dig, some cases in point. around 2000, jeri and i were at a classic bike meet up in colorado for the (once-upon-a-time) big xs1100 inline fours. we had taken our restored (by me) midnight special up to our camp just southwest of colorado springs, co. and met up with about 30+ other xsives from around the country. while we were jabber-jawing at the front of the campround under the veranda a couple came riding in on an old beat up xs of some unknown vintage. it was pieced together from various pieces of the model run years of the bike and had, shall we say, a colorful personality. of course most of us had trailed or towed our bikes in, with a few hardy souls riding some vast distances on some pretty high-end xs11's. but the odd couple who rode in that night really spoke to the sport at its core. they were younger than us (of course) and had traveled up all the way from el paso, just stopping for gas and twinkies, with no backrest or windshield and literally, wearing just short sleeved shirts and shorts for our chilly, high altitude june meet. it rained, snowed, thundered and hailed during that 3 day event, and that couple (who we took mercy on and put up in our tiny little rented cabin, throwing in some clothes for them to wear) went everywhere we did and made every single ride on that old beater. on sunday morning they rode it home! we all chipped in with some cash in case they needed bus fare along the way, but they made it, mailing all of their new 'friends' and telling us they got home okay. we were all just stunned. turns out they were well employed and just wanted an adventure. hola!
again, the very next year in eureka springs, arkansas at yet another classic meet - this time for 1200cc suzuki vee fours - the same thing happened. we'd all come with some pretty nice bikes, and just after we'd all checked into iron horse stables, a young couple comes riding in from iowa on a 700cc suzie (same story as the el paso bunch)! if that wasn't enough another couple came riding in on a real, serious beater from west virginia, but they were our age (late 30's/early 40's) and had plenty of money. they just didn't want to miss the inaugural event, so they'd bought a bike with virtually NO brakes and a poorly timed motor, strapped some dinky helmets on, grabbed their wallet and purse and just lit out for our meet for, you guessed it, an adventure.
rain, hail, tornadoes, etc. - nothing fazed these couples. had the time of their lives.
to the point: trailer-sailing is poised for a MAJOR re-birth in this country, due in large part to folks like the above. now i'm not saying they'll be dangerously ill prepared or anything of the sort, i just mean that the 'heydaysailers' (new term there maybe?) are pretty darned good values by any measure these days (and in this economy), and i believe just getting folks of say the late baby boomer generation to slow down a bit, get off the bikes and out of the four wheelers, etc. and onto a lake, river, bay or puddle, and to learn sailing, is going to be a huge, huge thing. i omitted powerboaters, since i'm not sure they could stand the peace and quiet, but that's maybe another issue.
we are looking seriously at doing the texas 200 this summer before we head for the mountain lakes of new mexico. we actually plan on sailing in 6-8 different lakes plus the texas gulf coast this season. we're veteran bike collectors, and we've been to more than 300 live, major concert events over the last 30 years. the very same people we see at those events are taking serious notice of our rv'ing and sailing, so i'm guessing at this point there will be a resurgence in small sailboating, so that's the issue i was referring to. jack b
