For Jamie Lone, it started with a motorcycle, a dog, and a quiet need to heal.
Six years and nearly 20,000 kilometres later, it香蕉视频直播檚 grown into something that brings joy to an entire community.
Jamie, a 37-year resident of Victoria, never set out to become known as the man on the motorcycle with the dog in the sidecar.
In fact, the story of Flyin' Joe began in a moment of hardship. After a 32-year career in the Navy, stationed out of CFB Esquimalt, Lone returned from deployment in 2014 and was rear-ended on his motorcycle near Nanaimo. The crash left him with a traumatic brain injury, a new hip, and more than a year of outpatient rehab.
"I had a good team of doctors that got me through, and support from my family," Lone said. "And then Joe came into our life."
Joe 香蕉视频直播� a Doberman, border collie, and blue heeler mix 香蕉视频直播� was originally adopted by Jamie香蕉视频直播檚 son, Ty. But when Ty took a job in a remote construction camp, the dog stayed behind with Jamie and his wife.
The timing was serendipitous.
"My son Ty realized that, 'Hey, this is good for Dad and Mom.' So he gifted him to me," Lone said.
At first, the pair simply coexisted. But Jamie, still missing the road, wanted to ride again 香蕉视频直播� this time with Joe. He found a motorcycle with a sidecar in Port Alberni, drove up with Joe, and brought the rig home. That night, while Jamie was cleaning it, Joe climbed into the sidecar and promptly fell asleep.
"The next morning we did two laps around the cul-de-sac," Lone said. "Now we香蕉视频直播檝e got about 20,000 kilometres."
These days, Jamie and Joe 香蕉视频直播� often with Joe sporting his now-signature goggles 香蕉视频直播� can be found cruising around Victoria, from Clover Point to the Empress Hotel. Tourists love them. So do locals. And Jamie doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mind stopping for photos.
"He knows when he香蕉视频直播檚 in the sidecar, he keeps his goggles on, and when we stop, they come off," Lone said. "He香蕉视频直播檚 not harmed in any way. He香蕉视频直播檚 pampered, well-groomed, well-loved by all."
The goggles, by the way, are called Rex Specs 香蕉视频直播� dog-specific eyewear Jamie discovered after experimenting with human riding goggles. He eventually connected with The Pet Store in Cadboro Bay, helping them become the only distributor in B.C.
Joe香蕉视频直播檚 name lives on in more than just goggles. When Jamie香蕉视频直播檚 son helped him create an , the handle FlyinJoe stuck 香蕉视频直播� partly thanks to a quirk of sidecar riding.
"When you turn right, the sidecar will come up," Jamie said. "You can fly the sidecar."
The Instagram page 香蕉视频直播� and the bike itself 香蕉视频直播� have become part of Jamie香蕉视频直播檚 healing. So has something else: music.
"I don香蕉视频直播檛 ride with the radio on, but I do pull out my harmonica and just play while Joe and I are parked somewhere, and of course, Joe howls with me" Jamie said. "It draws people in. Kids love it. Dogs come over. It香蕉视频直播檚 a moment to connect."
Those moments matter to Jamie.
"It brings me joy to be able to give back," he said. "From what I香蕉视频直播檝e gone through, I understand how important pets 香蕉视频直播� not just dogs 香蕉视频直播� can be to people."
For Jamie, Joe has been more than a pet. He香蕉视频直播檚 been a companion through PTSD, injury recovery, and quiet reflection.
"There really aren香蕉视频直播檛 any words for it," Jamie said. "He香蕉视频直播檚 with me 98 per cent of the time. Wherever I go. We香蕉视频直播檒l spend hours down at the beach. It香蕉视频直播檚 good mental health stuff for me."
Jamie香蕉视频直播檚 relationship with motorcycles hasn香蕉视频直播檛 always been easy. In 1991, his younger brother died in a motorcycle crash in Ontario. Jamie made a pact with his mother not to ride again.
"So I bought a dirt bike instead," he said with a grin.
In 1994, that too went sideways. A crash near Spectacle Lake left him with a piece of wood embedded in his groin 香蕉视频直播� missing his femoral artery by a millimetre. Nine months later, doctors discovered a 10-inch splinter still lodged in his lower abdomen.
Even after all that, he found his way back to motorcycles 香蕉视频直播� and this time, with a partner riding shotgun.
"If you have a dog and you love motorcycles, don香蕉视频直播檛 wait," Lone said. "Get a sidecar. And if you see us, give us a wave. If you want us to stop, give us a holler. We香蕉视频直播檒l pull over. You can take a picture."
