly and am up to 900kms. It would be fun to ride together..would be unusual in this area to be sure - having 2 Urals on the road. 🙂

Miles

Quote from wlandahl on April 27, 2008, 9:26 pm

Miles,

Later this summer sounds fine; we'll just schedule around our commitments. I can make it to Ft Benning also; another visit to the Infantry museum is always good.

I picked my rig up about 6 weeks ago from a posting I saw on the "Soviet Steeds" forum. Its for doing the local dirt/gravel county roads and riding with the grandkids and their dogs.

later,
Bill

Quote from Miles on April 30, 2008, 7:18 pm

Hi Bill,

Great. Thanks for posting. I'll look forward to it. I'll be able to head your way to split the riding time in half or you could come to Benning. Benning has miles and miles of old paved roads that are great to ride along. I camped out at a lake they use for tent campers last Friday with my Son and we rode around for hours and hours. We went by the basic training units and I'm sure there are now many brand new soldiers who think the Army has adopted sidecars. 😉

I just picked up my Gear Up Feb 18th...so I'm just getting started with sidecars but it's been a blast so far. I have an 05 Sportster and 99 Ultra but my wife won't touch either one of the.

Sincerely,

Miles

Quote from Miles on April 30, 2008, 7:22 pm

Hi Bill,

Great. Thanks for posting. (You may get this twice because I had an error when sending it the first time.) I'll look forward to it. I'll be able to head your way to split the riding time in half or you could come to Benning. Benning has miles and miles of old paved roads that are great to ride along. I camped out at a lake they use for tent campers last Friday with my Son and we rode around for hours and hours. We went by the basic training units and I'm sure there are now many brand new soldiers who think the Army has adopted sidecars. 😉

I just picked up my Gear Up Feb 18th...so I'm just getting started with sidecars but it's been a blast so far. I have an 05 Sportster and 99 Ultra but my wife won't touch either one of them.

Benning is building a brand new National Infantry Museum complete with a full scale replica of a WWII Company street complete with Chapel at the end of the street. The entire site is going to be fantastic. So, if you haven't been in a while...you should plan to come by in about 6 months or so. I'll have to check to see when construction is scheduled to be completed.

Sincerely,

Miles

Quote from Peter Pan on April 30, 2008, 9:38 pm

Best training are gravel roads and out back's.
Enjoy spring and 1st of may.
Sven

Quote from GuzziSteve on May 28, 2008, 10:39 am

Miles,

Hey, I'm NE of ATL bout 45mi, by Winder, Auburn. If you are going up to the rally at TWO in a couple of weeks, see ya there!

Ride Safe, Steve

Quote from Miles on August 14, 2008, 6:07 pm

Okay....it's taken longer than I wanted, but I've finally got up to 3000 KMs and the rig is running great. Hope to take a trip this weekend on it either to the mountains or Florida with my son. Bill, Steve, are you guys still riding?

Quote from wlandahl on August 14, 2008, 6:31 pm

Miles,

Yep, still riding --- but not as much as I'd like. I'm up to about 2600km & did my first service. I still have some adjustments to make to the rig, but it is getting better.

I'm tied up w/ family this weekend so can't get out of the area. Enjoy your trip!

Perhaps I'll plan a ride to Benning one of last 2 weekends of Aug as I would be a good distance. How is completion of the new National Infantry Museum coming?

Bill

Quote from Miles on August 14, 2008, 8:34 pm

Hi Bill,

Great to hear from you. Infantry Musuem is coming right along...even though the Govenor pulled out of a offer of $3M. I every day on the way in. They're pouring the parking lot now and have the islands up in the parking lot but haven't put sod in yet. The new building is still being worked on and it will be a long time before the fill the musuem. The old WWII barracks street they built last summer is my favorite though. I always dream of parking the Ural there and getting a few photos.

I'll have to see but perhaps I can ride over your way sometime over the next couple of weekends.

Thanks for writing back.

Miles

Quote from Miles on December 20, 2008, 6:58 am

Hi Bill,

Wanted to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. I found out last week that the new Infantry Musueum at Benning is scheduled to open in March. Also found out that once it's completed that Benning is going to build an Armor museum in the same general area. That's another year plus down the road though.

Hope your out and about still riding. The kick start lever wedge holding the lever on the shaft it sits on fell off and although I could bolt it back on with another bolt, it no longer has tension when you push the lever down. Looks like I'm off to Wagners here soon to have them fix it while it's still under warranty. They're real easy to work with and we're trying to work out a halfway point to pass off the Gear Up.

Best wishes to you and your family.

Miles

Quote from wlandahl on December 21, 2008, 12:52 pm

Miles,

Thanks for keeping it touch! Too bad about the kick start, but I'm sure Wagner's will fix it quickly; I was impressed the time that I visited their operation. Were you using the kick start or was it simply something loosened by vibration? I learned to use my kick start just two weeks ago --- since my bikes are on the carport I figured it would be good insurance in case of battery problems. Following a thread I'd seen over on Soviet Steeds, it started on the 2nd kick; only time will tell if that was a fluke...

I've been riding all my bikes a bit. I took the Ural to an AL BMW club campout outside of Ashville, NC over labor day. It went well, but I'd underestimated the amount of work driving a rig thru those hills --- next time, I'll hold it to about 250 miles/day in such terrain. I'm now at 5000 KM & ready for another service, plus tire change as the pusher has just about worn down to the threads.

I'll have to wait until after the 1st of the year, I'm taking bike trip to FL (St Augustine & St Petersberg) over Christmas week. At least one of my son-in-laws will ride with me; possibly both if the 2nd can get off work.

Wishing you and your family Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Bill

Quote from Miles on December 29, 2008, 9:17 pm

Bill,

Hey... the thought occurred to me, with your comments about riding over to Benning sometime to see the new Infantry Museum, that you might be a former Infantryman yourself! Then, at the risk of sounding like a commercial, I realized that I should let you know that the National Infantry Foundation is selling personalized 4 inch x 8 inch granite pavers that can be engraved with a custom message. The pavers will line Heritage Walk, a 1,000-foot long, 20-foot wide path connecting the new museum and the parade field in Patriot Park. A kiosk will allow visitors to look up the exact location of their own paver. I'm having one made for my father and would hate for you not to be aware of this if you are connected to the Army in general, and the Infantry more importantly.

I ride past this musuem every day and it's really going to be amazing when it opens this March. Just wanted you to know this was out there. I'm not connected in anyway to this organization, either personally, or through my work. I did retire as an Infantryman in 2005 however and so the idea of being able to remember my father, who also retired as an Infantryman in 1971 holds special significance to me.

Hope you and the family are well and that we get together sometime for a lunchride in the middle somewhere. I'm right behind you mileage wise with just under 5K. I'm hoping to hit that this week and knock out the 5K service and then go on the road somewhere for a long overnighter.

If your're interested about the pavers you can learn more here:

https://www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/paver2.php

Best wishes...ride safe.

Miles