Sunday, February 19, 2006

One of my Dreams.

Someone asked me what perhaps an unfinished dream of mine might be. While I did give them the answer of Riding out to Montana.... I do have other dreams. I might add that I have pursued a dream in the past that was aimed at helping others but it failed. Many is the time that I have come up with an idea and told it was good. Only thing is though, I seem to get flack whenever I try something so I wind up having to fight for it more than I should. Not to mention that fundage is always a problem so I have to proceed with caution and when it becomes apparant that the funds will never materialize or the project fizzles I move on.

Here is just one such dream that when first concieved had me excited to no end. The more I got into it, the need for more money and problems I found just to set it up would keep me from that goal. All I really wanted to do was help a bunch of kids with it but finding out about legalities and permits and so on and so on proved to large a task. The whole purpose was not to spend a bunch of money on setting things up because every dime spent on that would take away from the kids in need.

If you want to read it, It is below but is perhaps to long for most to read. Here it is anyway, 'Wooleys Dream Ride.' from the Chopper site I was writing for at the time.


Wooley Buggers Dream Ride

I have a far fetched dream for helping some children right in here in the good old USA.
It is only a dream and will probably never happen but, it is my largest dream thus far. This dream involves the whole motorcycling community.
As it is it would help untold numbers of children that right now , this day , this minute are suffering from cancer , loss of limbs , birth defects , severe burns , and the list goes on.
I see it first hand every time that I go to the Shriners Hospital for crippled children in Greenville South Carolina. My wife and I have spoken with many a parent in this dilemma. Families that have been financially strapped even ruined trying to get help for these kids. Families that have to decide every single day if they can afford to pay their bills , buy food and still get their child what he/she needs. These are not lowlife people , these are desperate souls hanging on for dear life.
The Shriners give medical care for these children in these families who for many, otherwise would not be to afford it. It cost nothing , nothing for a child patient to receive medical care.
Parents are strapped for money to get the help for these children that so many desperately are in need of. Health insurance companies (if the family can afford it) deny so much that is needed for the care of these children all across the USA. I know, first hand , so I am not just speaking from here say that I have heard from others. Yes I know well, how the insurance companies will jerk you around and refuse to pay for certain procedures through technicalities and loop holes. How children that are in dire need of help do not get it because the family , just flat out can not afford the outrageous cost of health care in a supposedly rich nation like ours. Families from all walks of life and income levels. It is a travesty in this great country of ours I’m telling you.
SO , here it is , my dream. I dream to have the biggest , largest , longest loudest , most attention getting gathering of motorcycle riders for children’s charity ever , EVER , in the history of the world. I’m talking bikes and riders of all types. Harley’s , Triumph’s , Hondas , Yamaha’s , custom choppers , Suzuki’s , BSA’s everything. The largest coming together of a motoring group for a single cause to ride a week long ride together. To show people just what a major force we are out here and that what we do counts in everyday life all across this great country. We demand , as asking politely and waiting for the government to really truly and honestly do something goes no where . That something be done about this ever increasing problem. So many in office make empty promises that are soon forgotten after election day is over.
We want this problem addressed , and we are tired of waiting for it to fix itself.
I dream of miles of thundering , screaming , motorcycles all riding at once covering a four state ride starting in North Carolina to Virginia and then down the coast of North Carolina through Georgia straight into Florida. Hopefully with a large welcoming volunteer party at the end for the riders. The entry fee for the ride would be a donation of $50 to $60 each person which is not much more than the cost of a good meal for two. Every penny going to charity as this ride would have no frills to come out of my pockets. The only item you could get officially to show you were a participant in the ride (other than memories) would be a jacket patch all proceeds would also go to the charity. Road Rat Roberts is the person I would want to design the patch or maybe take ideas from readers. The idea would be for all the money to go to the cause of several charities , not some expensive shows to entertain the riders. This would be riding and more riding through beautiful country side with stops at certain points of interest. No pansies allowed as this would be more like a pony express hell bent for leather ride. I would welcome bands and such to donate their services for free for the riders at the overnight camping spots. Who knows who else might show up for free to get their name out there.
I can just imagine all the news media catching on to this ride as it happens and doing coverage. Well hell , if my dream came true , it would probably go in the record books , and you could say you were there.
I’m not talking a few hundred bikes people . No ! I’m talking a few thousand motorcycles with more coming into the ride as it goes along. No way to trailer your ride in this one folks. It’s gotta be ridden the whole way. Can you imagine the sound and the ground shaking as thousands of us rolling along all at once , mile after mile of us , would surely get some attention. Just imagine how know way ... we would be able to go un-noticed . It would also make an impact on people finally looking out for motorcycles on the road. The best thing however would being in the knowledge that we helped a ton of kids. And we had a blast doing it. Bonds would be forged forever with new found friends and memories for a life time.
If I had a poll , I’d set it up for feedback on this. The million man march was a reality, why not this. I just couldn’t think of a better way to spend a weeks vacation.
Send me an email
twowheeltraveler@gmail.com to let me know what you think. Could it become a reality? Anyone want to join up now for a spring ride???
WooleyB

6 comments:

Michael K. Althouse said...

Thanks for visiting my site. I write about all sorts of stuff, but usually I tend to be introspective, constantly looking for meaning and substance.

I read about your dream ride. It sounds nice. Really nice. I hope it comes true some day, I would love to participate if at all possible. If it were to happen anytime soon though, it would only be a dream for me too. You never know what the future holds, perhaps these (and other) dreams will come true.

~Mike

WooleyBugger said...

Hey man, if it ever becomes a reality, you would be more than welcome to ride along.

Many of us can relate to your past ourselves. I, and a few friends, went to work right out of High School not knowing what we wanted to be. Others went to College and partied for four years on mom and dads shirt tails. I know one who barely got by and turned down a good job thinking he was to good and could find better pay. He wound up being a security gaurd until his parents set him up in his own business making those signs in a day shops.

Kathleen Jennette said...

Wooley----let's do it!!!
Lets call in the media and do it---remember...it's not just your dream, its the family & kids you are helping....
I'll be there.
KT

WooleyBugger said...

KT, KT, KT, you have no idea how your comment made me feel. I had those shivers run up my spine like I did when I first talked to people about this.
This whole idea was to get money for the children and not to pay for big parties and or provide meals or anything else for the participants. I fiqured that something this large would have restaurants and motel/hotels giving discounts to the riders. I thought that towns we passed through would be more than glad for all the business at fuel stops and what not too. If all the riders were volunteers, who just happened to be on the highway at the same time, why would I need waiver forms and permits?
I bought books on fund raising and had even contacted a few childrens organaizations about raising funds for them. But as I got more into the legal mumbo the more red tape I found. Then I was told that I'd have to try and find lodging, parade permits for each town we went through and, holy cow, it began to boogle my brain cells. Now why in the heck would I need a parade permit to allow the motoring public to ride through towns on a public highway?

One person suggested getting a few celebrities to join in for the attention to the ride. Another fellow even fiquired up how many miles of bikes it would be. Can't remember for sure but think it was around fifty miles of machines for the amount we looked at. It would be like a dozen freight trains of rumble on the highways.
Did the million man marchers need parade permits for all the vehicles that were used to get the people to their destination I wondered.

Finally, I was told it could be done but would take a year or two to come to light. So I said "Okay! I'll settle for a couple thousand bikes to do it sooner."
Alright, now I'd settle for a thousand riders even.

I still want to do it in a big way. If I had the right connections and help I probably could. The impact for the kids would be astranomical.

Kathleen Jennette said...

It would be.... I will put my feelers out here for you. I know I have music here in California and maybe another or two on the East Coast that might participate depending on schedules and venues/parks, etc. It would be nice to time it during certain county fairs, etc. where all could gather and be entertained and hopefully the media will get us in. When I was in NY Michelle Dell (owner of Hogs & Heifers in NY & LV) put her saloon up for the Lady Liberty ride. They are starting their rundraising already for September. What would be nice is to have a big kick-off party on one coast and an ending party at the other. The media is always an important part and having a few fundraising events ALWAYS is great for getting noticed. You will have to impose upon riders that this is coming out of their pockets... and whatever $$$ you get on the way has to be set up in a fund or Uncle Sam can and will hit you hard. I am not a genius in the $$ department so I don't know all there. If you do want to do a ride---FOR THE CHILD (on the web) is an organization you might want to look into. I was part of that last year and they do get the $$$ where it belongs...just a thought...I know I can get into that one for you to at least check it out. Maybe even do a website to start marketing it. I know it sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but the final outcome is the best.
In any case, whatever $$$ you make, is more than what the kids/families have, and it will be appreciated!

WooleyBugger said...

You have some good ideas there.
As far as the money fund, I'd want the Charities themselves to somehow be the ones to handle taking it in. Not sure how to work that out with them.

Maybe some of the race tracks could provide for (accommodate) a sizeable amount of riders for a place to stop for the night for a small fee per rider.

A coast to coast run had been a thought. We would find the center point of the U.S and West Coast riders and East Coast riders would meet there and exchange flags and head back to plant the flag. A symbol of Unity if you will.
Another suggestion had been to use torches and light the center point torch together with the flame from each Coast. That would be a torch run for Childrens Charity but might be far fetched I thought at first. Keeping a torch going on a bike would be kinda tough for that distance.
I'll have to check out that For the Child site.

Put your feelers out and see what the response is. Maybe several fund rasing groups working together would make it work.